March 2018 www.wacgc.wordpress.com wacgclubs@gmail.com Officer and Committee News WACGC PRESIDENT Terry Sisto, Ford s Colony Garden Club tes125@cox.net, 757-345-2478 As I turned my calendar page to March it was exciting to see the words First day of Spring looking up at me on March 20 th. Although the days are still on the chilly side my crocus and daffodils are starting to come up, telling me spring is on its way. The Arbor Day and Continuing Projects Committees are putting the finishing touches on this year s tree dedication and award ceremony. This year Arbor Day is hosted by James City County. The tree dedication will be at the James City County Police Department on Opportunity Drive followed by the award ceremony at Legacy Hall in New Town. I hope you will attend to support your club s representatives and the Arbor Day winners. The details are in this newsletter. In addition to our Arbor Day celebration on March 9 th, March is full of several other events to get you excited about spring. The Horticultural Extravaganza on the 3 rd, the Herb Society Open Meeting & Program on the 13 th, the Williamsburg Botanical Garden s Learn and Grow Series on the 17 th, the Gloucester Daffodil Festival on the 24-25 th, the VFGC Tidewater District Spring Meeting on the 26 th, and the GCV Daffodil Day on the 27-28 th. Information for all is available in this newsletter. Brandon Woods Garden Club is hosting the May 24 th WACGC General Meeting. Be sure to circle the date on your calendar. Happy St. Patrick s Day! Happy Spring! See you on Arbor Day! WACGC VICE PRESIDENT Rose Marie Crocco, Colonial Heritage Garden Club swamprmc@cox.net Mark your calendars! The May 24 general meeting of the WACGC will be hosted by Brandon Woods at Sentara Williamsburg Hospital. The Council has donated money and time over the years to both the Pansy Project and the monthly floral arrangements for the lobby of the Hospice House. We are proud to announce that Gary Streb will be our featured speaker. He is not only a Master Gardener but also the lead gardener for the Hospice House grounds. He oversees and maintains 11 acres working several days a week. He will share his experiences and the challenges of the Hospice House project. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn what he has learned over the years in the garden. Page 1 of 13
WACGC ARBOR DAY Chair - Betsy Edwards, justbetsys@aol.com - Colonial Heritage Garden Club Co-Chair - Patti Sager, psager@cox.net - Colonial Heritage Garden Club Arbor Day Awards Ceremony The annual Arbor Day Awards Ceremony, sponsored by our Council and hosted by James City County, will be held on Friday, March 9 at 11:00 a.m. at Legacy Hall in New Town. The awards ceremony will be followed by a reception honoring the winners. Everyone is welcome. An Arbor Day wrap-up meeting will be held April 11, 1:30 p.m., Towne Bank, 5216 Monticello, Williamsburg, in the Board Room on the second floor. WACGC CONTINUING PROJECTS Chair Ruth C. Maruca, 757-258-5321 Berkeley Garden Club Co-Chair Loy Holt, loy614@aol.com Berkeley Garden Club Arbor Day Tree Dedication Celebrating Arbor Day, Friday, March 9, the Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs and our host, James City County, will dedicate a tree at the James City County Police Department located at 4600 Opportunity Drive at 9:30 a.m. Matt Austin, Parks and Grounds Superintendent, and Scott Whyte, Landscape Planner, will select and plant the tree. Please make time to attend this dedication. WACGC HOSPICE HOUSE Dollie Marshall, The Williamsburg Garden Club dollie.marshall@gmail.com Hospice House Arrangements Schedule: March Green Spring Garden Club May Kingsmill Garden Club July Williamsburg Garden Club April Holly Hills Garden Club June Toano Garden Club WACGC Newsletter Linda Wenger, The Williamsburg Garden Club lwenger@cox.net Newsletter submissions are appreciated by the 20 th of each month. Please submit your prepared information to lwenger@cox.net. Sincere thanks for your help! Page 2 of 13
VFGC District News VFGC TIDEWATER DISTRICT PRESIDENT Glenda Knowles, Berkeley and Colonial Heritage Garden Clubs ggknowles@cox.net, 757-651-0401 Tidewater District Spring General Meeting, Monday, March 26, Colonial Heritage Ballroom. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m.; business meeting at 10 a.m. Thank you, clubs of WACGC, for hosting our Spring meeting! Our theme will be It s Spring! and guests attending are encouraged to wear a freshly-cut flower daffodil, tulip, camellia, etc. Clubs providing centerpiece Spring baskets are encouraged to have them at Colonial Heritage around 9:30 a.m. Our speaker will be David Roos from western Virginia. He is a delightful and amusing presenter, giving us unique ideas that apply to our gardens. Since this is a luncheon meeting, reservations will need to be made by March 19. The menu will be: chicken breast with mushrooms and country ham in a Chablis Buerre Blanc, with asparagus spears and whipped sweet potatoes, and dessert. Cost: $22. If you can attend, please contact Glenda Knowles, ggknowles@cox.net. The registration form will be in the district s spring newsletter, News & Views. Fashions & Flowers Fashions by Chico s, Designs by the Dueling Designers David Pippin and Al Brockwell. Theme baskets, lunch, 10:30am, Colonial Heritage Ballroom, Williamsburg, donation of $30.00 Thank you for your wonderful support for this upcoming Tidewater District Fundraiser, Fashions & Flowers, on April 19, 2018. ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD! It shall be a fabulous day with fashions by Chico s, theme baskets galore, lunch, and then, the fabulous Dueling Designers! Clubs providing theme baskets should have them at the Colonial Heritage Clubhouse by 10 a.m. The fashion show will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. Page 3 of 13
Around Town 85 th HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK IN VIRGINIA WILLIAMSBURG TOUR Linda Wenger, Williamsburg Garden Club, Historic Garden Week Publicity Chair lwenger@cox.net Advance tickets are on sale NOW through April 21 for the 2018 Historic Garden Week Tour in Williamsburg, Tuesday, April 24, 2018 from 10:00am - 5:00pm. Advance tickets are available for $40 per person at www.vagardenweek.org. Locally, advance tickets are available from Season s on Jamestown Road, Wild Bird s Unlimited in New Town, or through Cathy Adams. Box lunches will be served at Two Rivers Country Club from 11:30am-1:30pm with a prepaid $17 lunch reservation. For advance tour ticket information, general information, and lunch reservations contact Cathy Adams, cbtbka@cox.net, 757-220-2486. The tour will feature colonial to transitional homes, gardens, landscapes, James River and Chickahominy River views. The waterfront golf community of Governors Land will feature four private homes opened for the first time. Complimentary shuttles will be available from designated parking lots. Visit the Lightfoot House c. 1730-1750 and the Tayloe House c. 1755 in Colonial Williamsburg, as well as the award-winning children s garden at Matthew Whaley Elementary School and an Escorted Walking Tour of Colonial Williamsburg gardens. Free parking is available at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center. Colonial Williamsburg buses will provide transportation for Historic Garden Week tour guests from the Visitors Center to and from the Historic Area. The Williamsburg Garden Club hosts the event as part of the 85th Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Tour proceeds fund the restoration and preservation of more than 40 of Virginia s historic public gardens and landscapes, a research fellowship program, and a Garden Club of Virginia Centennial project with Virginia State Parks. 24 th ANNUAL HORTICULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA Master Gardeners of York County and Poquoson York-Poquoson Cooperative Extension Office, 757-890-4940 The Master Gardeners of York County and Poquoson and the York-Poquoson VA Cooperative Extension Office present the 24th ANNUAL HORTICULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA, Cultivating a Community of Gardeners. Classes, lectures, demonstrations, door prizes, vendors, shopping, educational exhibits and workshops for gardening enthusiasts and experts. Saturday, March 3, Poquoson High School, 51 Odd Road, Poquoson, VA 23662. Doors open 7:30 a.m.; Welcome at 8:30 a.m.; Classes begin 8:45 a.m.; Event closes 2:30 p.m. Non-refundable registration includes lunch; $25 Registration (February 1-16, 2018). Pre-registration required Limited Seating No registration at the door. To Register: Visit https://www.yorkcounty.gov/1015/virginia-cooperative-extension for a registration form. For more information call the York-Poquoson Extension Office at 757-890-4940. OPEN MEETING Colonial Triangle of Virginia Unit (CTVU), Herb Society of America Donna Pratt, 757-608-8929, wareriver@gmail.com The Colonial Triangle of Virginia Unit (CTVU), The Herb Society of America will hold an Open Meeting on Tuesday, March 13, in Williamsburg. The meeting will be held in the fellowship hall at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 4897 Longhill Road, Williamsburg, and is free of charge. Light refreshments will be served at 1 p.m. and the program will start at 1:30 p.m. The program for the meeting, Don t Put Anything on Your Skin You Couldn t Eat, will feature Elizabeth Lord, of Maidens, Va., owner of Elizabeth Lord Naturals. Ms. Lord will discuss using natural products on the skin, including essential oils derived from culinary herbs. This will be the second open meeting the CTVU will hold during 2018. Open meetings provide non-members a chance to learn about the Herb Page 4 of 13
Society s mission, programs, and local volunteer opportunities. The CTVU s next open meeting will be in April. For more information, contact Donna Pratt at (757) 608-8929. WILLIAMSBURG BOTANICAL GARDEN LEARN AND GROW EDUCATIONAL SERIES Judith Alberts, PR Coordinator judith.alberts@gmail.com, 630-289-9561 COTTAGE GARDENS. Saturday, March 17, Freedom Park Interpretive Center, 5537 Centerville Road, 10:00-11:30 a.m., open to the public. Local landscape architect and former garden director at Colonial Williamsburg, Gordon Chappell will talk about the history and design of cottage gardens and the plants found in them. This event is part of the Learn and Grow Educational Series sponsored by the Williamsburg Botanical Garden. The program is free, although a $5.00 donation to help the Garden grow is appreciated. For more information, contact Gordon at gordonchappell@cox.net. Weather permitting, after the program Master Gardeners will be in the Garden to answer questions and talk about what is in bloom. 32 ND GLOUCESTER DAFFODIL FESTIVAL www.daffodilfestivalva.org The 32nd Gloucester Daffodil Festival, March 24-25 in and around Gloucester's Court Green. This year's theme "Paint the Town Yellow" will celebrate not only the rich history of the festival, but also ushers in the arrival of the bright yellow blooms popping up throughout the area. The 2018 Daffodil Show, sanctioned by the American Daffodil Society, will be held both days at Botetourt Elementary School. Entries will be accepted on March 23 (4:30-8:30pm) and March 24 (7-10am). www.daffodilfestivalva.org GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA DAFFODIL DAY 2018 March 27-28, 2018, John Marshall Hotel and Kent-Valentine House, Richmond, VA www.gcvdaffodilday.org Join us as we celebrate daffodils with horticulture exhibits and photography displayed in the historic John Marshall Hotel, artistic floral creations filling the GCV headquarters - Kent-Valentine House, and plenty of fun to go around. Advance registration required. Visit gcvdaffodilday.org. Register for Special Events! March 27 Cocktails and Travels with Tony Guest speaker Tony Avent will join us at the John Marshall for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, sharing highlights of exotic travels in his life long quest for rare specimens around the world. March 28 Luncheon Lecture Mr. Avent presents "Surrounding Yourself with Shady Characters: Planting and Maintaining a Woodland Garden, followed by luncheon. Page 5 of 13
COLONIAL TRIANGLE OF VIRGINIA UNIT (CTVU), HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA Donna Pratt, 757-608-8929, wareriver@gmail.com Open Meeting The Colonial Triangle of Virginia Unit (CTVU), The Herb Society of America will hold an Open Meeting on Tuesday, April 10, in Williamsburg. The meeting will be held in the fellowship hall at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 4897 Longhill Road, Williamsburg, and is free of charge. Light refreshments will be served at 1:00 p.m. and the program will start at 1:30 p.m. The program for the meeting, Herbal Libations, will feature Beth Dixon, beverage director for both Pasture and Comfort restaurants in Richmond. Ms. Dixon will discuss cocktail gardens and how to use fresh herbs to balance out drinks and make them more interesting. She will demonstrate how to make syrups, tinctures, infusions, and cordials using herbs. This will be the last open meeting the CTVU will hold during 2018. Open meetings provide non-members a chance to learn about the Herb Society s mission, programs, and local volunteer opportunities. For more information, contact Donna Pratt at (757) 608-8929. Annual Plant Sale The Colonial Triangle of Virginia Unit (CTVU), The Herb Society of America will hold its Annual Plant Sale in Williamsburg from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, rain or shine. This will be the first time the sale has been held at the Society s regular meeting venue, inside the fellowship hall at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 4897 Longhill Road, Williamsburg. The sale will feature a wide assortment of herbs, including harder to find varieties, as well as other garden-related items. For more information, contact Donna Pratt at (757) 608-8929. WILLIAMSBURG TASTE FESTIVAL Williamsburg Area Chamber and Tourism Bureau 757-229-6511, www.williamsburgtastefestival.com Mark your calendars! The Williamsburg Taste Festival - formerly known as Williamsburg Harvest Celebration - is returning to greater Williamsburg April 19-22. You might know Williamsburg, Virginia, as the birthplace of the American Revolution. But did you know it s also the birthplace of an American food revolution? We brewed up the first beer, cultivated the first vineyards and created the first free-range, garden-to-table food scene in the country. And now we re getting back to our roots in a thoroughly modern, sophisticated way. The Williamsburg Taste Festival is not only an invitation to experience the soul of our city, but it s also a celebration of the food traditions of our nation. Come discover our mouthwatering cuisines, enjoy a craft cocktail or sommelier-paired glass of wine, and meet the chefs, brew masters and vintners making one of America s oldest foodie destinations one of the newest. 2018 ANNUAL PLANT SALE James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardeners Association The James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardeners Association is busy planning their 2018 Annual Plant Sale. This year they will have even more annuals, perennials, shrubs, vegetables, Garden Trash and Treasure, and feature Incredible Edibles. VCE master gardeners will be available to answer questions so your garden will be more healthy and beautiful than last year. The Plant Sale will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 21, at the Historic Triangle Community Services Building, Waller Mill Road, rain or shine. WILLIAMSBURG BOTANICAL GARDEN LEARN AND GROW EDUCATIONAL SERIES Judith Alberts, PR Coordinator judith.alberts@gmail.com, 630-289-9561 GARDENING FOR BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES. Saturday, April 21, Freedom Park Interpretive Center, 5537 Centerville Road, 10:00 a.m., open to the public. Bob Schamerhorn, an award-winning nature photographer, will share information packed with tips and experiences on how to improve any property for a diversity of wildlife. Bob will show specific examples and results of a suburban landscape becoming inviting to a variety of birds, butterflies, insects and mammals. This event is part of the Learn and Grow Page 6 of 13
Educational Series sponsored by the Williamsburg Botanical Garden. The program is free, although a $5.00 donation to help the Garden grow is appreciated. For more information, contact Bob at bob@iphotobirds.com. Weather permitting, after the program Master Gardeners will be in the Garden to answer questions and talk about what is in bloom. TABLESCAPES AND TREASURES Debbie Abrams, Ford s Colony Garden Club dabramshome@hotmail.com SAVE THE DATE: On SATURDAY, MAY 12, 10 a.m. 4:00 p.m., S&T Clubhouse, the Ford s Colony Garden Club will be hosting our exciting "Tablescapes and Treasures" event to raise money for Nature Camp Scholarships. Your ticket will admit you to view 50 lovely tablescapes, enjoy refreshments, and includes a door prize raffle ticket and three treasure raffle tickets. Treasures, such as a gift card or the centerpiece, etc., will be listed on each table. Additional treasure raffle tickets can be purchased at the event. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or by contacting Debbie Abrams at dabramshome@hotmail.com. Calendars See the following pages for at-a-glance monthly calendars and future Save The Dates. Page 7 of 13
Notes. MARCH 2018 Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 24th ANNUAL HORTICULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA: Cultivating a Community of Gardeners. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ARBOR DAY DEDICATION- 9:30AM. RECEPTION- 11:00AM. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 CTVU of THE HERB SOCIETY of AMERICA: Open Meeting; Don t Put Anything on Your Skin You Couldn t Eat 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DEADLINE FOR DISTRICT MEETING LUNCH RESERVATIONS NEWSLETTER submissions due 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 nd GLOUCESTER DAFFODIL FESTIVAL VFGC TIDEWATER DISTRICT SPRING MEETING Colonial Heritage GCV DAFFODIL DAY GCV DAFFODIL DAY WBG PROGRAM: Cottage Gardens 32 nd GLOUCESTER DAFFODIL FESTIVAL *Hospice House Arrangements Green Spring Garden Club See Newsletter for event details. Page 8 of 13
Notes. APRIL 2018 Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 CTVU of THE HERB SOCIETY of AMERICA: Open Meeting; Herbal Libations ARBOR DAY COMMITTEE MEETING 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 VFGC TIDEWATER DISTRICT Fashion and Flowers Colonial Heritage WILLIAMSBURG TASTE FESTIVAL NEWSLETTER submissions due WILLIAMSBURG TASTE FESTIVAL 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 WILLIAMSBURG TASTE FESTIVAL 85 th HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK in VA: Williamsburg Tour CTVU of THE HERB SOCIETY of AMERICA: Annual Plant Sale WBG PROGRAM: Gardening for Birds & Butterflies MASTER GARDENERS: Annual Plant Sale WILLIAMSBURG TASTE FESTIVAL 29 30 *Hospice House Arrangements Holly Hills Garden Club See Newsletter for event details. Page 9 of 13
Notes. MAY 2018 Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 WACGC BOARD MEETING FORD S COLONY GC: Tablescapes & Treasures 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 WBG PROGRAM: Grow Your Favorite Vegetables in your Yard 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 NEWSLETTER submissions due WACGC GENERAL MEETING 27 28 29 30 31 *Hospice House Arrangements Kingsmill Garden Club See Newsletter for event details. Page 10 of 13
Notes. JUNE 2018 Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NEWSLETTER submissions due WBG PROGRAM: The Art of Gardening with Rocks & Plants 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 *Hospice House Arrangements Toano Garden Club See Newsletter for event details. Page 11 of 13
Notes.. JULY 2018 Williamsburg Area Council of Garden Clubs Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 WBG PROGRAM: Understanding Snakes: Fear Not! 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 NEWSLETTER submissions due 29 30 31 *Hospice House Arrangements Williamsburg Garden Club See Newsletter for event details. Page 12 of 13
SAVE THE DATE 2018! August 2018 August 18, 2018 September 2018 September 15, 2018 October 2018 October 20, 2018 November 2018 November 17, 2018 November TBD December 2018 Hospice House TBD WBG PROGRAM: Tips on Garden Photography Hospice House TBD WBG PROGRAM: The Tiny Wildlife in Your Garden; Insects on Your Side Hospice House TBD WBG PROGRAM: How to Grow Herbs Hospice House TBD WBG PROGRAM: Bulbs as Companion Plants WACGC 6 th Annual Wreath Decorating Hospice House TBD Page 13 of 13