The James River Garden Club

March 22, 2022

jamesrivergardenclub.org

A Brief History

The James River Garden Club was founded in 1915 by Juanita Massie Patterson “to promote interest in gardens, their design and management; to cooperate in the protection of wildflowers, trees, and native plants; and to encourage civic planting.” Planting one of the community’s first victory gardens and the publication of a booklet on food conservation with proceeds donated to the Red Cross established a path of service for James River membership that has not diminished through the years since.

JRGC early conservation and beautification efforts led to improved roadways and beautification projects around the state. Members hosted radio talk shows to encourage conservation of natural resources; they plowed and planted community gardens; and they planted Richmond’s city flower, the iris, at historic sites in and around the Richmond area. The club was instrumental in the creation of Historic Garden Week in Virginia, an idea born from the success of a garden tour in 1928 to support Kenmore. James River Garden Club members Mrs. William R. Massie and Mrs. Andrew Christian chaired the first Historic Garden Week in 1929.

Through the decades, members have expanded and shared their knowledge about air and water pollution, city planning, roadside development, outdoor recreation, and historic garden restorations. These educational and charitable objectives continue today with significant impact throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Community Projects

The James River Garden Club is proud to have contributed to numerous community-enhancement projects throughout central Virginia. Our members continue this legacy today, most recently with the Anna Julia Cooper School in Church Hill, where we are building, planting, and maintaining wildflower, herb, and perennial gardens.

Anna Julia Cooper School is an independent, faith-based school providing full tuition scholarships to fourth through eighth grade students of limited resources in Richmond’s East End. Club members who were actively volunteering at the school recognized an opportunity to work with AJC students to increase their awareness of the benefits of gardening, recycling, and composting. These members developed a plan for the JRGC to partner with the school on projects which would meet the school’s beautification needs, reduce its environmental footprint, and allow the middle schoolers to participate in hands-on gardening activities.

The garden projects were launched in the fall of 2017, with some basic plantings in front of the school. The partnership then expanded to include the addition of raised flower and vegetable beds and multiple recycling/compost programs. The JRGC planned the spaces to be relatively low maintenance, pollinator friendly, and to be visually appealing to the children while also providing an outdoor learning garden. An after-school garden club was established and included student activities such as planting, weeding, and observing birds and pollinators in the planted beds. Students even set up a web cam on the school roof to watch the garden activity as well as nesting birds. Vegetables grown were consumed by the students – a big hit!

In 2010, Capital Trees began as a collaboration between the Boxwood, James River, Three Chopt, and Tuckahoe garden clubs of the Garden Club of Virginia. The goal was to create a more lush, green, and beautiful Richmond through specific plantings of trees and public gardens. The project honors the rich historical heritage in the City of Richmond and its location on the banks of the James River. Simply stated, the goal of Capital Trees is “to transform Richmond into a greener, more beautiful, more livable city. We advocate for the powerful connection between people and nature.” Capital Trees is now a full-fledged, nonprofit organization that continues to make an impact in the city through past projects like the 14th Street Corridor, Great Shiplock Park, and the Low Line. Other projects are coming on stream.

Susan Robertson, JRGC member involved with Capital Trees since 2010, points to the “power of collaboration and how it has expanded the relationships of the gardening community.” JRGC continues to support Capital Trees and has members who started at the beginning with the organization and still serve on the board of trustees and advisory council: Susan Robertson, Meg Turner, Mary Bacon, Kathryn West, Aurelia Lewis, and Molly Anderson. We thank Evie Scott, who was president of JRGC in 2010, for supporting the partnership with our fellow Richmond clubs.

Additional Four-Club Projects 

• Richmond’s Library Park (1998 Common Wealth Award recipient, second place)
• Extreme Stream Makeover: The four Richmond GCV clubs joined forces in 2007 with the James River Association (JRA) on a project called Extreme Stream Makeover. JRA identified a stream off Horsepen Road in dire need of cleanup and bank restoration. On assigned days, the JRA staff and a large group of members from all four clubs turned out to work — hauling trash out of the stream bed, clearing the banks of invasives, and filling the banks with new plantings for stabilization. Extreme Stream Makeover was the first joint project involving the four Richmond clubs, and the impact was even greater than expected. Lasting friendships developed among the four clubs, and members were anxious to take on another project together.
• Great Shiplock Park Canal Walk: In 2013, the Boxwood, James River, Three Chopt, and Tuckahoe garden clubs came together with the Virginia Capital Trail, the City of Richmond, and others, to re-open a transformed Great Shiplock Park, the western trailhead of the Virginia Capital Trail. Where tree roots once struggled with weeds and concrete, expansive gardens, shady trails, and storm water amenities have taken root, providing a green gateway to historic Chapel Island, where the collaboration resulted in the additional restoration of hundreds of native plants.

Designed by George Washington in 1784, the site is the easternmost of the historic James River and Kanawha Canal locks. It now includes the 19th-century Trigg Shipyard, a working canal lock, bicycle and foot trails, fishing spots, and stunning views of the river, offering 200,000 annual visitors environmentally-sensitive gardens with bio-filtration amenities.

Capital Trees has installed a 200-foot-long walkway along the canal and has replaced the weed-choked waterfront with native trees, perennials, and a 45,000-bulb “river” of narcissus leading to the park along Dock Street. The site now provides bio-filtration for the sensitive James River watershed and includes educational signage and website support. capitaltrees.org/projects/great-shiplock-park

• Virginia War Memorial Public Green Space

Virginia State Parks Grant

The James River Garden Club was one of 25 GCV garden clubs that partnered with 29 Virginia State Parks and the Youth Conservation Corps to secure funding through GCV’s centennial project. Our focus was assisting Pocahontas State Park with CCC cabin stabilization and shoreline restoration.

“The Garden Club of Virginia’s grants were instrumental in allowing us to purchase materials that our volunteers used to stabilize nine buildings last year with more to come this year in our Civilian Conservation Corps group cabin area. Youth groups using these cabins will no longer have to deal with leaky roofs and pests, but can concentrate on helping youth gain an appreciation of our environment, teamwork, and other life skills. Without your financial support these cabins wouldn’t provide the quality learning environment for today’s youth as they have over the past 80+ years. Thank you.”

David Dieter, CCC Cabin Stabilization Project Leader

A Taste of Virginia: Through the Garden Gate

In 1978, JRGC members conceived the idea of a cookbook as a potential source of revenue. Over the next several years favorite recipes were gathered, tested, and tasted. George Nan provided photographs of Virginia’s historic homes. Virginia Christian served as treasurer of the project; and Margaret Bemiss and Polly Perkins pulled the whole thing together. Sales of A Taste of Virginia commenced in 1980.

In the ensuing 34 years, five editions were printed and close to 65,000 copies sold. The proceeds were carefully and prudently invested and have been used by the club to fund meetings, shows, and especially community projects.

In 2015, Carroll Andrews and Clare Schapiro approached the JRGC executive board with a proposal to revise and reissue A Taste of Virginia with new recipes and new artwork to reflect current tastes. Funding for the printing of a new cookbook was approved and a Cookbook Committee was formed. Carroll and Clare organized the recipes by season, with an emphasis on local ingredients and a nod to Virginia’s culinary heritage. Lauren Carter designed the graphic elements, and the Cookbook Committee tested recipes.

Issued in 2018, A Taste of Virginia: Through the Garden Gate has been a resounding success in every way. Sold at historic sites and gift shops throughout Virginia, it is currently in its third printing. Proceeds allow the JRGC to fund ongoing conservation and civic projects.

Greens and More! workshop and sale in 2019 included pre-sold gift packages of A Taste of Virginia: Through the Garden Gate with a JRGC apron and local ingredients.

JRGC Centennial 1915-2015

Long before 2015, club members’ enthusiasm for our approaching centennial was growing. In order to accommodate all the tremendous ideas and to ensure all voices were heard, a Centennial Steering Committee was formed, ably chaired by Martha Ware Bryan. It was decided that our centennial would be commemorated in a variety of ways.

A commemorative project of significant scale was an important priority for the membership. The Centennial Steering Committee established a selection process and an award of $50,000 for the selected project. The monetary award, funded by proceeds of the sale of our cookbook, represented many hours and years of diligent work on the part of our members. Many worthy projects were presented to the membership who cast their votes. To celebrate its 100-year history, the JRGC chose Hollywood Cemetery: James River Overlook and Palmer Chapel Site improvements. The Overlook, designed by Van Yahres Studio, transformed unused space along the James River into handsomely landscaped stone terraces and walkways enhancing and beautifying the site’s natural connection to the river.

In April 2015, Lilliboo and Jack Cronly hosted a celebratory party for the membership at their home, Hillcrest, which was the location of the James River Garden Club’s first meeting in 1915.

The club’s centennial annual meeting in May 2015 was held at the Rice House, which at that time belonged to the Science Museum of Virginia. Its magnificent situation high above the roaring James River provided members with a tremendous sense of connection to nature and our beloved James River. What a fitting culmination of our yearlong centennial celebration.

JRGC Annual Meeting Locations

GCV Awards

Horticulture Award of Merit:  2011 Margaret Ford; 1996 Elisabeth Reed Carter

Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award: 2010 JRGC in conjunction with the three other Richmond clubs. Read Journal article.

Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement: 2009 Margaret Page Bemiss; 2006 Bessie Bocock Carter

Common Wealth Award: 2023 Virginia War Memorial Public Green Space (four Richmond clubs); 2014 (second place) Canal Walk in Great Shiplock Park (four Richmond clubs); 1998 (second place) Richmond’s Library Park (four Richmond clubs)

de Lacy Gray Medal for Conservation; 2020 Meg Turner; 2006 Rossie Fisher

In Memoriam

Bessie Carter — GCV President 1998-2000; JRGC President 1982-84

Margaret Bemiss – GCV Restoration Committee Chairman; JRGC President 1988-1990

“Our greatest strength is our members — their vision, determination, and hard work. We are proud of our past, the club’s multigenerational heritage, and our commitment to protecting our natural resources on a local and national level. This legacy will pave the way for the next generation of nature enthusiasts.”

Liz Talley, JRGC President, 2014-2016

JRGC Presidents 1994-2020

1994-1996	Muschi Fisher
1996-1998	Lindsay Wortham
1998-2000	Deborah Valentine
2000-2002	Helen Reveley
2002-2004	Mary Anne Burke
2004-2006	Moonie Etherington
2006-2008	Martha Ware Bryan
2008-2010	Evie Scott
2010-2012	Susan Robertson
2012-2014	Margaret Reynolds
2014-2016	Liz Talley
2016-2018	Mary Frediani
2018-2020	Susie Rawles