04/05/2026
Let us introduce you to our newest show opening on April 16th:
“A Commonwealth in Bloom”
Celebrating Virginia Flower Farmers
Across the Commonwealth of Virginia, a growing number of flower farms are cultivating fields of seasonal blooms that reflect the rhythms of the land and the dedication of those who tend it. This renewed interest in locally grown flowers has strengthened connections between growers and their communities, bringing fresh harvests to farmers markets, flower co-ops, and homes throughout the Commonwealth.
For the past five years, Anne Blackwell Thompson has worked closely with a remarkable community of Virginia flower farmers, harvesting flowers from their fields to preserve and study their remarkable botanical forms. Behind every stem is a story of cultivation, patience, and stewardship of the land. Flower farmers work in partnership with nature, yet they must also endure her unpredictability—late frosts, pounding hailstorms, summer drought, and sudden downpours that can undo months of careful tending.
This exhibition gathers flowers from those fields and preserves a fleeting harvest. Through the patient practice of pressing and creating botanical specimens, flowers from these farms are carefully preserved, allowing their remarkable structure and character to be appreciated long after the harvest season has passed.
honors our hardworking Virginia flower farmers and the patience, resilience, and devotion required to bring these flowers from field to harvest.
