Historic Garden Week

October 5, 2022

2011 Tour Chairman Martha Ware Bryan, The James River Garden Club

2012 Tour Chairman Anne Geddy Cross, The Ashland Garden Club

2011 Historic Garden Week Preview and Business Report

2012 Historic Garden Week Preview

The 2011 Guidebook cover featured Agecroft in Richmond. Chairman Martha Ware Bryan reported that guests from around the country and abroad included garden club tours from Toronto, Natchez, Minnesota, North Carolina and others. The Dallas Garden Club was so pleased with their Historic Garden Week experience that they sent a generous donation afterward, with a thank-you letter via Suzanne Munson. The Garden Club of Bermuda received a special welcome to Virginia by the Williamsburg Garden Club when they visited the Williamsburg tour on April 19. 2011 Guidebook

2011 HGW net income was reported at $380,511. The Dolley Madison Club enjoyed its best year in history, attributed to the exquisite gardens of Mount Sharon that were featured in Virginia Living. With credit to advertising sales and cost containment by staff, the Guidebook generated income for the first time in memory. Income was also generated through website advertising.

Suzanne Munson announced her retirement in 2011, after nineteen years as Executive Director of Historic Garden Week. Karen Cauthen Miller was hired and mentored by Suzanne, providing a seamless transition for GCV members and HGW visitors.

A marketing meeting was held at the Kent-Valentine House on October 25 and featured speakers Jonah Holland, social media consultant; Kara Cox, winner of an Emma Award in NonProfit Excellence in Marketing and last year’s publicity chairman for the Charlottesville tour; and Tamara Talmadge Anderson, Director of Public Relations at Virginia Tourism.

The 2012 Guidebook cover featured the Hermitage Museum and Gardens in Norfolk. Historic Garden Week Chairman Anne Cross highlighted the achievements of Karen Miller’s first tour as Director of HGW: advertising revenue increased; a Living Social promotion offered statewide passes for 50% off; Eventbrite was chosen for online ticket sales, which saw an increase of 62.5%; road sign expenses were cut by half; other expenses decreased by 10%; color was added to every page in the Guidebook; a new map of GCV restorations was included; watercolors replaced drawings of a house from each tour; media kits including statewide passes were sent to media outlets across the country; and, ,just prior to the 2012 tour, Karen was interviewed on Martha Stewart radio, prompting immediate calls from potential visitors from Beverly Hills, California. 2012 Guidebook

Anne Cross reported a 35% increase in revenue over 2011, a 10% decrease in expenses, and the HGW and GCV websites were coordinated following the 2011 tour, resulting in a 70% increase in website visits.

Anne then provided a progress report on plans for the Historic Garden Week 80th Anniversary tour in 2013, saying the celebration would focus attention on the GCV’s mission and the restoration work funded by HGW tours. Restoration sites would be encouraged to host events during the celebration, which was selected by the American Bus Association as a top 100 event for 2013.

Finally, Anne reported that London Ray had been hired as Assistant to Historic Garden Week and would be working on HGW 2013 Guidebook layout, to be done in-house for the first time.