The Winchester-Clarke Garden Club works alongside the Garden Club of America and the Garden Club of Virginia to promote responsible environmental stewardship and to aid in efforts to “restore, improve, and protect the quality of the environment” through engagement with the community and with legislators.

Pick Me

Picture
  • The Eastern Sweetshrub or Spicebush is a showcase garden shrub for all seasons. The striking 2-inch fragrant flowers in the spring and early summer, drooping fruit in summer, and the bright yellow fall foliage color combine to make this a highly desirable native garden shrub.
  • Sweetshrub is a wonderful choice because of its adaptability to many soil, water, and light conditions. It will tolerate moist to well-drained soils, partial shade to sun, and can be planted on the west, south or east side of buildings. It is easy to grow, a low maintenance shrub, with no known pests or diseases, is deer resistant and drought tolerant.
  • It is a good choice to integrate cultivated gardens into naturalized areas. Sweetshrub produces good cut flowers, and the flowers, leaves, twigs and bark may be dried to use in potpourri.

Abrams Creek Wetland Preserve

**Audio Tour
Grant Projects:

​Big Cut 10/19
Community Cut 10/20
Community Cut 10/21
Audio tour 8/21
Observation Platform 11/21
Visitor Brochure 1/22
​New and updated signage
2019 WCGC was the recipient of the Garden Club of America's ​Founder's Fund Award and of Garden Club of Virginia Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award for its work on the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve. 
This 25-acre urban green space is an educational and recreational resource. Classified as a calcareous muck fen because of its limestone bedrock, low acidity, and high nutrient levels the ACWP is home to over 300 plant species and 20 state-rare native plants. ​​
WCGC donated a park bench to ACWP in honor of GCV's Centennial.  The October, 2019 dedication was well attended by club members, city dignitaries, Shenandoah University and Winchester Parks and Recreation officials.
In October 2020 WCGC held a  plaque dedication for the 2019 GCA Founders Fund Award.  Guests attending were Sally Anderson, VP of the Virginia Native Plant Society and James Smith, president of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon Society. 

A Time for Restoration
The Big Cut 2019

​Club members worked alongside city park officials to cut back invasive trees in the upper marsh.  ​
The Big Cut 2020
The focus was on the lower marsh for this cut. 
Saving the Marsh
The Big Cut 2021

The Big Cut Completed November 2024
photo credits to Allison Blake


VA Department of Conservation and Recreation has recognized the significance of ACWP and has requested the area be added to its Registry of Natural Areas which maintains a registry of areas throughout the Commonwealth that should be protected because it is defined as an important conservation site.  11/24

"Great news indeed! This designation is entirely appropriate. It recognizes the DCR’s long-term interest in the Abrams Creek Wetlands; the ecological and recreational significance of the ACW Preserve; the City’s commitment to protecting the property as a natural area since 2003; and the City’s productive partnerships with the Winchester-Clarke Garden Club, Shenandoah University’s Environmental Studies Program, Shenandoah Audubon, The Opequon Watershed (TOW), Inc., and other groups. I hope and trust that the City Manager and Winchester City Council will support this recognition." Dr. Bousquet

In and Around Abrams Creek Wetland Preserve​ - a special place for all seasons.