Friends of the Westmoreland County Museum Garden Volunteers logged hours, Brought Order to Charles F. Gillette Virginia President's Garden in 2024

By Pat Neleski

Garden Coordinator

A cadre of 15 volunteer gardeners donated over 100 hours, and 27 bags of pine straw in the fall of 2024 to clean and improve the historic Charles F. Gillette Virginia President's Garden at the Westmoreland County Museum in Montross, Va. The group formed to take up the work that had been previously done for 83 years by the Westmoreland Garden Club, which formally disbanded in late 2024. Here is a big thank you to them all for their work and dedication!

Garden gate to the Charles F. Gillette, Virginia President's Garden. Seen in background, the covered bust of James Madison, one of three US Presidents born in Westmoreland County. (photo by Pat Neleski)

Volunteers removed ivy and vines that were destroying the 80 year old brick walls surrounding the garden.

It took more than 100 person hours to remove 19 bags of ivy, weeds, and dead plants from the garden. Volunteers showed up and brought friends to help with the job! Angela Islam brought her grandbaby, who snoozed through the job.

A new load of weeds and debris waiting to be removed!

And now the garden beds are ready and waiting for spring, sporting donated pine straw!