At the March 26, 1999 Rhododendron Species Foundation (RSF) executive committee meeting, the RSF executive officers voted to officially end the second endowment challenge. Fifty-four thousand dollars have been raised toward the $100,000 challenge to date. Our benefactor has agreed to match $50,000 of that. This brings the total of $900,000 raised in 1½ years to increase the total amount of the RSF endowment fund to $1,400,000. The portfolio is invested in fixed income investments, balanced mutual funds, and growth mutual funds. Our account executive works closely with the treasurer and the RSF finance committee to monitor the stability of these investments, and they are performing well.
    Up to 5% of the value of the fund earned in interest and dividends can be distributed to operations each year. This has been a hard fought effort in which so many of you have participated. We can all take pride in this major accomplishment. Special thanks go to Bill Lindeman, RSF treasurer, and chairman of the task force to meet the two endowment challenges. But most of all, our heartfelt gratitude goes to the benefactor who made all this possible!
    Twenty-one ARS Chapters have sent donations toward the endowment challenges. They are: California, Cascade, De Anza, Gig Harbor, Grays Harbor, Juan de Fuca, Kitsap, Lewis County, Middle Atlantic, New York, Northeastern Regional, Noyo, Olympia, Olympic Peninsula, Portland, Shelton, Southeastern, Southwest Oregon, Tennessee Valley, Tualatin Valley, and Valley Forge. This is truly outstanding since many of those chapters are not members of RSF. Our thanks go out to each and every ARS member and chapter who has helped us raise this $454,000. The full cooperation and encouragement shown by the 1999 ARS Convention Committee who invited RSF to participate in the Convention and provided a full day’s International Rhododendron Species Symposium just prior to the ARS Convention is greatly appreciated. This effort is proof that the two organizations are mutually beneficial to one another, and can serve one another with pride.
    Please visit us at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden whenever you are in our area. We hope your tour of our Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden will be a pleasant one, and that you will also take pride in the many changes and improvements you will find there.

    In April, I was honored and pleased to meet the delegates from the Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael, Toskovo, Russia, here through St. Augustine in the Woods Church, and share with them the beauty of Meerkerk Gardens.Although we needed a translator to get through language barrier, we all transcended that when looking at the incredibly beautiful flowers and trees. They commented on the open space, air to breathe and serenity. The group of 25 laughed and joked and snapped at least a hundred photos.  They applauded our volunteers working that day, learned how the Meerkerk's donated their land to keep as a peaceful woodland garden, and how partnerships of individuals with companies (like the Ramsey's and Boeing) can fund the creation of gardens (Ramsey Rock garden).

    Near the close of the tour, a couple of the gentlemen, stepped forward and in English, thanked me for the hand-work I do. I expressed that I felt that I am a conduit of divine energy- the hand of the Divine in nature, and that I was grateful to be able to share it with them. Anne Pringle, the coordinator for the tour, taught me how to say thank you in Russian. (phonetically speciba).  And then, the group transformed into a choir, heartily singing a chant-like, escalating song from all their hearts. (I just found out the song is 'mnon-gaya lyeta', "May God give you many years", a traditional song in thanks for a special occasion. It is usually sung three times in succession, which the group did.)  Tears flooding my eyes, my response was a smile and a warm feeling of beauty. Rounds of hugs and handshakes followed and they presented me with a picture of their holy icon, Mother Mary of Sorrows along with a picture of their little church, future home of rhododendrons!

    With our U.S. delegation visiting them in May, I am sending rhododendron seeds they would like to grow. I am selecting very hardy types for their garden from the American Rhododendron Seed Exchange to plant around St. Michael's Church. They also know of a nunnery in Estonia near Tartu, where my mother was born, whose nuns love growing flowers. They will send seeds to them as well.

    This was a day of sharing seeds- of flowers, of hope and peace. Truly, a Divine Day!

From: Kristi O'Donnell, Garden Manager
Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens
Whidbey Island, WA

Website: <http://www.whidbey.net/meerkerk/gardens.html>
Email: <meerkerk@whidbey.net>
Phone & FAX: (360) 678-1912

The construction of the attractive new gatehouse and entrance pathway is now completed.

Elaine D. Flowerree Waterfall Garden Extension Also Completed

New Handicapped Accessible Pathway Ready for Visitors in Garden's Island Area.

    A new handicapped accessible pathway that leads from the path along the lagoon to other pathways in the Garden is now available to handicapped visitors or those who may have difficulty walking. With the availability of this new pathway most areas of the Garden are now accessible to the handicapped.

Jane Martin Garden Renovation Project is Underway

    With its steep embankment, the Jane Martin Garden has been one of the more difficult areas of the Garden to maintain. This winter while the Garden was closed the entire embankment was cleared of weeds, overgrown vegetation, and one large rotted tree. The area was then covered with netting and bark dust was blown in. The area will be treated to eliminate any remaining weeds and, in the fall of the year 2000, will be replanted with plants that are appropriate for that attractive hillside setting.

New Benches Added to Viewing Point Overlooking Crystal Springs Lake

Frank Doleshy Vireya Collection Donated to RSF

Callaway Gardens

A new forty-acre azalea garden opened at Callaway Gardens this spring. It has been named the Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl. It features some four thousand hybrid and native azaleas planted in masses around the Mirror Pond. Included in the azalea landscape area are pond cypress, sweet bay magnolia, oak, pine, hemlock, witch hazel, maple dogwood and holly. Callaway Gardens is in Pine Mountain, Georgia. (From Tennessee Valley Chapter Newsletter.)

Garden Sanctuary for the Children of the Moon

Garden Sanctuary for the Children of the Moon is an article written by Richard Hartlage, director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle, Washington for Pacific Horticulture, Summer 1999, pp. 32-39. The Garden he writes about is the garden of Terry Welch, Garden Designer, from Woodinville, Washington. Those of us who have had the privilege of visiting this beautiful garden can say, "This is truly one of the outstanding private gardens in the United States." The article is certainly worth reading but the wonderful pictures are worth ten thousand words. This summer Terry Welch’s Garden Sanctuary will be the site of a garden party and an invitation for those who have made contributions to the Friends of Pacific Horticulture

BORDE HILL GARDEN RENAISSANCE

    Borde Hill has been home to the Stephenson Clarke family, patrons of the great plant collectors of the early 20th century, since 1892. Set in 200 acres of spectacular Sussex (in England) parkland and woods, this renowned botanical garden was created at the turn of the 19th century and is rated by English Heritage as Grade II of major national importance.
    Following a successful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the first of three phases of restoration work started in 1997 at Borde Hill Garden. The total cost of Phase I amounted to £316,835, of which £237,600 is to be funded by the National Lottery grant.

Projects completed in 1998 with Lottery fund includes:

• The transformation of the Bride's Pool into a tranquil Italian Garden
• The formation of a wildlife pond in the Garden of Allah
• The re-landscaping of the Long Dell planted with a Sino-Himalayan theme
• Extensive planting throughout the garden
• Upgrading of walls and pathways with particularly emphasis for wheelchair access

1999 projects

• The restoration of three magnificent Victorian Greenhouses started in February, opening to the public at the beginning of Summer
• The creation of a Mediterranean Garden
• The development of the Grecian Mound

BACKGROUND

The Garden is operated as a non-profit making organization registered as a charity and has been open to the public since 1964. It is governed by a council on which the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, the Royal Horticultural Society and Forestry Commission are represented. Andrewjohn Stephenson Clarke, great grandson of Colonel Stephenson Clarke, the founder of Borde Hill Garden, is currently in residence with his family. Both he and his wife Eleni, who has an honour's degree in geology, are involved in bringing the gardens back to their former glory through an ongoing programme of replanting and enhancement.

THE BORDE HILL COLLECTION

    During the 1920s, thousands of rare plants were raised from seeds collected on expeditions to remote parts of East Asia, the Andes and Tasmania, in an era that was to enrich the gardens of Britain. Colonel Stephenson Clarke, a keen naturalist, helped finance some of these trips and introduced many new specimens to his own garden. But the formal garden is only part of the Borde Hill Collection, for nearly every copse has its colony of exotic trees and shrubs. Of these, Warren Wood, Little Bentley Wood and Stone Pits are open to the public as woodland walks and nature trails. Borde Hill also contains the largest collection of "Champion" trees to be found in a private ownership in Britain.
    The first rhododendrons introduced into the garden were from seed collected by Hooker and included R. barbatum and R. falconer. Material was also received from Wilson’s expedition in 1900-1902, and R. houlstonii and R. morii were received following the 1919 expedition. Many species were introduced by George Forest from his expedition in 1910 including R. irroratum and from his 1930-31 expedition including R. beesianum. The most comprehensive collection of species derives from the Kingdon Ward expeditions of 1913-1935.
    In 1923 seed was received from Rocks expedition of 1925-26. That seed included R. sanguineum sub sp. rosetinctum and R. weldianum. The Farrers’ 1919 expedition contributed R. mallotum. The series represented at Borde Hill include Fortunei, Irroratum, Thomsonii, Taliense, Lacteum, Triflorum, Edgeworthii, Saluenense, Trichocladum and Glaucophyllum.

THE GARDEN

    Referred to by Country Life as 'One of the country's truly great gardens', Borde Hill epitomizes an English garden in the finest romantic tradition. The immense diversity of species offer a rich variety of seasonal colour, from a mass of early spring flowering bulbs to award-winning collections of rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas in May and June. In summer, the breathtaking herbaceous borders and extensive collection of fragrant English roses give way to a vivid blaze of autumnal colour.
    Of particular interest is The Round Dell, home to a number of exotic palms, with its distinctive sub-tropical atmosphere. The Garden of Allah, as its name suggests, is a haven of peace and tranquillity. A more recent addition is The Rose Garden, designed by RHS gold medallist, Robin Williams, in 1995.

New Jersey State Botanical Garden

Ms. Betty Wiest, Executive Director of the Skylands Association, Ringwood, New Jersey, sends a brief message about Skylines role as the New Jersey State Botanical Garden and its Azalea Garden. "The Azalea Garden lies on both sides of formal reflecting pool. Banks of azaleas and rhododendrons bloom in a wide array of hues. Rhododendron hybrids include the white Boule de Neige (Snowball), Pink Twins and vivid red Nova Zembla. The Japanese Maple at the head of the pool and the Globose Sourwood are particularly striking in their crimson autumn foliage. A mature Mountain Silver Bell tree stands next to the maple."

Arboretum and Garden Websites

 Send a brochure or information about a garden or nursery you have seen or know about which is worth sharing with fellow rhododendron enthusiasts to Betty Spady, 9460 Sunnyview Rd. NE, Salem, OR 97301 USA or email bettyspady@aol.com.

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