Submitted by Jody Mcleod AIFD
The 100th anniversary gala of the American Horticultural Society (AHS) was held in September 2022 at River Farms, a George Washington original farm, in Alexandria Virginia. AHS Is the oldest garden club in America. Over the past year, a handful of dedicated and committed leaders took it upon themselves to save River Farms from being developed into a townhome community, and after a long fight, they were successful in achieving this goal.
Upon arrival at the gala, the guests were met by a 1920’s antique car which had been lavishly decorated with pink garden tulips, fuchsia and red roses, protea, hydrangeas, dahlias, mini callas, stock, statice, and flanked with southern smilax and variegated ivy. The mastermind behind such extravagance was J. Keith White AIFD. It was amazing to witness the method he used to create such beauty with superior mechanics, knowledge, and experience.
From there, guests were invited to the back lawn to find breathtaking views of the Potomac River for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. A lavish dinner was served in a garden style tent embellished with southern smilax, and tables adorned with moss-covered containers filled with an array of garden flowers and foliages, including flowers and grasses from the grounds and gardens at River Farms.
Jacob McCall AIFD was the featured designer, and his love of the use of color was overwhelmingly apparent. Each table was covered with a chartreuse and fuchsia linen and made complete by acrylic floating chairs for each guest. The jewel toned glassware were the perfect accent for the candles and votives. The guests were in awe of the setting for this momentous occasion.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Jody Mcleod AIFD. “It was a tremendous honor to be asked to serve as the MC. The guests were so engaged, and we raised a lot of money due to their generosity and love for River Farms.” Some auction items included a trip to Maui Hawaii, a trip to Florence Italy, and the Swedish ivy from JFK’s office in the White House, just to mention a few!
Spearheading this event was former Chief White House Florist, the amazing and incomparable Laura Dowling. Her signature design style, her love of entertaining, and her passion for flowers were sheer perfection. Her attention to detail was unlike any other I have ever experienced. I introduced her simply for what she is, and that, my friends, is… A national treasure!! We cannot wait to see her Main Stage program at GROW Symposium 2023 in Chicago!
