Mission of the ChDC

The Charlottesville Daylily Clubs main focus is to educate the public on the modern daylily and promote the genus Hemerocallis to people interested in gardening. The club also serves an important function in bringing people together with a common interest.

History of the ChDC

The ChDC was started in November 2001 by, principally, Jim Murphy and Margo Reed, with help from others, including Carol Sarginger, Richard Dittman, Lynn O'Donnell and Fred Benzinger. The first meetings were held at the home of Jim Murphy and Margo Reed. The charter members were Fred Benzinger, Carol Sarginger, Lynn ODonnell, Claire McIlvain, Margo Reed, Jim Murphy, Richard and Jayne Dittman, and Bill Potter.

The first meeting also counted Nicole Jordan in attendance. She was crucial in two ways for the formation of the club. First was encouragement. Second was spearheading a gift from RADS to ChDC to help us get started financially. Carol Sarginger was the first treasurer and took the financial horns, encouraging Jim to have auctions for fundraising efforts for the club. Our most successful fundraiser so far has been an internet auction.

The second meeting, on December 8, 2002, was held at Carmelos, a local Charlottesville restaurant, and was attended by the above, plus Jim Smith, John Euchler, and Robert Chandler, less Bill Potter.

The first open garden tours were in 2002. Tour gardens included the gardens of Lynn ODonnell as well as Jim and Margos. Our biggest open garden tour, so far, was in 2003. There were five gardens listed on our tour. Open gardens for 2003 were Jim and Margos, Carols, Lynns, the Dittmans, and Fred Benzingers. The 2003 garden tour success was driven by good word of mouth and by Lynn getting the Daily Progress (local paper) to write an article. More than 150 people coming through the gardens on that blistering hot July day.

Membership Info

Membership is open to anyone who wishes to join.  Membership dues are $10/calendar year for an individual membership, or a "family membership."   (An individual membership or a family membership will allow one person to choose plants if eligible for the Plants for Members program.  Each person interested in participating in Plants for Members program must purchase an individual membership.)   Please fill out the following form and send it to Angie Bowald or Richard Dittman with payment, or bring the information and payment to any of our meetings.

CHARLOTTESVILLE DAYLILY CLUB, ChDC             20__

New Membership form/ Membership Renewal with changes:

Name:________________________________________

Address:______________________________________

___________________________zip code____________

Phone number(s):________________________________

Email address:__________________________________

AHS Member:  ___ Yes   ___ No

(American Hemerocallis Society membership information can be located at the official AHS website, www.daylilies.org.  Dues for AHS for a calendar year are currently $25.00.)

Mail to: 

Angie Bowald                                     or                    Richard Dittman

3071 Rock Cress Ln.                                                 402 Landover Rd.

Sandy Hook, VA  23153                                          Troy, VA  22974