The Williamsburg Garden Club

March 21, 2022

The Williamsburg Garden Club was organized March 21, 1929, and was admitted to membership in the Garden Club of Virginia June 11, 1931. A history of the club’s first seventy years was recorded by club member Jean Cogle in Seventy Years as a Garden Club: History of the Williamsburg Garden Club 1929-2000.

1995-2000

The City of Williamsburg was making plans in the early 1990s to celebrate its 1999 tricentennial when The Williamsburg Garden Club members Mary Ann Brendel, Gale Roberts and Dianne Spence were asked to serve on the Beautification Committee of the city’s Tricentennial Commission.

At the time, Mary Ann was searching for a Master Gardener’s project and learned of the Roots and Shoots gardening program developed in California by Molly and Dirck Brown. As fortune would have it, the Browns had recently moved to Lexington, Virginia, continuing their work.

Mary Ann invited the Browns to speak to WGC members about their Lexington Children’s Garden and the seed for Mattey’s Garden at Matthew Whaley Elementary School was planted. Mary Ann had found her Master Gardener’s project! The Beautification Committee presented the idea to the city’s Tricentennial Commission and WGC members immediately began work. Gale Roberts designed the garden, Millie West raised funds throughout the community and construction was soon underway.

Mattey’s Garden was dedicated in 1999 with great fanfare. Matthew Whaley students, dressed as insects and plants, delighted the attendees with a musical produced by WGC member and music teacher Genrose Lashinger. After receiving the 1999 Arbor Day Award from the Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs, The Williamsburg Garden Club project leaders led city officials and community members on a tour of the 4,000 square foot fenced garden.

View Mattey’s Garden Photos 

With broad community and school support, Mattey’s Garden evolved and flourished. Master Gardeners took on the summer weeding and watering. WGC members Laura Geddy and Cathy Adams spearheaded PTA involvement while numerous WGC members taught weekly classes. Art class activities included painting gourds from the garden and cafeteria meals included salads from the garden’s produce.

Encouraged by the success of Mattey’s Garden, The Williamsburg Garden Club applied for and received the Garden Club of Virginia’s 1999 Common Wealth Award

The Williamsburg Garden Club continues to support Mattey’s Garden and the entire Williamsburg community continues to benefit from the garden today after more than 20 years.

The Williamsburg Garden Club celebrated its 70th anniversary in 1999 during the city’s tricentennial. A charter member of the Williamsburg Land Conservancy, the club donated funds to that organization’s campaign to purchase Mainland Farms, the longest continuously farmed piece of property in the United States located at the gateway to Jamestown Island. After a successful campaign, the property was purchased in 1999 and a conservation easement, held by the Conservancy, was placed on the 214-acre property in 2013.

2000-2010

The club provided funds in 2002 for new shrubs to be planted in the Governor’s Palace Maze. According to former WGC President Millie West, “this gift is a small thank you for all that Colonial Williamsburg has done in the past for Historic Garden Week in Virginia.”

Williamsburg members began planning years in advance to host Garden Club of Virginia’s 2002 and 2003 Rose Shows. Every member of the club was assigned at least one task by Co- Chairmen Karen Jamison and Dianne Spence. Jewel Lynn Delaune designed a beautiful garden gate logo to adorn printed material, aprons, totes, notecards and more. The 2002 event was held at the Radisson Fort Magruder Hotel and Conference Center, drawing horticulture and artistic exhibitors from far and wide with rave reviews from all. The show’s theme focused on Governor Francis Nicholson’s plan of the town when Williamsburg was the colonial capital of Virginia. The balance and proportion of houses to lots, windows to doors, chimneys to rooflines all reflected an enlightened awareness of design principles. The artistic schedule included classes for late Colonial, free form, Federal, Nageire and Hogarth styles, among others — plus a challenge class.

Immediately upon storing the properties of the 2002 show, members began discussing ways to increase efficiency and to increase public participation in the upcoming 2003 show. The Woodlands Conference Center in Colonial Williamsburg was reserved, artistic schedules were designed; program and invitations printed and mailed.

Everything was in place when disaster struck Virginia on September 18 in the form of Hurricane Isabel. The unusually large wind field uprooted thousands of trees, downed power lines, damaged homes, and business, and snapped telephone poles. Roads and major highways were blocked by fallen trees. Widespread areas in Virginia were without reliable power for two weeks, including the area surrounding the Woodlands Conference Center. The 2003 Garden Club of Virginia Rose Show, to be hosted by the Williamsburg Garden Club was canceled.

In anticipation of Historic Jamestowne’s quadricentennial celebration in 2007, the club partnered with Williamsburg City employees to create a small Anniversary Garden, welcoming visitors at one of the city’s gateways. A larger community garden was created and maintained by WGC members on the grounds of Heritage Humane Society, providing a pet friendly atmosphere for potential adoptive pet owners. Traffic issues and shortage of maintenance personnel contributed to the demise of these lovely ten-year gardens.

2010-2020

The 92nd Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of Virginia was hosted by the Williamsburg Garden Club in 2012, chaired by Sherrie Chappell, Lynn Ford, and Dianne Spence. With the expectation of hosting 120 guests, planning the three-day meeting began years in advance. Events kicked off Tuesday afternoon with a short bus ride on the Colonial Parkway to Jamestown Island for “Blue Jeans and Bluegrass.” Attendees enjoyed a wine reception before touring the archaeological excavation site, led by Jamestown Discovery director Bill Kelso, and the Archaeareum, designed by Carlton Abbott. Al fresco dinner buffet dinner on the banks of the James River followed, with bluegrass music provided by Bill Kelso, his wife Ellen and “Whoever Shows Up” band members. Carlton Abbot shared behind the scenes stories of his Archaeareum design project during dessert.

 

Prior to the meeting on Day two, attendees enjoyed escorted walking tours of Colonial Williamsburg’s gardens, the Colonial Nursery and the GCV funded design of Bruton Parish churchyard. Picnic style lunch was served overlooking the oval garden at the former Abby Aldridge Folk Art Museum (now the Colonial Williamsburg Spa). Meeting attendees then walked across the street to the Williamsburg Lodge, to be welcomed by Thomas Jefferson before settling down to a full afternoon of business. Members of Colonial Williamsburg’s Fife and Drum Corps made a surprise appearance during cocktails later that evening, leading the guests down a lovely garden path to the awards banquet in the Inn’s beautiful Regency Room.

Day three was strictly business as attendees met for the final morning session. Guests departed with box lunches provided by The Garden Club of Gloucester, likely hearing loud sighs of satisfaction and relief from triumphant WGC members.

The Garden Club of Virginia 2015 Symposium was held in Williamsburg, chaired by WGC members Terry Buntrock and Misty Spong. Honorary chairmen were WGC honorary members Helen Reveley (wife of William & Mary former president Taylor Reveley), Nancy Campbell (wife of former Colonial Williamsburg president Colin Campbell) and Elisabeth Reiss (wife of former Colonial Williamsburg president Mitchell Reiss).

Williamsburg Garden Club member Nina Mustard was elected President of the Garden Club of Virginia (2016-2018) at the 96th GCV Annual Meeting in May, 2016. That honor was last held by a WGC member in 1954-1954 when Lelia Thorne held the office. Nina had previously been awarded the oldest and most prestigious award given by the Garden Club of Virginia, the Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement, in 2011.

Historic Garden Week

The Williamsburg Garden Club hosts a tour each year during Historic Garden Week. Tour sites have included historic buildings and gardens in Colonial Williamsburg, noted buildings and landscaping on the campus of William & Mary, large estates in gated communities and smaller neighborhood homes, art galleries, museums and public parks. Themes have included history lessons of war years and celebrations of love, art and anniversaries. Guided walking tours of gardens in Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area have been included every year.

Noted Colonial Williamsburg homes have included the Coke-Garrett House revealing its history of expansions over two centuries, from the addition of multi-story wings to the brick outbuilding. The house and lawn were used as a hospital to treat wounded Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War; Bassett Hall, an 18th century frame house set on 585 acres of woodlands and gardens, was the Williamsburg home of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The house and most of the furnishings, including many examples of Mrs. Rockefeller’s American folk-art collection, remain much as it was when the Rockefellers furnished it in the mid-1930s.; the Tayloe House, purchased by John Tayloe II in 1759 to serve as his winter residence during sessions of the King’s Council. His primary residence was historic Mount Airy, located on the Northern Neck. One of wealthiest men in Virginia, Tayloe was known for his hospitality and entertained frequently in his Williamsburg residence. His son, Colonel John Tayloe III owned the building in Washington, D.C., known today as the Octagon House.

Williamsburg tour attendance has averaged 1000 guests each year between 1996 and 2020, and the success of WGC tours has allowed the club to contribute almost $720,000 during the same 25-year period to the Garden Club of Virginia for the restoration of historic gardens and landscapes throughout Virginia.

Garden Club of Virginia

• 1999 Common Wealth Award for Mattey’s Garden
• Horticulture Awards of Merit: Dianne Spence 2002, Genrose Lashinger 2004, Mary Ann Brendel 2006, Jewel Lynn Delaune 2008, Fran Jones 2010, Minouche Robinson 2011, Karen Jamison 2018
• Massie Medal: Nina Mustard 2011
• GCV Centennial Grants: York River State Park Grants 2018, 2019 and 2020
• GCV Leadership Positions held by WGC Members 1996-2024: Karen Jamison — Slides 1996-1998, Assistant Treasurer 1998-2002, Development 2006-2008; Gale Roberts — Parliamentarian 2002-2004, Artistic Design Judge; Terry Buntrock — Symposium 2015; Dianne Spence — Finance, 2002-2004, Treasurer 2004-2008, Parliamentarian and Strategic Planning 2008-2010, Director at Large 2010-2012, Nominations 2014-2016, Horticulture 2012-2014, Restoration 2016-2018, Massie Medal 2018-2020, ADS Judge; Nina Mustard — Online/Webmaster 2006-2010, Director at Large 2008-2010, Corresponding Secretary 2010-2012, 2nd Vice President 2012-2014, 1st Vice President 2014-2016, President 2016-2018, FTGA III 2020-2024, Parliamentarian 2022-2024.

WGC Presidents 1996-2020

1996-1998	Jean Cogle
1998-2000	Gale Roberts
2000-2002	Millie West
2002-2004	Marty Jones
2004-2006	Jewel Lynn Delaune
2006-2008	Lynn Ford
2008-2010	Cathy Adams
2010-2012	Ann Milliman
2012-2014	Minouche Robinson
2014-2016	Nina Mustard
2016-2018	Susan Sims
2018-2020	Beth Stabler