Since its founding in 1920, the Garden Club of Virginia has been working for the protection of natural resources, and its support for Virginia State Parks has been a priority from the beginning.
In 1926, the Virginia Legislature created the State Commission on Conservation and Development. For the first time, the state had a single agency responsible for managing the conservation of its natural resources. Initially, the commission's efforts with regard to parks centered around acquiring lands for Shenandoah National Park, the first large national park in the east. By 1929, as acquisitions for Shenandoah were nearing completion, things began to change. The value of land held for public recreation and preservation of habitat for native animals and plants garnered public attention.
On Dec. 17, 1929, representatives of the Virginia Academy of Science, the Garden Club of Virginia and the Izaak Walton League held a meeting in Richmond to discuss the need for state parks. This meeting resulted in each organization passing a resolution in support of creating state parks and presenting those resolutions to Governor-Elect John Garland Pollard.
The Garden Club of Virginia celebrated its 2020 Centennial with the completion of a five-year, $500,000 grant to Virginia State Parks projects and programs.
Bear Creek - Erosion control and improvements for access and safety The Boxwood Garden Club, Three Chopt Garden Club and The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton
Belle Isle – Amphitheater and landscaping updates The Garden Club of the Northern Neck
Chippokes – Classroom renovations
Douthat – Native plant landscaping
Hungry Mother - Discovery Center display area
James River -Native pant landscaping Rivanna Garden Club
Kiptopeke - Visitor Center educational space The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore
Natural Bridge - Base Camp and Dark Sky equipment The Blue Ridge Garden Club
Natural Tunnel - Visitor Center interpretive theme displays
New River Trail - Foster Falls Depot Museum exhibits
Pocahontas - CCC cabin stabilization project
Sailors Creek Historic Battlefield - Pollinator garden
Seven Bends - Natural play area and outdoor classroom
Widewater - Native plant landscaping and beautification The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club
York River - Pollinator meadow The Hampton Roads Garden Club, The Huntington Garden Club and The Williamsburg Garden Club
Youth Conservation Corps - Supplies
Bear Creek - Pollinator meadow and landscaping
Belle Isle - Phase 3 Belle Isle Manor and Bel Air House landscaping Garden Club of the Northern Neck
Chippokes Plantation – Visitor Center Exhibit Updates
Claytor Lake - Native Landscaping
Douthat - Dark Sky Park
Natural Bridge - Visitor Center Base Camp Exhibits Blue Ridge Garden Club
Pocahontas - Civilian Conservation Corps Work Cabin Week
Shenandoah River - Visitor Center Landscaping The Garden Club of Warren County
Sky Meadows - Phase 3 Trail System Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club
Staunton River Battlefield - Mulberry Hill landscaping
York River - Landscaping and turtle habitat The Hampton Roads Garden Club, The Huntington Garden Club and The Williamsburg Garden Club
Youth Conservation Corps - Supplies
Belle Isle – phase two of improvements to the landscape at the Belle Isle mansion and enhancing learning panels in Visitor’s Center The Garden Club of the Northern Neck
Caledon – drinking fountain The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club
Holliday Lake – underwater lighting Hillside Garden Club and The Lynchburg Garden Club
Hungry Mother – Children’s Discovery area
James River – native plant and pollinator garden Rivanna Garden Club
Lake Anna – native plant landscaping around new cabins The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club
Natural Bridge – continued improvements to Interactive Classroom The Blue Ridge Garden Club
Pocahontas – shoreline restoration The James River Garden Club
Shenandoah River – Pollinator Meadow with bee habitat The Garden Club of Warren County
Sky Meadows – Children’s Discovery Area and trails Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club
Westmoreland – creating a Discovery center in the former Visitor’s Center The Garden Club of the Northern Neck
York River – landscaping improvements in three gardens The Hampton Roads Garden Club, The Huntington Garden Club and The Williamsburg Garden Club
Youth Conservation Corps – to help with purchase of materials
Belle Isle - Improving landscaping around historic Belle Isle mansion The Garden Club of the Northern Neck
Fairy Stone - Pollinator waystation The Martinsville Garden Club, The Garden Study Club, The Garden Club of Danville
Leesylvania - Wildflower planting, reducing invasives and eliminating mowing
Mason Neck - New Visitor Center entry; hardscaping and landscaping of pollinator garden The Hunting Creek Garden Club, The Garden Club of Fairfax, The Garden Club of Alexandria
Middle Peninsula - Supplies for educational programming The Garden Club of Gloucester
Natural Bridge - Outfitting a classroom for educational programming in Visitor Center
Pocahontas - Converting a Heritage Center to a Discovery Center
Sky Meadows - Track Trails and Discovery area Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club
Smith Mountain Lake - Supplies for educational programming in wet lab The Roanoke Valley Garden Club, Mill Mountain Garden Club
Staunton River – beautification of grounds surrounding Civilian Conservation Corps guest cabins, The Garden Club of Danville
Youth Conservation Corps - Supplies for residential summer program in 17 parks
Mason Neck - Visitor's Center improvements
