Executive Mansion to host Garden Club of Virginia during Historic Garden Week

The Executive Mansion will be among the outstanding homes and gardens open across the Commonwealth during Historic Garden Week, April 22-29.

The walk-through tour on Friday, April 28, will include interior public spaces, the Mansion’s renowned Charles Gillette garden, and the newly dedicated Valentine-Jackson Memorial Garden.

“The First Lady and I are thrilled to host a day of tours for Historic Garden Week again this year at the Executive Mansion,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe.  “We are proud to partner with the Garden Club of Virginia, which played a key role in establishing the Virginia State Park system in 1929.  The Club’s support for Virginia’s state parks and natural area preserves has continued in the years since through fundraising and volunteer work, and we are happy to work with them to open our home during Garden Week.”

The Mansion tour will feature unique floral arrangements designed by volunteer members of the Three Chopt Garden Club as well as artwork celebrating natural scenes in Virginia from local artists Sunny Goode, David Douglas, and Edward Alan Gross. The tour will also include an urban agriculture exhibit, staffed by Renew Richmond, a non-profit organization that uses gardening as a tool to mitigate poverty in underserved communities.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) will have a mobile bee hive observation on site to give visitors an opportunity to look inside a beehive without coming into direct contact with the honey bees.  A sampling of honey produced by the bees housed on top of the Oliver Hill Building will also be provided.

“This observation hive is one of the best tools to see and learn about honey bees and their importance to biodiversity and the environment,” said First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe.  “Winged insects like the honey bee travel miles from their nests to pollinate trees, wild flowers and brambles in our forests, meadows, and wetlands.  Our pollinators protect our ecosystem and ensure the viability of our plants and crops.

“Garden Day is an excellent opportunity to see the Mansion’s beautiful and historic grounds and to promote the work of our state agencies and partners, who will be on hand to provide information and advice on starting your own home garden and the benefits of pollinators. We look forward to welcoming many hundreds of visitors from the Commonwealth and beyond to the Executive Mansion.”

The Garden Club of Virginia has been a strong voice for conservation and beautification since its inception in 1920.  Since 1929, public gardens at most of the Commonwealth’s iconic landmarks have benefitted from the proceeds of Historic Garden Week, including the Mansion’s Gillette gardens. A portion of the proceeds from Garden Week will be used to support Virginia’s state parks.

For more information about Garden Day at Virginia’s Executive Mansion, including directions and parking, please use the following link: https://executivemansion.virginia.gov/