‘History Blooms’ program to be held at Richmond museum
This fall, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture is partnering with the Garden Club of Virginia for a special event that will highlight history and horticulture and enliven the VMHC with amazing floral creations representing the regions of the state.
“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.
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 and CEO of the Virginia Museum of History and 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 Oct. 6-8 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Lectures, programs, workshops, and special events focused on historic preservation and gardening topics both past and present, will take place on Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 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, former manager of Colonial Williamsburg’s Flower Arrangement Department and author of “Flowers Are Almost Forever,” and
• 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 Oct. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m., 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 noon to 5 pm on Friday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 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.
The Virginia Museum of History and Culture is located at 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond’s Museum District. For more information, visit VirginiaHistory.org.