A Visionary and Avid Supporter of the Woodland Restoration Project
Sheila Schaus believed that the Garden Club of London could become ‘a gateway to a botanical adventure’ not only for its members but for the London community as a whole. Her vision and tireless leadership laid important groundwork for the Club’s present projects in education and conservation.
From 1993-1996, as a member of the Building Advisory Committee, Sheila was directly involved in the design, construction and future use of the Civic Garden Complex as a major Horticultural venue. She helped establish the Friends of the Civic Garden Complex, worked to provide public access to the Conservatory, and provided valuable input in the saving of the City Greenhouses She was a major proponent of Conservation and in 1990, initiated the idea of developing a Woodland Garden as a small Conservation area – easily accessible by bus, by car or on foot.
Thanks to Sheila’s vision and support, our Woodland Restoration Project boasts hundreds of different species of native wildflowers, trees and shrubs. It has become a place where Londoners can connect with nature, stop and read a book, or stroll along its paths to enjoy the seasonal changes in foliage, flower and fruit.
In Sheila’s honour and memory, we were pleased to have a bench installed in the Woodland from a legacy fund established by the Schaus family and support from the City of London.
The dedication of the bench was held on June 8th, 2014. Attending this dedication were Gordon Schaus, Sheila’s husband and Catherine Schaus, her daughter, and many Garden Club members for whom Sheila was a friend and mentor.
