2013 Spring Annual Meeting: Charlottesville

November 3, 2022

The 93rd Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of Virginia was hosted by the Charlottesville Garden Club on May 6-8, 2013, at the Boar’s Head Inn, chaired by Trish Burton, Renee Grisham and Elizabeth Neff. Photos

The Board of Directors met Monday, May 6, hosted by Peggy Quayle and Jane Maddux at Peggy’s lovely hilltop home in Farmington for luncheon and meeting.

President Ann Gordon called the meeting to order and introduced guest Catherine Whitham, Long-Range Planning Committee Chairman, who reported, “Since the last update in January 2013, the Long-Range Planning Committee has completed all focus groups, both internal and external, and in just the past two weeks conducted an electronic survey of the membership. Internal Focus Groups covered all six GCV Districts, the Board of Directors, Past Presidents and staff.”

Treasurer Anne Baldwin provided a brief history of GCV investments and funds. On behalf of the Finance Committee, she proposed the following two changes that were approved by the Board:

• The Garden Club of Virginia Endowment was established in 1998 for long-term investment to provide a portion of the Garden Club of Virginia’s operating expenses, as well as for significant needs of the GCV and our headquarters, the Kent-Valentine House.
• The SEED Fund was established in 2002. Funds in this account are used for the general purposes of the Garden Club of Virginia including, but not limited to, special events, special projects, and the special needs of the Garden Club of Virginia Committees. Surplus funds from Garden Club of Virginia events are deposited in the SEED Fund. This fund may be spent in its entirety, excluding any restricted funds or unused portion thereof. The Finance Committee is recommending that we eliminate this Fund and move the current balance to the GCV Endowment Fund.

Additional proposals from the Investment Committee for changes were sent back to Standing Committees for review.

Journal Editor Jeanette Cadwallender reported that Karla MacKimmie, the Warrenton Garden Club, will assume the role of editor after the Annual Meeting. Ann Heller, GCV Communications Coordinator, has joined the Editorial Board and Jeanette McKittrick will take on a new role as art editor. She will help primarily with cover art. The March issue was produced and delivered on time.

Ann Gordon Evans, Nina Mustard, Dianne Spence and Lynn McCashin met in January with leadership of Journey Through Hallowed Ground to hear about its mission. The organization is interested in forming a strategic partnership with the Garden Club of Virginia.

Prior to adjournment, the Board voted to acknowledge the Garden Club of America’s centennial with a donation of $500 to its project at New York City Central Park, and to present the organization with a resolution acknowledging its significant anniversary.

President, Ann Gordon Evans convened the Executive Committee immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the proposed Bacon’s Castle brochure, a joint effort of the GCV and Preservation Virginia. On behalf of the Restoration Committee, Chairman Sally Guy Brown asked for approval of the brochure as presented. Prior to this meeting, the Executive Committee had several opportunities to review the brochure via email. The committee expressed considerable concern about the layout, the position, size and color of the GCV logo and the placement and size of the GCV seal. The consensus of the Executive Committee was that the brochure needed design attention and review by Dale Edmondson, graphic designer.

Attendees were invited to a wine reception Monday night at the historic Paramount Theater on the downtown mall. With drinks in hand attendees toured the beautifully restored theater and watched a video introduced by Barbara Sieg that highlighted the history of the Paramount and its revival. Dutch treat dinner followed at Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar and featured a tasty spring-inspired menu.

Catherine Madden described Tuesday morning activities, “Tuesday morning arrived a little soggy, but that didn’t dissuade our intrepid group from venturing forth to first tour the fascinating home and garden of Barbara Sieg. Barbara graciously invited us inside to Flordon, which started its life as a hunting lodge in the early 1900s and was later enlarged in 1936 by noted architect Marshall Swain Wells. We also admired the formal gardens originally designed by Charles Gillette, including a charming secret garden tucked in beside the house. Then we were off to Fran and Andrew Boninti’s wonderful never-ending garden where we were amazed at the extensive and varied plant material that clearly demonstrates a passion for horticulture and a really green thumb.”

Prior to the afternoon meeting, lunch was served at the Boar’s Head where member club presidents dined with their Directors at Large in the Patio Room while others met up with new friends and old in the Hearth and Arbor rooms.

Garden Club of Virginia President Ann Gordon Evans called the 93rd Annual Meeting to order Tuesday afternoon. She remarked, “The Annual Meeting gives us the opportunity to review the year’s activities, to learn of future plans and events of the GCV, to review financial information and, as the bylaws state, to elect future leadership.” She reminded attendees, “to reflect on accomplishments in your club as you hear the many accomplishments of the work of GCV committees,” and to continue to focus on the GCV’s mission to restore historic gardens, to conserve Virginia’s natural resources, to inspire a love of gardening and to provide education for our members and the general public.

Development Committee Chairman Julie MacKinlay described a new brochure, “GCV’s 93-Year Investment: Changing the Landscape of Virginia” that addresses current needs, our development mission and ways to give. The addition of response envelopes in the March Journal with a first-time article about development helped increase the number of March and April donations by 69%.

Nominations Committee Chairman Kim Nash presented the following slate, approved by the Board of Directors at its January meeting, to serve as Directors at Large 2013-2015: District 2: DeLane Porter, Dolley Madison Garden Club; District 5: Lynn Gas, the Hunting Creek Garden Club; and District 6: Susan Wight, the Princess Anne Garden Club. With no nominations from the floor, the slate was approved as presented.

Admissions Committee Chairman Martha Moore introduced two new Honorary Members of the Garden Club of Virginia.  Frank Robinson was proposed by the Boxwood Garden Club and seconded by the Tuckahoe Garden Club. Nancy Ross Hugo was proposed by the Three Chopt Garden Club and seconded by the Ashland Garden Club. Read more.

Horticulture Committee Chairman announced 2013 Horticulture Awards of Merit: Katherine Beale, Harborfront Garden Club; Cecilia Brown, The Garden Club of Gloucester; Molly Brown (Mrs. Dirck Brown), The Blue Ridge Garden Club; Romayne Byrum, The Elizabeth River Garden Club; Meg French, The Virginia Beach Garden Club; Beth Holt, the Princess Anne Garden Club; Mercer O’Hara, The Garden Club of the Northern Neck; Dianne Pfizenmayer, the Augusta Garden Club; Joyce Rice, Roanoke Valley Garden Club; and Kay Wray, The Petersburg Garden Club.

Two announcements were “hot off the press.” Symposium Committee Liaison Nina Mustard announced that Terry Buntrock of the Williamsburg Garden Club has accepted Ann Gordon Evans’ invitation to serve as chairman of the next GCV Symposium, to be held in Colonial Williamsburg in late January or early February of 2015 at the Williamsburg Lodge. Misti Spong, also of the Williamsburg Garden Club, will serve as Terry’s co-chairman. Invitations have been extended to Nancy Campbell (first lady of Colonial Williamsburg) and Helen Reveley (first lady of William & Mary) to serve as honorary co-chairmen. And acting Journal Editor Jeanette Cadwallender also announced that Karla MacKimmie of the Warrenton Garden Club will assume the job of Journal Editor after this meeting.

Following announcements, the meeting was adjourned for the evening.

Cocktails and the awards banquet were held in the ballroom Tuesday evening. Attendees were thrilled to be serenaded by the Virginia Gentlemen during cocktails, especially with their rendition of The Good Old Song.

President Ann Gordon reconvened the Annual Meeting Wednesday morning and congratulated award winners.

Executive Director Lynn McCashin reported on landscaping work at the Kent-Valentine House. Broken limbs were removed from two trees and, after much discussion and evaluations from several arborists, it was determined that the west front magnolia needed to be removed for safety reasons. Because the original deed and historic easement agreement stipulates that two magnolias will always be in the front of the KVH, a suitable replacement was sought. A beautiful new tree was planted the very next day. She continued, “Brick work on the rear wall and First Street wall was completed; graffiti was removed; the slate path was redone and set in concrete; a taller, screening fence replaced the old, dilapidated one on the west property line, and the lawn was rejuvenated with compost and grass seed. We thank Will Rieley & Associates and the Restoration Committee for helping with most of the exterior work.” Donations to the house included a tea cup collection, silver pieces and flower arranging.

Renee Grisham introduced speaker Sam Abell, noted National Geographic photographer, author and artist. He shared his “Seeing Gardens” slide presentation and his guiding words throughout his career, “compose the picture and wait,” adding that sometimes the wait was short and sometimes very long! He also revealed that his two favorite places to make photographs are Tolstoy’s estate in Russia and “just about any place in Virginia.” Tolstoy’s garden is a garden with all native Russian plants and is a joy to be in. Virginia has a wealth of gardens and plants to photograph, from interesting places on the University of Virginia grounds to a special spot away from the crowds.

Following a recap of the meeting by Catherine Madden and closing remarks by Ann Gordon, the meeting was adjourned.