Hillside Garden Club

March 22, 2022

hillsidegardenclub.org

Today no one remembers who participated in those early gatherings, but the club’s first formal minutes, recorded in July of 1935, reflect a membership of twenty-five.

 Christened the Junior Garden Club at that first meeting, the club soon recognized the complications such a name would present as members aged.  Before the club adjourned its second formal meeting in the city of seven hills, it had become Hillside Garden Club.

The decision to make the Old City Cemetery a primary project in 1993 led Susan Mullin to donate trees from her tree nursery as part of the grounds rehabilitation there. The cemetery continues to be a place for fresh ideas, new programs and gardens that provide opportunities to volunteer both as administrators, docents and gardeners while educating the public enhancing the beauty of our community.

The signature event in 1995 was a special program held at Westminster Canterbury honoring the charter members of the club. Six of the original twenty-five enjoyed the day.

The club continued its commitment to the Old City Cemetery by allocation printing funds for new brochures, planting more trees and giving a much needed outdoor water fountain.  Virginia Earley Holt gave the initial funds to establish the Earley Memorial Shrub Garden. A Common Wealth Award in 1996 of $5000 facilitated building a gatehouse and expanded entry for the cemetery and attracted other in-kind contributions toward the $25000 value of the project. Further support came when Virginia Holt donated the Stapleton Train Station building from her country property to the cemetery. “Pete” Lupton gave the funds to restore the historic station to its World War I era in honor of her daughter-in-law, Hillside member Leland Lupton. The club celebrated a special day for its opening in which members dressed in period costume and planted a white oak tree near the station in honor of their founding members.

Both Sallie Terrell, a charter member, and the Aviary at Miller Park turned one hundred in 2001. In celebration of the latter Melanie Christian led the way with a massive restoration of the Aviary that is widely enjoyed by civic groups for a variety of gatherings.

In recent years, the club has continued to embrace a variety of projects. In 2006, it voted to support Lynchburg Grows, a non-profit organization founded in 2003, with a $10,000 donation from funds raised through volunteer participation at the Steeplechase held at Oakridge in Nelson County. Those funds helped Lynchburg Grows secure the property and move forward with its development as an organic food supplier. The Awareness Garden, located at the Langhorne Road entrance to the Blackwater Creek Nature Trail, was dedicated 2003 to those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Hillside contributed both funds and planning expertise for its grounds. In 2007 the club published a book of flower arranging and garden tips, entitled A Year in Flowers; Growing, Arranging, Journaling, with proceeds earmarked in support of the club’s mission.

In 2008, Hillside again became actively involved in restoration efforts for the Anne Spencer Garden, and in 2009, the club was once again the recipient of the Common Wealth Award for the garden. The $10,000 award was used primarily for restoration of the fishpond and installation of audio information stations. In 2010, Hillside donated $19,000 from its treasury and endowment funds for further restoration needs in the garden. Those funds, along with contributions from club members and friends of the garden, made possible the restoration of the grape arbor and wisteria pergola, which was completed in 2011.

In 2010 and 2011, Hillside successfully hosted the annual Garden Club of Virginia Daffodil Show.

The GCV Horticulture Award of Merit was awarded to members Susan Wright in 2012 for her work in the Anne Spencer Garden, Kris Lloyd in 2014 for her garden project at Bedford Hills Elementary School, Janet Hickman in 2016 for her work both in daffodil horticulture and in helping to maintain the Anne Spencer Garden, and most recently Kaye Moomaw for her contributions to the Old City Cemetery and the broader local and state community.

Hillside won its 4th GCV Common Wealth Award in 2016 for its initiative to create a tree garden for the restored Academy Center of Fine Arts building. In April 2017, the Hillside Garden Club Memorial Garden was completed and dedicated at the Old City Cemetery positioned between the Chapel, and the newly constructed Comfort House. Hillside Garden Club and individual members contributed $25,000 toward the completion of the Memorial Garden.

In 2020, Hillside, in cooperation with The Lynchburg Garden Club, began their pollinator garden initiative by establishing the Blue Ridge Conservation Coalition to promote public gardens of native plants that encourage the propagation of all pollinators.

Eight-plus decades and counting! This quick summary of Hillside’s history cannot really do justice to the substantial contributions made by the club at the local and state level. Nor can it adequately describe the rich and enduring friendships that characterize the relationships among its members past and present, along with their shared sense of stewardship.

HGC Presidents 1995-2021

1995-1997	Beety Jo Kendall
1997-1999	Becky O’Brian
1999-2001	Melanie Christian
2001-2003	Shirley Lynde
2003-2005	Laurie Babcock
2005	Anne  McKenna
2005-2007	Clarkie Patterson Eppes
2007-2009	Lisa M. Cresson
2009-2011	Janet G. Hickman
2011-2013	Carter Paxton
2013-2015	Shelby Rowland Crist
2015-2017	Meg Laughon
2017-2019	Leigh Suhling Barth
2019-2021	Sarah Hellewell