Historic Garden Week

January 13, 2023

2015 Tour Chairman Alice Martin, The Petersburg Garden Club

2016 Tour Chairman Meg Clement, Three Chopt Garden Club

In preparation for 2015 Historic Garden Week, Committee Chairman Alice Martin reported that 70 members attended Boot Camp on June 24-25, 2014, representing 38 clubs. London Ray left GCV following Boot Camp and, after reviewing more than 70 applications, Tori Brock was hired as a full-time employee.

Rose Hill, a beautiful 18th-century plantation in Fredericksburg overlooking the Rappahannock Valley, graced the cover of the 2015 Historic Garden Week Guidebook. Owners John and Billings Cay purchased Rose Hill in 2008 from Preservation Virginia and have meticulously restored and decorated this home. It was featured in Architectural Digest in June 2013. Landscaping was done by William D. Rieley. Catriona Tudor Erler, Albemarle Garden Club photographed the cover. 2015 Guidebook.

Chairman Alice Martin announced at the 2015 spring Annual Meeting that advertising revenue was up 18%, Living Social sales doubled, EventBrite sales increased and overall state attendance was up from last year at 26,633 visitors. Facebook likes and Instagram followers tripled, and Twitter grew by 16%. A website upgrade included responsive design to increase Google search ranking worlwide.

She reported that plans for 2016 Historic Garden Week included a new collaboration between HGW and Virginia’s wine industry. In response to objections from two members clubs, the Board of Directors voted at its July meeting to withdraw from the collaboration.

Boot Camp in preparation for 2016 HGW was held June 23-24, 2015, at the Kent-Valentine House when the 2016 Guidebook and state brochure front covers featuring Fort Monroe in Hampton were unveiled by HGW Committee Chairman Meg Clement. Fort Monroe became a National Monument in 2011 and is the site of the largest stone fort ever built in the United States, c. 1834. It became a symbolic site of freedom for the enslaved during the Civil War. Ben Greenberg, whose book Natural Virginia was recently published, shot the cover. The 2016 marketing materials will feature the ‘Flame Creeper’ azalea. 2015 Guidebook.

2016 Tour Chairman Meg Clement reported at the 2016 Spring Annual Meeting that early receipts showed a significant increase in revenue over the 2015 tour. Advertising income for the Guidebook came in higher than expected – a notable income producer for us again this year. Online ticket sales for the state increased by 7% with attendance estimated at 26,000.