1997 Fall BOG: Petersburg

January 2, 2022

The 78th Board of Governors was hosted by the Petersburg Garden Club on October 14-16, 1997, at the Steven Kent Quality Inn in Petersburg, chaired by Betty Steele.

The Board Meeting was hosted by Mary Frances Ragsdale at her home. Betty reported the creation of an ad hoc Development Committee, chaired by Lucy Ellett, to present options to membership for planned giving, especially important at the beginning of Phase II renovations to the Kent-Valentine House. Betty also informed the board of a letter from the President of the Virginia Senate and from the Speaker of the House of Delegates asking the garden club to be “in charge of” establishing a plan, setting up guidelines, setting policy for now and the future of Capitol Square. She credited the initiative to Tayloe Murphy, the guiding force on so many conservation issues.

Helen Murphy announced Rudy Favretti’s retirement to be effective July 1998, after 20 years as the Garden Club of Virginia Landscape Architect. The selection of a Search Committee was underway.

In other business, HGW Chairman Nancy Bowles reported the artist for guidebook sketches had resigned but had been quickly replaced; the Members’ Handbook was still available for $2.00 each, with over 1100 copies left in inventory.

Following the board meeting, attendees toured historic Battersea, home of Petersburg’s first mayor, and enjoyed dinner at Mayfield, Dinwiddie County’s oldest brick house, built circa 1750.

President Betty Schutte called the Board of Governors to order on Wednesday, October 15, 1997, at 9:00 a.m.

The invitation to the meeting had earlier provided a glimpse into the rich history of Petersburg, mentioning New York’s Museum of Modern Art display of a “Petersburg Room” with woodwork taken from a home on Bank Street; molding at Centre Hill created by local plaster and woodworkers; local ironwork “unsurpassed in Charleston or Savannah” displayed at Blandford Cemetery; Greek Revival architecture of the 1800s displayed throughout the city; Lee Park Herbarium Collection (1948 Massie Medal Winner), 238 watercolors by Bessie Niemeyer Marshall at Centre Hill; Blandford Church (1735) with 15 Tiffany windows.

Petersburg president Mary Frances Ragsdale welcomed visitors and introduced club historian Shirley Van Landingham. She began by saying the Petersburg Garden Club was once described as “the most prominent, civic-minded, garden-loving ladies in the city.” Members planted crepe myrtles along city streets and created gardens at the hospital, Bishop Payne’s Divinity School, Courthouse Hill and Trapezium. “The boxwood donated by members for the courthouse project finally lost their battle for survival with the chemical solutions used to clear the brick walk of ice and snow.”

“We joined the Garden Club of Virginia’s plea to save Capitol Hill and supported Senator Marye’s Bottle Bill, as well as joined the battle to ‘Fight Billboard Blight.’”

In 1980, after many visits of the Restoration Committee, the Garden Club of Virginia voted to landscape the immediate grounds and approach to Centre Hill. A watering system and handwrought iron fence were added later. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and William H. Taft visited while they were in office.”The restoration of Centre Hill has been a blessing for our city and gives us bragging rights to tell all that this is a gift from the Garden Club of Virginia, and it is a privilege to do our part for Historic Garden Week.”

Admissions Committee Chairman Cora Sue Spruill welcomed new member club — the Garden Club of the Middle Peninsula.

It had been reported in 1997 that the Board of Directors received a letter from an anonymous donor, offering to give $10,000 to the Common Wealth Award Fund as a matching one-for-one gift with a deadline of June 1998. Rossie Fisher announced the challenge had been met with $27,400 with one extraordinarily generous gift of $25,000. She thanked members and encouraged then to continue with donations to build the fund.

Becky O’Brian presented an update of the 1995 Common Wealth Award recipient Hillside Garden Club project at Old City Cemetery to plant 100 trees of old 19th-century varieties. A partnership with the City of Lynchburg followed, turning the area into a major visitor attraction with educational opportunities in flora and fauna, black history, grave markers, Civil War pestilence and epizootics in horses. The gatehouse became a focal point, and improvements began taking place in areas surrounding the cemetery.

Evan Atkin presented an update of the 1996 Common Wealth Award recipient, the Blue Ridge Garden Club project Roots and Shoots Intergenerational School Garden. The funding allowed for expanded gardens and publication of the gardening curriculum. Parents, teachers and volunteers built five additional theme gardens with raised beds, brick and mulch paths, arbors, tables and benches. Each grade planted its own garden: Sunflower/Farm Garden; Peter Rabbit and Mr. MacGregor; Scarecrow Garden with vegetables and flowers; Alphabet Garden; Herb Garden; Butterfly Garden; and Pond Garden. Summer plantings included corn, pumpkins, tomatoes and squash. Students dug potatoes for potato bake, made tussie mussies and corn husk dolls, carved jack-o’-lanterns and stored seeds.

Alice Martin then introduced Petersburg landscape architect Joseph Dye Lahendro who presented a slide lecture on Petersburg Architecture.

Attendees enjoyed lunch in private homes around Petersburg and visited Blandford Church to see the magnificent Tiffany windows. Cocktails were served at Historic Mayfield Cottage and dinner followed at the Petersburg Country Club. The 1997 Common Wealth Award was presented to Rivanna Garden Club for Landscaping at the Ivy Creek Natural Area.

Thursday morning business included a report by Parliamentarian and Editor of the Register Nancy Talley informing attendees that 22 of 39 repondants preferred to continue the use of social “husband’s name only” in the GCV Register.

Annual Meeting and Board of Governors Chairman Sally Guy Brown presented the Green Book Guide for hosting Board of Governors and Annual Meetings. It was filled with information and time schedules for booking hotels and speakers; how to make name tags and arrange transportation; a new fiscal form which itemizes all possible expenses so host clubs will know what to expect.

Round-table discussions offered three topics: Community Impact, Awards and Funding, after which speaker Dr. Donna Ware, Herbarium Curator of the College of William & Mary presented “The Flora of Lee Park.”