When the Tidewater Daffodil Society disbanded in 1991, Tazwell Carrington, the chairman of the board of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, called a group of daffodil enthusiasts to a meeting at the garden. He wished to propose a Richmond daffodil show supported and named for the Garden. Attending the meeting were Tax Carrington, Sue Robinson, a daffodil judge of renown; Joe Stettinius, a local businessman, ADS judge and ADS treasurer; Polly Brooks, a well-known judge and ADS treasurer; and Patty and George Bragdon who were active in daffodil circles and both of whom were ADS judges. There had never been an American Daffodil Society sponsored show in Richmond and Taz fel this was a wonderful opportunity to get one started.

George and Patty Bragdon agreed to chair this show and to gather a committee to carry out the many duties that an ADS show requires. Joe Stettinius, Taz Carrington, and Sue Robinson agreed to take on major responsibilities. With the help of the Garden and advice from former Tidewater Daffodil Society members, we all went to work.

The Arthur Ashe Center was secured for the second Saturday and Sunday in April. Garden clubs and horticultural groupos were contacted and mid-Atlantic daffodil societies expressed great enthusiasm and promised to bring many flowers to the show. Sue Robinson contacted many of her daffodil associates to judge the show, and Stanley Kraus, architect and past president of the Tidewater Daffodil Society, designed the show area.

Frank Robinson, the new Executive Director of the Garden, and Elizabeth Daniel, Public Relations Director, approved garden exhibits, helped with the set-up and transported properties. Brent Heath of Brent and Becky's Bulbs agreed to lecture on Saturday afternoon.

All was in place by Saturday April 17, 1992, for our inaugural show. It was an exceptionally beautiful show with over 1800 blooms, a marvelous display for our first show. We had many visitors and exhibitors from seven states and Washington, DC, a truly wonderful beginning.

After working on our first show, it became obvious that we needed a society to support it and to attract local people pleinterested in learning more about daffodils. In the fall of 1992, George and Patty Bragdon called together a meeting of people who had helped with the show for the purpose of forming a Virginia Daffodil Society.

Our first slate of officers was elected at this meeting. George Bragdon became our first president; Sue Robinson, vice president/ Joe Stettinius, treasurer; Becky Studebaker, a local garden club member, secretary; and Fran Purdum became our dedicated historian. George Bragdon continued to serve as president until 1996 when Patty Bragdon was elected to a two-year term. Pat Burke, a good grower of miniature daffodils, served from 1998-2000. Margaret and Skip Ford, daffodil exhibitors and growers of renown, served from 2000-2002 and Evelyn and Sam Nock, daffodil friends and growers from the Eastern Shore, were elected in 2002.

In 1996, the Virginia Daffodil Society accepted an invitation by the American Daffodil Society to host the 1998 National Convention and Daffodil Show. It was a huge project for our six-ear old society, but with much help from experienced ADS members and friends we could do it. Suzanne Bresee, a judge from Orange, Virginia agreed to be the convention chairman with Joe Stettinius as co-chairman; Patty and George Bragdon as show chairman, Sam Nock as treasurer, Evelyn Nock as registrar, and Skip Ford as awards chairman.

American Daffodil Society members from all over the country and daffodil enthusiasts from Ireland, England, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia flew in bringing fabulous daffodils with them. More than 3000 blooms were exhibited. Trips to Agecroft Hall and Virginia House, with their delightful gardens, to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, to gardens in Gloucester, and to Charlottesville to see Monticello gave visitors a chance to enjoy some of the history and beauty of the Richmond area.

The VDS newsletter was started in march 1996. It was the brainchild of Margaret Ford to help keep our members informed on current activities in the daffodil world locally and nationwide. It was decided to issue two newsletters per year with Margaret Ford being responsible for the spring issue and Patty Bragdon for the fall edition.

The VDS instituted a new award in 2003 to honor Sue Robinson. The award will be given each year to a VDS member for leadership and service to the society.

Virginia Daffodil Society members have worked in many ways to make the society a significant partner of the American Daffodil Society by participating in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Meetings, lecturing about daffodils whenever invited, attending and working at national conventions, by judging at other mid-Atlantic Society shows, at New England regional shows, at National Convention shows, and even in London at the English Daffodil Society Centenary Show in 1998. In 2002, Patty and George Bragdon traveled to Northern Ireland to judge at the National Ireland Show in Omagh.

Many of our VDS members ahve served on the national board of the ADS and continue to do so, keeping our society a contributing factor in the nation arena.

A number of the present and past Virginia Daffodil Society members have been awarded the lovely mid-Atlantic Region Medal for leadership and service to the region and to the American Daffodil Society. Those honored have been; Quentin Erlandson and Delia Bankhead, past ADS presidents; Betty Smith, a past regional vice president and Maryland Daffodil Society past president; Anne Donnell Smith, daffodil judge extraordinaire and past Judges School Chairman for the ADS; Patty and George Bragdon, co-founders of the VDS; Mary Koonce, former regional vice president and who has served in many ways on the ADS national board; Ann Corson, a dedicated judge and renowned miniature grower; and Kathy Walsh, past regional vice president, past president of the Washington Daffodil Society and who has also served on the ADS board with distinction and in many capacities.

Thanks to all of our members for recruiting new people, but especially to Margaret Ford, who has done a remarkable job of attraction new members by lecturing, attending garden-related events, inviting friends and acquaintances to our annual meetings, planting daffodils with Fran Purdum at public schools, initiating a wonderful program at public schools for 4th graders to exhibit at our show and just generally spreading "garden fever".

The VDS is proud to be a member of the American Daffodil Society and of our strong affiliation with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Our Society has grown from a small group of daffodil enthusiasts in 1992 to a present membership of over 100. We look forward to continuing to bring increasing numbers of people to the exciting world of growing and exhibiting daffodils.