Daffodils again!
Ten hours of labor over two days, Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13, resulted in the planting of a LOT of daffodil bulbs around the perimeter of the Ellipse Garden. While we ordered 1,150 bulbs, many were huge doubles, so perhaps as many as 1,600 daffodils are now installed.
Many thanks to Karen and Tom Jamison, Gary Driscole and Adrienne Frank, Carolyn and Ralph Will and Jerre Johnson for working most of those ten hours. Also thanks to the much-needed assistance of Marilyn Johnson, Jan Ivy and her sister Liz, Ralph Spohn and Gus Hall. Ralph Will and Gary worked the post-hole diggers until they hit hardpan clay, when they switched to the soil augers loaned by Jerre. For several hours 3 men worked the 3 soil augers, quickly making bulb-sized holes.
Most difficult was planting in holes filled with water. Our planting dates this year fell after torrential rains, and the clay did not drain. We filled the holes with leaf mulch, hoping the soil critters, sun and wind will prevent the bulbs from rotting before they sprout.
Next spring there will be an almost continuous progression of color around the Garden, beginning in early February and continuing through April. Next time you see these folks, give them a big "thank you", for a difficult job in cold, wet soil, well done!
--Helen Hamilton, Horticulture Chair
Jamestown Beach WBG Activities
Charlie Martino, WBG Vice Chair, updates members on the status of the desire to develop another garden on the Jamestown Beach Property
Appointment of Executive Director Robin Bledsoe
July 16, 2008
The Williamsburg Botanical Garden Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Robin Bledsoe as the new Executive Director. Bledsoe has lived in the Williamsburg area for more than ten years. She is the past Executive Director of Avalon, A Center for Women and Children, and Colonial CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Bledsoe is a graduate of the University of Washington-Seattle and the Indiana University School of Philanthropy. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She brings years of experience in nonprofit management, capacity building and fund raising to the position. Karen Jamison, Chair of the Botanical Garden, stated “we are pleased that Robin has joined us at this critical time in the history of our organization. She brings talent, professional skills, and the experience that is necessary to help us move forward.”
The recent James City County “Shaping Our Shores” land use study has demonstrated strong community support to locate a botanical garden on a permanent site at the Jamestown Beach Campsite property. Bledsoe will help lead the organization’s efforts to promote and create a botanical garden on the property. Bledsoe indicated she is looking forward to working with the board and the community to achieve the organization’s vision “to create and sustain a garden of wonder, discovery, beauty and inspiration”. Bledsoe further stated that if successful “the garden will offer a venue where families, educators, and tourists alike, can enjoy the unique opportunity to learn from and experience the unconditional gifts of nature”. Bledsoe assumed her duties in this new position officially on July 15th.
Jamestown Beach Campsite--Creating a garden gem
By Karen Jamison, Chairman of the Board
Williamsburg Botanical Garden
In July 2005, James City County presented Williamsburg Botanical Garden with a wonderful opportunity. A memorandum of understanding was negotiated between the two interested parties outlining a plan for creating a garden in Freedom Park. County officials offered the property to the botanical garden with the understanding that we would clean up, create, and care for a Demonstration Garden on a two-acre site for three years.
The goal of the memorandum was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the organization to satisfy a principal first step toward the establishment of a permanent botanical garden and arboretum in the community. Today, this remarkable piece of property has been transformed from what once was a diamond in the rough to a beautiful garden gem called the Ellipse.
This community garden has been and will continue to be an exciting project. Support was offered by hundreds of community volunteers. The business community, individuals and organizations contributed generously of their time, talents and resources to help plan, prepare and plant the garden. It has been rewarding to watch the garden grow and mature these past three years. The botanical garden offers monthly educational walks through the garden and quarterly evening programs dedicated to increasing knowledge, awareness and appreciation of nature. We have worked hard to be good stewards of the land, and we are grateful to James City for this gift of nature.
The long-term vision is to acquire a piece of property to create a larger botanical garden. We are hopeful there may be another opportunity on the horizon. The chance to develop a garden on a pristine piece of property overlooking the James River that would preserve, protect, maintain and enhance the Jamestown area and the James City community for the benefit of its citizens and the visiting public for years to come is an exciting endeavor to consider. A larger botanical garden would not only enhance the quality of life for our generation, it would also ensure a venue of distinction that we will pass on to future generations.
The “Shaping Our Shores” study being conducted by James City exhibits a desirable piece of property for future development on the Jamestown Beach Campsite map. The botanical garden envisions a living plant museum located in near proximity to a living history museum. It would be an ideal location to create a spectacular garden in James City.
Envision yourself strolling through lush gardens on a beautiful piece of property with a vista overlooking the James River. It would be an outstanding venue for weddings, receptions and educational events. The potential is tremendous to transform another piece of property into a glorious garden. The will never be another opportunity like this again.
If you support the idea of a botanical garden on this site please contact your elected officials in James City County. The botanical garden vision is “to create a garden of wonder, discovery, beauty and inspiration”. We can think of no better place to create a magnificent garden gem than on the property at Jamestown.
To contact the James City County Board of Supervisors go online: jccboard@james-city.va.us.
Bruce Goodson, Chair
James Kennedy, Vice Chair
Mary Jones
James Icenhour
John McGlennon
WBG Board. Names: Scott Whyte, Donna Ware, Charlie Martino, Helen Hamilton, Jeff Schell, Karen Jamison, Helen Kidder, Marshall Warner, Ike Sisane, Jack Johnston, Joanne Chapman.
