A MONUMENTAL EVENT -- NCA Hosts the 2013 C.A.R. Regional Conference

Bethesda, MD, October 25-27, 2013:

Registration

The C.A.R. Board at the General Meeting

New York receives an award.

Only 12 short months,

Don't despair,

We'll convene again,

in DELAWARE! 

Yacht Haven Celebrates 30th Annual Fashion Show Luncheon

Fort Belvoir Officers' Club, VA, October 17, 2013:  Yacht Haven Garden Club's JEWELS OF AUTUMN fashion show and luncheon was a smashing success.  The 30th annual event attracted members of five other District II clubs.  Yacht Haven members modeled fashions from Bloomingdale's (Tyson Corner).

The finale.

View up the Potomac River from the Officers' Club

Rededication of The Bishop's Garden.

October 9, 2013:  Our affiliate All Hallows Guild rededicated the renovated Bishop's Garden at Washington National Cathedral.  The garden was beginning a planned renewal when a crane, erected for Cathedral repairs after the 2011 earthquake, was blown over uprooting a huge tree which fell into the garden causing considerable damage.  The guild champions the park like Cathedral close originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.  The garden was developed between 1916-1928.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde; the Rev. Canon Gina Gilland Campbell; the Very Rev. Gary Hall; Joe Luebke, PECF director of horticulture and grounds; Deborah Page, president, All Hallows Guild; and Margaret Steuart, chair, All Hallows Guild Garden Committee participated in the rededication.  The Madrigal Singers from St. Alban's School and the National Cathedral School performed.

NCA Fall Meeting

The National Capital Area has lots to Shout About!  We have so many wonderful members that worked together to find an alternative location due to the closure of the U.S. National Arboretum.  How lucky that Green Spring Garden (Alexandria, VA) was able to accommodate on such short notice.   District I was able to rally and hostess at the new location.

                                                                      photo by Vickie Godwin

The National Capital Area Garden Clubs is one of the seven states that comprise the Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc.  A few years ago, The Central Atlantic Region began an award to recognize our long-time garden club members who have tirelessly volunteered in our clubs.  Clubs in the National Capital Area nominate their candidate and then the Districts pick a winner.  Then out of the four districts, one winner is chosen to represent the National Capital Area a the fall Central Atlantic Region Conference.  Congratulations to Millie Norloff of District III's Five Hills Garden Club, a member since 1957!  She is National Capital Areas Perennial Bloom Winner!  All of the District winners have set wonderful examples of gardening and volunteering.  We are so proud of them and all our NCA gardeners!

                                                        

The program, Rethinking Urban Rivers in an Age of Climate Change, was given by John Wennersten, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland.  Dr. Wennersten has published eight books with his latest titled Global Thirst: Water and Society in the 21st Century.   We were fortunate to have such a wonderful program to brighten up a rainy day!

Floral Design Program Features Repurposed Stuff

St. Louis, MO, September 28, 2013:  A floral design program featured the use of repurposed "found" items incorporated into rather dramatic arrangements.  The theme was a trip to the Caribbean.

Visit to National Garden Clubs, Inc. Headquarters

St. Louis, MO, September 27, 2013:  Presidents of the 51 state garden clubs attended workshops and a luncheon at the headquarters of National Garden Clubs, Inc.  The headquarters sits on the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Garden (1859).    The headquarters, dedicated in 1958, is a Mid-Century Modern building.  One enters an enclosed peristyle surrounding a Japanese garden.  The gallery to the left leads to a large assembly room with glass walls on three sides; the gallery to the right leads to the heaquarter's offices.  The galleries have celadon-colored rugs bearing the medallions of the 51 state garden clubs.

The Japanese garden.

A gallery reflected in a mirror.

One of the gallery carpets.

Our medallion in the carpet.

 The headquarters' grounds include this interesting 9-11 memorial:  a Pennsylvania keystone flanked by Twin-Towers flag poles within in a pentagon Pentagon.

 

 After lunch we had a preview of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

A fountain from the St. Louis World's Fair.

Floral Designs at the NGC Fall Board Meeting

St. Louis, MO, September 26-28, 2013:  These are a few of the floral designs in the meeting area of the St. Louis Airport Marriott during the fall board meeting for National Garden Clubs, Inc.