Education & Programs

Celebrating and inspiring the love of nature’s gifts

Education is at the heart of our mission to encourage and guide budding horticulturalists, promote the preservation of Virginia’s natural treasures, and carry these traditions forward.

Artistic Design

One way of cultivating an appreciation of the natural beauty that surrounds us is by interacting with it directly. Our members have a passion for harmonizing colors, textures, and forms to create stunning floral arrangements — showcasing nature’s gifts and our high horticultural standards through thoughtful placement and composition. Artistic design workshops are a popular offering with our members, and are available to the public on a more limited basis. Members of the public can enjoy the artistic talents of our members by taking in the incredible arrangements that grace the homes of Historic Garden Week, and by attending our bi-annual flower shows: Daffodil Day and the Lily Show.

Fellowships

Funding research to positively impact our knowledge and our lands

Students who study topics in conservation, environmental affairs, and landscape architecture may benefit from our research fellowships, designed to build experience through hands-on guidance from professionals in a chosen field of study. 

Horticulture 

There’s a science and art to cultivating the flowers and plants we all know and love. While much of our horticulture programming is available to members throughout the year, we do offer horticulture sessions to the public on an intermittent basis, and always feature horticulture displays at our bi-annual flower shows: Daffodil Day and the Lily Show.

Photography

Photography is one of our favorite ways of engaging with the natural world. Our members enjoy regular photography workshops and photo challenges, and you can see their work on display at GCV flower shows, which are always free and open to the public.

Virginia State Parks

Since our founding, our members have championed and supported Virginia State Parks. Our clubs work together to protect native plants and trees, offer educational programs, and help tourists enjoy the benefits of the outdoors.