Media Alert
August 8, 2023
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of PR & Marketing; tfuqua@VirginiaHistory.org; 804.342.9661
Richmond, Va. – This fall, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) is partnering with the Garden Club of Virginia (GCV) for a special event that will highlight history and horticulture and enliven the VMHC with amazing floral creations representing the regions of our Commonwealth. History Blooms is a three-day program that will feature special lectures, workshops, and other activities focused on Virginia history, gardening, and landscape preservation, along with stunning floral displays provided by the Garden Club of Virginia’s member clubs that amplify stories about the places that make up Virginia. Several dozen floral displays will be showcased at the museum, themed for the regions of the Commonwealth each club represents—allowing guests to immerse themselves in a unique, statewide storytelling experience.
“History Blooms presents a fresh way for us to engage with history,” said Jamie Bosket, President & CEO of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. “Collaborating with our longtime partners at the Garden of Club of Virginia for this wonderful program allows us to bring focus on our shared interest in statewide preservation work and to use horticulture to not only reach new audiences, but also inspire conversations about the people and places that connect us in the story of Virginia.”
“We look forward to sharing Virginia’s history in a whole new light,” said Debbie Lewis, president of the Garden Club of Virginia. “Our members are excited to gather at our state history museum, engage in robust discussion about history and horticulture, and share with museum-goers our member clubs’ talent, passion, and creativity for storytelling with flowers.”
The Garden Club of Virginia comprises 48 member clubs and 3,400 members statewide who share a passion for enriching lives through nature. With a multi-faceted mission, the Garden Club of Virginia is a leader in restoring and preserving Virginia’s historic public gardens, providing educational programs, and conserving and protecting Virginia’s natural beauty and resources.
The VMHC and Garden Club of Virginia have collaborated over many decades. For years the VMHC has helped steward GCV’s archives. Most recently, the VMHC and GCV teamed up to spotlight the GCV’s 2020 centennial through a special exhibition at the museum and with a variety of special programs and floral displays. History Blooms, rooted in the partnership formed around GCV’s centennial, will weave together the missions of the two organizations with the addition of new public-facing opportunity for engagement, with particular focus on families and young visitors.
History Blooms will take place October 6 through October 8, 2023, at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Lectures, programs, workshops, and special events focused on historic preservation and gardening topics both past and present, will take place on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7. Guest presenters include:
- P. Allen Smith, author and TV personality from P. Allen Smith's Garden Home and P. Allen Smith's Garden to Table
- Abra Lee, author of Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country's Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers
- Christian Geall, author of Cultivated: Elements of Floral Style - Jessica Hall, co-owner of Harmony Harvest Farm (the Mum Project)
- Nancy Ross Hugo, author of Remarkable Trees of Virginia, and Kate Hugo Vernon, owner of The Arranger's Market
- Thomas Lloyd and Bryan Huffman, authors of Garden Secrets of Bunny Mellon and Bunny Mellon Garden Journal
- J. Dean Norton, Director of Horticulture at George Washington’s Mount Vernon - Libbey Oliver, author of Flowers Are Forever
- Margot Shaw, editor-in-chief of Flower magazine and author of Living Floral, and Sybil Sylvester, owner of Wildflower Designs and author of Fresh
Registration for lectures, programs, and workshops is now available at VirginiaHistory.org/HistoryBlooms.
A special edition of First Fridays at the VMHC will also take place on October 6 from 5pm to 8 pm with garden-related activities planned for young visitors, including both demonstrations related to beekeeping and tree history, and free admission to the VMHC.
Floral arrangements representing the GCV’s clubs from across the state will be on display from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8. Gardening and flower related archival treasures from the VMHC historical collection will be on display in the VMHC library. Daytime access is included with VMHC general admission.
For more information on History Blooms, please visit VirginiaHistory.org/HistoryBlooms.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia, and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation. For use in its state history museum and its renowned research library, the historical society cares for a collection of more than nine million items representing the ever-evolving story of Virginia. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is located at 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond’s Museum District. For more information call 804.340.1800, visit VirginiaHistory.org, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Garden Club of Virginia (GCV), established in 1920, is a nonprofit organization focused on conserving natural resources, preserving Virginia’s historic public gardens, and cultivating the knowledge and love of gardening. Today, GCV comprises 48 independent garden clubs with 3,400 members throughout Virginia. It offers educational programming in conservation, floral design, horticulture, photography, and other areas of interest for its members and the general public. Since 1929, GCV has produced Historic Garden Week, the country’s only statewide home and garden tour, which is hosted by its member clubs. Tour proceeds have funded 129 landscape restorations at 50 properties throughout Virginia, a fellowship program in landscape architecture, and a variety of projects and programs at 29 of Virginia's State Parks. GCV also supports a graduate fellowship in conservation and environmental studies. The GCV is headquartered at the Kent-Valentine House, a National Historic Landmark in Richmond. For more information, call 804-643-4137, visit gcvirginia.org, or connect on Facebook and Instagram