2007 The Rhododendron

• Date: 25th January 2016

It’s no surprise that the drying of Australia has had considerable impact on the enthusiasm of households for spending time and money on gardens. For those who maintain interest, a great many are responding to calls for planting “water-wise” gardens. All gardeners are challenged by water shortages to use very limited amounts on their gardens; those worst affected are prohibited from using mains water for their plants. One could suggest that polar bears and Australian gardeners might both have little reason to doubt that the earth is becoming warmer and drier, and have much to lose if there is more to come (obviously the polar bears will come off worst, but that will be no consolation).

Can rhododendrons in general become more unfashionable than they are now? They weren’t exactly fashionable before, but the long drought has not helped matters. There’s little doubt that conventional wisdom in gardening circles that rhododendrons could only be an appropriate choice for reliably watered gardens, preferably in mountain environments, has reasserted itself - not without some encouragement from gardening publications and presenters on television and radio. In recent years, just about the only retailers selling any numbers of rhododendrons have been supermarkets and hardware/garden supplies “barns”, offering small potted azaleas virtually “off the back of a truck” each spring. One can only wonder whether we’ll see as much of this in spring 2007…

CONTENTS
Editorial · Barry Stagoll..............................................................................3
Annual Report for the Year 2006–2007 · Daphne Chandler.............4
President’s Report · Kaye Hagan.............................................................6
Around the Society’s Branches................................................................8
Awards of Life Membership: Brian Clancy, Barry Davidson &
Bill Voigt.......................................13
Vale: Lionel B.Marshall.............................................................................18
Rhododendron saxicolum · Andrew Rouse..........................................19
Pacific Region International Rhododendron Conference ·
Graham Simpson........................22
Rhododendrons at Golden Gate · Sue & Graham Simpson..............30
Ericaceae in the Dolomites · Ken & Lesley Gillanders.......................37
Control of Lace Bug on Rhododendrons · Kathy Wilson...................39
A Visit to Gardens in Britain and Southwest Ireland ·
Barry Stagoll..................................41
Vireya – Plaything and Treasure of an Enthusiast? ·
Murray McAlister........................47
Interesting articles in recent issues of The Vireya Venture.............55
Vireyas for Singapore · Neil Puddey.......................................................56
Linnaeus – 300th Anniversary in 2007..................................................58
Fred Whitney, the new American Rhodo Soc President...................59
If Only … · Gay & Barry Stagoll................................................................66
New Registrations 2006–2007 · Ken Gillanders...................................59
Branch Information...................................................................................68