2005 Fall BOG: Ashland

December 16, 2021

Photos

Hanover Tavern was a marvelous setting for the 86th meeting of the Board of Governors, hosted by the Ashland Garden Club on October 11-13 and chaired by Anne Cross and Pettus Miller.

Board members were invited by Diana Carter for lunch at her home on Tuesday. The board meeting followed at the home of Linda Magovern where parliamentary business required more time than usual.

A motion from the Restoration Committee was approved to set aside $25,000 from Restoration funds for rebuilding of gardens and/or the replacement of trees damaged during the 2005 hurricane season on the Gulf Coast.

The Dutch treat dinner Tuesday night was hosted by Mary Anne and Gerry Pugh at their historic home “Shrubbery Hill.”

Ashland Garden Club President Martha Wingfield welcomed attendees to Hanover County at the start of business on Wednesday morning, and to the Town of Ashland, revealing the now friendly relationship between the two was not always “friendly.” Twice in the 1850s the up-and-coming town of Ashland tried unsuccessfully to wrest the county seat from Hanover Courthouse. The last unsuccessful attempt was 1916.

Martha introduced Rhu Harris, Hanover County Administrator, who proudly pointed out that Hanover County is one of only 200 counties nationwide to have received the “Preserve America” designation from the White House.

Club historian Betty Roane Kendrick described the club’s obsessive tree planting over the years – dogwood, Bradford pear, hemlock, Centennial 0ak and magnolia – all for a variety of projects and celebrations. She added, “The town should look like a forest, but time takes its toll.” In 1996, Ashland hosted a GCV Lily Show that took place just as the North American Lily Society was meeting in Washington. Lily growers from the national meeting descended on Ashland, bringing lilies from all over the world. Wanting to keep the lilies in perfect condition, they were put in the cafeteria refrigerator. Image the dismay when the refrigerator doors were opened and the lilies were frozen. “No hard feelings – good intentions.”

Janice Whitehead, Spotswood Garden Club President, presented a video update of the 2003 Common Wealth Award winner, “The Healing Garden at Camp Still Meadows.” Tricia Sauer, Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton President and Ann Sanders, Boxwood Garden Club President, provided an update of the 2004 Common Wealth Award winner, “The Environmental Education Plan for Bandy Field Nature Park.”

At the close of business, Brenda Gilman of the Ashland Garden Club introduced Nancy Ross Hugo, who spoke to attendees about three of her projects: Remarkable Trees of Virginia; Flora of Virginia and Natural Communities of Virginia. The afternoon concluded with a tour of Scotchtown, the only original standing home of Patrick Henry.

The awards banquet was held at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center that night where the Common Wealth Award ($5,000) was presented to the Huntington Garden Club for the Virginia Living Museum’s Virginia’s Botanical History, 1607-Today; Runners up were Albemarle Garden Club ($1,000) for Morea – A Living Classroom and Nansemond River Garden Club ($1,000) for the Cedar Hill Cemetery Project.

Attendees were offered the following seminars on Thursday morning: Who’s Afraid of the Website?; Flower Arranging for Historic Garden Week; The Restoration Process; and Strategic Planning Focus Group for Committee Chairmen.

Sally Guy Brown delivered a tribute to the Ashland Garden Club, standing before a PowerPoint presentation of candid photos taken throughout the meeting. As the photos scrolled through slide after slide, attendees were delighted seeing themselves in candid moments, bringing peals of laughter and shrieks that nearly drowned out Sally Guy’s tribute.