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ARS Elects New Officers

On April 29, 1999 Lynden M. Watts, Bellevue, Washington became President of the American Rhododendron Society replacing Herman "Bud" Gehnrich of the New York Chapter. Mr. Watts is a member of the Seattle Chapter. Mike Stewart, Portland Chapter member, stepped into the role of Western Vice-president. Both are long time members of the American Rhododendron Society serving in many capacities in their own chapters and for the Society.

Newly elected District Directors to the ARS Board were John Thornton (Ozark Chapter) District 11 and John Heinz (Great Lakes Chapter) District 11. Judith Denberg (Connecticut Chapter) District 6 and Eleanor Philp (Noyo Chapter) District 5 are new Alternate District Directors.

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Two Gold Medals Awarded at 1999 Convention

ARS President Herman "Bud" Gehnrich presented the following Gold Medals at the 1999 ARS Convention held in Bellevue, Washington.

Jack Lofthouse Receives Silver Medal

At the same meeting President Gehnrich presented the following Silver Medal.

The American Rhododendron Society

SILVER MEDAL AWARD

In the exciting world of rhododendron hybridizing, you have dared to be different. The genes in your crosses are now appearing in new hybrids made and registered by others.

You have willingly shared your propagating and selective crossing knowledge through articles in the ARS Journal, the Slide Library, lectures and participation in the Hybridizers’ Round Table sessions. You were even recognized by the Smithsonian Institution in one of their publications. Your efforts have encouraged new enthusiasts to follow in your footsteps.

You have received international recognition for your plant contributions to private and public collections in England, Europe, New Zealand, Japan and North America. Now that many of your crosses are in tissue culture, these unusual plants are more widely available to collectors.

For your valuable contributions, the American Rhododendron Society is pleased to award the Silver Medal to

JOHN G. LOFTHOUSE

May 1, 1999, Bellevue, Washington

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Bill Hersh, Susquehanna Valley Chapter.

At the SVARS Banquet in October, President Joe Minahan presented Bill Hersh with the Bronze Medal of the American Rhododendron Society. The citation for the award reads as follows:

Susquehanna Valley Chapter American Rhododendron Society is pleased to present the Bronze Medal of the Society to William A. Hersh.

Bill, you have been active in Chapter affairs throughout your membership in Susquehanna Valley Chapter. You are a charter member of the Chapter and have served as President, Treasurer, Director, and chairman of the Truss Show Committee, The Hospitality Committee, and The Membership Committee.

You have been a dependable and enthusiastic promoter of the chapter and its activities. You have frequently extended yourself far beyond what was required in your duties in order to enhance the activities of the Chapter and keep the community aware of these activities. You have conducted programs at Chapter meetings and organized and staffed Chapter booths at the York Flower and Garden Show and The Garden Expo in Mechanicsburg.

You have participated in the Chapter's Truss show, and most importantly, have been the key contact in obtaining our Truss show judges. Because of your knowledge and appreciation of the genus Rhododendron, you have been asked to judge at the shows of neighboring chapters. You have been the contact and facilitator for the Chapter's many meetings at St Mark Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg.

You have generously opened your garden to visits and tours and have traveled extensively in central Pennsylvania and used the opportunity to promote the good of the Chapter.

In recognition and appreciation, the chapter is proud to present this medal, the Chapter's highest award on this sixteenth day of October, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Eight.

Congratulations Bill on this well deserved award.

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Three Bronze Medals and a President's Award were presented at the Southeastern Chapter banquet on March 20, 1999. The Citations for each award follow. All recipients were truly surprised. Congratulations to all and keep up the great work.

April Sanborn, Southeastern Chapter

The Southeastern Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society proudly presents the chapters highest award, The Bronze Medal to April Sanborn in recognition of your years of service.

You have served as chairperson of our chapter Plant Sale Committee, you have assisted with our Truss Shows and contributed many entries to them over the years, you have participated vigorously in our Native Azalea Study Group meetings and field trips, and you are now enticing each of us monthly with displays of the best gardening books available as our Book Sales Chairperson.

Your contagious good humor, enthusiasm and joy of life make each of us look forward to seeing you, and your consistent support, participation and contributions to our Chapter activities are recognized and appreciated by each of us. March 20, 1999

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Audrey Dwyer, Southeastern Chapter

Today, we are honoring a member of our chapter who not only comes under the heading of a dedicated volunteer, but is classified as dependable, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic and comes to meetings in rain or shine - even snow. She slips in each month with her supplies, sets out all the goodies brought in by the hostesses of the month, cleans up and slips away quietly until the next month. This is the way she works; mostly unseen and unnoticed, and she has been doing so for the past six or seven years.

Your behind-the-scenes efforts have made our meetings much more enjoyable for each of us, and we each thank you for that.

In grateful appreciation and recognition for your contributions, the Southeastern Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society is honored to present to you, Audrey Dwyer, our highest award, The Bronze Medal on this the Twentieth day of March, 1999

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Ken Majer, Southeastern Chapter

After joining the Southeastern Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, you have quietly, faithfully, and enthusiastically given freely of your time, energy and knowledge of rhododendrons.

You have shared your wisdom with us by serving on our Board of Directors, you have eagerly assisted at our Truss Shows, and you have made major contributions to the success of the chapter Plant Sales by your tireless efforts in setting up the sales, guiding and assisting buyers during the sales, and tearing down after the sales.

Your cheerful, dignified and willing manner make you a role model for us all.

With warmest appreciation for all your efforts so generously given, we are proud to present our highest award, The Bronze Medal, to Ken Majer this Twentieth day of March 1999.

Southeastern Chapter Presents President’s Award. A new award, The President’s Award, was initiated for the Southeastern Chapter at the March 20, 1999 banquet. Ed Collins, chapter president, presented the award to Ray and Karen Rhoads in recognition of a number of major contributions to the Chapter. Among their many activities on behalf of the chapter are as follows: Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Director, Assemble Flower Show Schedule, creating new badges, table covers, etc. and much, much more.

Artistic Division Competition Honors Barbara Williams. The theme at the Eugene Chapter Show in April honored Barbara Williams, their late Artistic Division Chairman of the Eugene Chapter Show, who passed away this year. Barbara had been instrumental in creating the competition and maintaining the enthusiasm of the competition in the chapter and community. The theme in the Artistic Division was "Remembering Barbara’ with special classes named as: ‘Children’s Presents,’ ‘Fun,’ ‘Grandma Barbara’ in the Junior Division; ‘Her Friends,’ ‘Nature Lover,’ ‘Baskets of Friendship’ in the Novice Division; ‘Lovely Lady,’ ‘Twins (Barbara was a twin),’ ‘Fortitude,’ ‘Petite Charm’ in the Open Class. What a special way to honor a very special lady. (Eugene Chapter Newsletter, April 1999)

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John Fawcett, Valley Forge Chapter, passed away on February 8 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Barbara Nelson, California Chapter, was a member for about thirty years. She was a true plant lover and always volunteered to help the chapter in many ways. A memorial was held on March 6, 1999.

Jack Osegueda, California Chapter, was one of fourteen charter members who met to form the California Chapter in January 1952. He served as Chapter president in 1954. He enjoyed flower shows and sales. Jack was a good propagator and was particularly adept at grafting. He had been called upon by the University of California to graft some special scions the University received from China.

Alan Hardy died on February 4 at age 72. Mr. Hardy’s world famous garden, Sandling Park, in Kent, England, was developed by four generations of the Hardy Family. It contains a large collection of fine rhododendrons and has been visited by many from all over the world. Sandling Park is unique in that it is in the middle of the chalk area near the White Cliffs of Dover. Mr. Hardy was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour in 1993 for his contribution to horticulture.

Sir Giles Loder recently passed away at the age of 84. He is a member of one of Britain’s great gardening dynasties and a prominent figure in the horticultural world throughout the post-war era. Sir Giles was the grandson of Sir Edmund Loder who hybridized the Loderi hybrids. He has led the Royal Horticultural Society’s Rhododendron Group for many years. He was an active rhododendron breeder and camellia specialist. For most of this century the Loder family has been synonymous with West Sussex (England) gardening. Members of its various branches have owned tremendous gardens at Leonardslee near Horsham, High Beeches near Handcross and Wakehurst near Haywards Heath. While all three survive and flourish, only Leonardslee remains in the family's ownership, due largely to the commitment and sensible management of Sir Giles Loder. The names Loder and Leonardslee are familiar to gardeners all over the world who may never have been near the garden to which Loder devoted much of his life; for both are attached to several varieties of rhododendron. The original plant of Rhododendron ‘Pink Diamond’ is still at Leonardslee. Another one, Rhododendron ‘Leonardslee Giles’, was specifically named for the baronet who inherited the estate when he was only five, kept it going during the testing middle years of the century and continued the work on rhododendrons that his grandfather Sir Edmund Loder, the second baronet, had pioneered. It can also be noted that Leonardslee served as the film location for ‘Black Narcissus.’

Gladys Bones, Siuslaw Chapter, passed away in March. She was the mother of ARS members Mike Bones and Dan Bones. Gladys was a tireless worker in the chapter and was awarded the Bronze Medal for these efforts. She helped to establish Gallaher Park Rhododendron Garden in Florence, Oregon. "To know her was to love her. She was her own person and cared for everybody. She could outweed anyone! Gladys will be missed." What nicer way could one be remembered? (Seen in the Eugene Chapter Newsletter, April/May 1999)

Yoshiro Ito, Eugene Chapter, from Corvallis, Oregon, passed away in early March. He is survived by his wife, Fumiko, who is also a member. Although he rarely attended meetings, he can be remembered by many throughout Oregon for he seldom missed a rhododendron show anywhere in the area.

Clarice Crutcher, Southeastern Chapter, passed away on March 13, 1999.

Sir Arnott Molesworth, Scottish Rhododendron Society from St. Aubyn.

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