WGC Programs 2023-2024
For each program, there will be a Signup Genius sent out by the Programs Committee for members to RSVP. The Signup Genius will direct members to CheddarUp to pay for the workshop fees.
Programs 2023
September 14, 9:30am | Cooking with Botanicals
Speaker: Annhorner Truitt, Plentiful Foods
Demonstration (with a twist). Cooking with Botanicals by Annhorner Truitt of Plentiful Foods. Richmond caterer Plentiful Foods provides nourishing meals with wholesome ingredients for events, receptions, and even carryout. Chef and founder Annhorner Truitt and her team create gorgeous tablescapes by enhancing the food experience with edible flowers and herbs. Annhorner will show us how to construct a charcuterie board and elevate the aesthetic with fresh flowers. And, for maybe the first time ever, we get to EAT our project! Fee: $25
September 14, 7pm | Fresh Floral Garlands that Dry into a Second Life
Speaker: Rhea Calpeno, Photosynthesis Florals
Hands-on workshop. Rhea’s hugely popular design studio Photosynthesis Florals is known for its artful, inspiring arrangements and installations. For their creations, her team carefully chooses locally grown blooms and foliage, emphasizing the importance of sustainable resources. They even manage a flower subscription service to help others do the same. Rhea will show us how to make a garland from fresh flowers that will still be beautiful when it dries! Bring your clippers. Fee: $25
October 12, 9:30am AND 7pm | Blending Supermarket Bouquets with Locally Sourced Florals
Speaker: Florist Heidi Catherine
Hands-on workshop. Florist Heidi Catherine practices sustainable floristry and loves to work with color and unconventional materials. In Heidi’s business of flower deliveries and full-service weddings and events, she knows first-hand the current economic landscape of floral arranging with responsible resources. Can we keep this hobby affordable while still supporting local growers? Heidi will show us how to blend modestly priced flowers (think Trader Joe’s) with sustainable resources from community businesses like the River City Flower Exchange. Bring your clippers and a low opaque vase that has a cylinder shape, about 5” across. We’ll be working on our chicken wire armature skills too!
November 2, 5:00-7:00pm | Hampton House & WGC Wine & Shop Event
Fundraiser for Charity. Collaboration between the Hampton House and WGC. 10% of the proceeds will go to the charity of the WGC choosing.
November 9, 9:30am | Indoor Gardening
Speaker: Master Gardener Kathy Burgess
Lecture. Indoor Gardening with Kathy Burgess. Master Gardener Kathy Burgess will tell us about indoor plants, general care of all sorts of plant, and bulbs that bloom for the holidays. Kathy is the former florist from Ukrops and will have lots of props to show us what we need to know! FREE.
November 9, 7pm | Bohemian Fall Arrangements
Hands-on workshop. Bring your clippers and a vase and we’ll work on incorporating florals with surprising pops of autumn such as pheasant feathers, fruit, and dried wheat. More information to come! Fee: $25
December 12, 9:30am | Elevated Holiday Greens
Please join us for creative merriment! We’ll be using local greens to make wreaths, garlands, and other creations to spruce up our houses for the holidays. Bring any pre-soaked greens you’d especially love to use, but we’ll provide some too. Don’t forget your clippers. Location, TBD. FREE
December 14, 6:00pm – 9:00pm | 2023 Christmas Party: Celebrating WGC’s 80th Anniversary
You and a guest are invited to the club’s annual Christmas Party. Let’s cheers to the holiday season and commemorate the 80th anniversary of WGC! Details, RSVP information and volunteer sign-up to come. Location: Home of Van & Sean Ruffner
Programs 2024
January 11, 9:30am | Meals on Wheels
One of our civic engagement initiatives, this program requires no special skill. Let’s make our signature small arrangements to brighten up the meals brought to seniors and homebound neighbors in the Richmond area. Bring your clippers and we’ll supply the rest! FREE
January 11, 7pm | Candlestick Centerpieces
Speaker: Kathy Ward
Hands-on workshop. Kathy, a member of Salisbury Garden Club, Richmond Designer’s Guild, and an NGC Life Flower Show Judge, will show us how to make floral arrangements on top of candlestick holders. These impactful centerpieces will add a little height to any table setting and brighten up the dark winter days. Bring your favorite candlestick holder and clippers! Fee: $25
February 8, 9:30am | Bald Eagle and Osprey Population on the James River
Speaker: Capt. Mike Ostrander
Program. Capt. Mike Ostrander will present a program on the return of the bald eagle and osprey population on the James River. Eagles returned 48 years ago, after they were locally extinct or “extirpated.” Their comeback began in 1979/80 when a single pair returned and had a successful breeding season. Today, over 340 pairs of resident bald eagles call the James River watershed home, making it the site of the greatest comeback of the bald eagle in the entire North American continent. FREE
February 8, 7pm | Winter Garden Prep with Sneeds
Speaker: Sally Acors, Sneeds
Lecture. Winter Garden Prep with Sneeds. Sally Acors from Sneeds will tell us how to get our gardens ready for a productive spring: what to trim back and when, how to fortify soil, and preventative steps to take to avoid pests. Sally’s thoughtful presentation will help us all get on track before things begin to bloom. FREE
March 14, 9:30am | Container Gardening
Speaker: Lisa Elliot
Hands-on workshop. Lisa is a masterful gardener who designs custom planters for clients in the Richmond area. She will share ideas for getting our pots ready for the first days of spring and give us tips for juxtaposing different flowers and plants. Bring your garden gloves, a small shovel, and a modestly sized pot that’s no more than 8-12” in diameter (in other words, something that won’t be too heavy to lug back home once it’s full of dirt!). Fee: $25
March 14, 7pm | White Flowers and Green Foliage
Speaker: David Pippin, Floral Designer
Hands-on workshop. As a former floral designer for The Executive Mansion of Virginia, David is one of our area’s most well-respected florists, known for both his horticultural expertise and creative designs. He also serves as adjunct professor at Reynolds Community College, where he teaches Floral Design, Practical Horticulture, and Horticultural Botany. David will show us how to make an elegant arrangement of assorted white flowers enhanced with greens from our own yards. Bring your clippers, two handfuls of pre-soaked greens (evergreens such as Laurel, Aucuba, Nandina, Camellia, etc.) and a vessel that is 6-8” in diameter- like a cereal bowl. No clear containers! Fee: $25
April 11, 9:30am | Landscape Design
Lecture/field trip. Landscape Design. We’ll tour a gorgeously landscaped yard with a tour guide, landscape architect Peggy Ford to see with our own eyes how to balance aesthetic and plant compatibility. This will also be an opportunity to learn about fast growers, blooms that thrive in our area, and more. Wear comfortable shoes; location details will be provided to those who plan to attend. Look for RSVP instructions in March. FREE
April 11, 7pm | Designing Your Exterior with Interior Intentions
Speaker: Muffy Jamieson
Lecture. Designing Your Exterior with Interior Intentions with Muffy Jamieson. Muffy works in a variety of design capacities- both indoor and outdoor- and is known for her impeccable style and creativity. Muffy will inspire us to spot natural beauty tucked into our existing landscapes and demonstrate how to decorate with cuttings from those plants. Muffy sources cuttings from her garden all 12 months of the year and she’s going to show us how to do the same! If you’d like to bring some clippings from your own yard and a container to follow along, please do. FREE
If you want to learn more about the Westham Garden Club general meeting information for 2023-2024, click the button below.
