The Augusta Garden Club

March 22, 2022

augustagardenclub.org

Conservation and civic landscaping remain a major focus of The Augusta Garden Club.

Staunton’s largest creek, Lewis Creek, runs through the center of downtown before joining the Middle River, the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Inspired by efforts of the Lewis Creek Advisory Committee, the City of Staunton and the private sector to clean up the creek, The Augusta Garden Club launched a project in 2006 to place educational signs at key locations throughout the city, providing information about the watershed and its impact on the ecosystem as it flows for 28 miles through the city of Staunton and beyond. The project was completed in 2012. https://frazierassociates.com/portfolio-item/lewis-creek-signs/

In addition, AGC secured grants from Keep Virginia Beautiful to fund the installation of litter receptacles in Gypsy Hill Park and Montgomery Hall.

The Augusta Garden Club has carried on its long tradition of planting trees to enhance the landscape — most notably the planting of dogwoods. By the 1950s, the club’s Tree Committee had overseen the planting of 1,000 dogwoods throughout the community. Embracing this long-standing tradition, the club formally established Project Dogwood as its signature project. From 2013-2019, the club received grants from the Garden Club of America (2017 Founders Fund runner-up award), the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, the Staunton Rotary Club and the Garden Club of Virginia (2018 Common Wealth Award) totaling $25,950. With these funds dogwoods were planted at Gypsy Hill Park, local elementary schools, the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind and at a Habitat for Humanity Neighborhood Project. Working closely with the city’s horticulturist, Augusta planted seven blight-resistant dogwood hybrid cultivars and created two teaching arboretums with interpretive signs at Gypsy Hill Park and Montgomery Hall.

The club has also contributed to landscaping improvements at the Frontier Culture Museum, Historic Thornrose Cemetery, Valley Mission, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Blue Ridge Community College, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton and Augusta Country public libraries, along the Route 250 city entrance corridor and plantings for the Green Thumb Park at the city’s underpass entrance. The club planted four Green Pillar oaks at the City Fire Department in memory of the September 11, 2001, national tragedy.

Flower shows, flower-arranging workshops, annual Historic Garden Week tours, fundraising projects, field trips, monthly meetings and conservation programs are mainstays of the club activities providing both camaraderie and education.

The Augusta Garden Club members are active members of the Garden Club of Virginia, with many serving in board and committee positions over the years. Deedy Bumgardner, past president of The Augusta Garden Club, served as President of the Garden Club of Virginia from 2004-2006. During her term, she spearheaded the Buy a Balustrade campaign to raise funds for the much-needed improvements at the Kent-Valentine House and launched the GCV’s first strategic plan. Deedy received the Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2017.

The Augusta Garden Club hosted the GCV 1999 fall Board of Governors meeting with featured speaker Andre Viette, host of radio show “In the Garden” and owner of Andre Viette Nurseries. Attendees were captivated as he shared his extensive knowledge of cultivating daylilies, hostas and peonies. Club member Doris Smith hosted the Dutch treat dinner at her home, Smithleigh, and former GCV President Lee Cochran hosted a luncheon at her home, Stuart House.

During the 2011 GCV fall Board of Governors meeting, The Augusta Garden Club members organized tours at the Frontier Culture Museum, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Blackfriars Playhouse and walking tours by the Historic Staunton Foundation. A luncheon was hosted at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, a GCV restoration project.

2011 BOG Photos

AGC Centennial

2019 brought reflective celebrations as The Augusta Garden Club marked its 100th year.

Historic Garden Week 2019 featured homes connected to the club’s history, including Waverley Hill (former home of Emily Smith, AGC and GCV President), Stuart House (home of Lee Cochran and current member Emily Cochran) and White Stone (former home of member Mary Grasty Bell). Historic Garden Week was established in 1929 during Emily Smith’s tenure as GCV President, and she opened her home many times for the tour. The club was honored that the cover of the Historic Garden Week 2019 Guidebook featured Waverley Hill. A grand Centennial Gala for members and guests was held the evening following the tour at Stuart House to celebrate one hundred years of fellowship and accomplishments.

A centennial lecture on former member Elizabeth Seymour Rawlinson was sponsored by the club and the Staunton Public Library. Elizabeth, a noted horticulturist, was recognized for her pioneering efforts to identify and catalog native Virginia plants, and her work was published in national publications, including House and Garden. Elizabeth served as editor of the GCV’s Garden Gossip from 1936-1941. Following her death in 1942, AGC established the Rawlinson Collection at the Staunton Public Library.  Each year, the club donates books to the library to raise awareness in the community about conservation, plants, shrubs, trees, flower arranging and the joys of gardening. https://vnps.org/elizabeth-rawlinson-virginia-plant-pioneer/

Throughout the centennial year, interviews were conducted with sustaining and long-time members to record their favorite club memories. The Archives Committee completed a five-year project — reading, sorting and cataloging hundreds of documents, including minutes, committee reports, newspaper articles, scrapbooks and photographs of accumulated club history. These materials and the collective knowledge of many members allowed AGC to publish a Centennial History of The Augusta Garden Club.

2020

When the COVID pandemic temporarily shut down in-person meetings in early 2020, AGC members quickly learned to Zoom — staying in touch, conducting meetings and continuing the work of the club. “Flower Flashes” were held to recognize community organizations that were giving 100% during the pandemic. “Wednesday in our Gardens” was arranged to give members an outdoor opportunity to learn and gather on walks in members’ gardens. Virtual flower, horticulture and photography shows were organized. Digital communications became more important, and the club’s website was updated with more comprehensive content and a fresh, user-friendly format. The monthly newsletter was transferred to an email platform and was published twice monthly in order to keep members connected.

An early historian of the club, Evelyn Jones Yarbrough, wrote, “If the roll was called and the achievements of each member of The Augusta Garden Club recorded, the list would be endless and glorious. For unselfish service, devotion to duty, with a desire to undertake any work that would enhance beauty along the way and preserve the national resource of our land, each member of The Augusta Garden Club is honored and acclaimed.” Or as a long-time, current member of the club stated, “We do not rest on our laurels or rhododendrons!”

AGC Presidents 1995-2021

1995-1997	Sylvia Gibbs
1997-1999	Gate Flanders
1999-2001	Emily Cochran
2001-2003	Linda Holden
2003-2005	Jane Testerman
2005-2007	Marie Thomas
2007-2009	Grace Rice
2009-2011	Holly Bailey
2011-2013	Carrie Darracott
2013-2015	Emily Reed
2015-2017	Dana Flanders
2017-2019	Deneen Brannock
2019-2021	Virginia Gillock