Report of the Seattle Chapter Twelfth Annual Rhododendron Show
May 18, 19, 20, 21, 1961
Seattle Chapter, American Rhododendron Society staged one of the largest and most spectacular shows that the Northwest has viewed in several years. It was located in the South Concourse of Washington Stadium.
Show committee: Chairman, Clarence Bledsoe; Assistant, Mrs. James Madison; Design, Noble Hoggson; Judges and Awards, Brian O. Mulligan; Clerks, Mrs. H. H. Kamthenborg; Program, F. C. Bloxom, Jr.; Advertising, Bruce Leber; Hosts, Mrs. Hugh Baird; New Hybrid Exhibitors, Ralph Jacohson; Bonsai Display, Mrs. William Culliton; Tours, Mrs. Linley Janzen: Tickets, Mrs. Roy Gunderson and Mrs. Clarence Bledsoe; Lighting, Display & Stage Lighting, Inc.; Staging by Prentice Nursery and Decorating Co.
Judges: Dr. H. R. Fletcher, John Henny, Carl Fawcett, W. E. Whitney, W. H. Warren, Miss Roberta Wightman, Donald Graham, Otto Holmdahl, David Leach.
A long winding vista with backgrounds of conifers greeted the visitors, and the plants were kept fresh in the cool indoor location. Fifteen commercial exhibitors displayed their plants in landscaped plots, every one of which had charm and interest.
The Blue Rosette Ribbon in Section A, Class 1, (300 Sq. Ft. or more) was won by Prentice Nursery. Their lovely design featured a background waterfall, rocks, and foreground of rock chips, moss and sedums. Azaleas displayed included 'Treasure', 'Helen Close', 'Berryrose' and 'Corneille'. Rhododendrons in the planting were 'John Couts', 'Mrs. Furnival', 'Broughtonii Aureum', 'Peter Koster', 'Purple Splendour', 'Griersims', 'Snow Queen' and 'Mrs. A. T. de la Mare'.
The Prentice display also won two Trophy Awards, Section A, the Frederick & Nelson Perpetual Cup for Best Landscape Display, and the Seattle Trust and Savings Bank Perpetual Cup for Best Plant in Show, which was 'Peter Koster'.
S. Kenneth Kelley-Malmo Nursery, in Section A, Class 1, staged an unusually effective setting of mossy rocks and logs. The background was of vine maples and pines, and the foreground used
berberis
,
enkianthus
,
ilex
crenata
,
ajunga
,
sedums
,
heathers
,
azaleas
and miniature
rhododendrons
,
raphiolep
sis. Large rhododendrons featured were Madame Chauvin, Dawn's Delight, Broughtonii Aureum and Lady Stuart of Wortley.
Another Class A, Section 1 exhibit, winner of two Special Awards, was Seattle Chapter, Washington State Nurserymen's Assn. Small trees were inter-planted with large rhododendrons and azaleas, and in the foreground was grass with spreading junipers. Rhododendrons displayed were 'Mrs. A. T. de la Mare', 'Madame Chauvin', 'Anna Rose Whitney', 'Pink Pearl', 'Dawn's Delight', 'Mrs. E. C. Sterling', 'J. H. Van Ness' and 'Cynthia'.
Another Special Award in Section A, Class 1, went to Rhod-A-Zalea Gardens. A woodsy setting was designed with stumps, rocks and maples. Beautiful azaleas were on display and large specimen rhododendrons shown were Rh. 'Langley Park', 'Queen of the May', 'Alice', 'Letty Edward,;' and 'Hon. Jean Marie de Montague'.
Richmond Nurseries, Class 1, won a Special Award with the foreground planted in Pachistma Canbii, lingonberry, azaleas and dwarf maples. Large rhododendrons formed the background, the hybrids were 'David', 'Pink Pearl', 'Mother of Pearl', 'Mrs. de la Mare' and 'Marinus Koster'.
Associated Landscape Designers and Contractors also displayed in the Class 1, Section A, with a more formal design featuring a rustic cedar fence in the background. Many azaleas were used and rhododendrons 'Langley Park', 'Pink Pearl', 'Betty Wormald' and 'John Couts'.
The Blue Rosette Ribbon in Class 2, Section A, (200 to 299 Sq. Ft.) went to Fisher's Rhododendron Nursery. Junipers and
enkianthus
intermingled with the especially brilliant azalea 'Schubert'. Rhododendrons displayed were 'Blue Peter', 'C.I.S.', 'Van Ness Sensation', 'Pink Pearl', 'Mrs. Betty Robertson', 'Leona', 'White Swan' and 'Alice'.
A Special Award in this Section was given to Ostbo's King of Shrubs Nursery. It was an especially colorful display with its mass of rhododendrons' King of Shrubs', 'Endre Ostbo', 'Jane Rogers', 'Bowbells', 'Edward Dunn', 'Pink Pearl', 'Butterfly', 'Van Ness Sensation', 'Blue Peter', 'White Pearl' and 'Hon. Jean Marie de Montague'.
Hopkins Nursery also won Special Award in Section A, Class 2, with a foreground of
gaultheria
, rhododendron 'Hummingbird' and azaleas. An alpine fir in a large planter bowl was used for accent. Rhododendrons were 'Prof. Zaayer', 'Cynthia', 'Alice' and 'Mrs. A. T. de la Mare'.
Class 2 Special Award also went to Campus Nursery with their well designed background of rocks, water, conifers, maples and pink dogwood. Another display in this Class was that of Glen Hunt-Edwin Arntsen. Their suggested garden path had raised beds planted with 'Britannia' x 'Goldsworth Yellow', 'Marinus Koster' and 'Mrs. Furnival'. Azaleas, ferns and maples blended into the background.
In Section A, Class 3 (under 200 Sq. Ft.) Flora Markeeta Nursery won the Blue Rosette Ribbon. They featured lovely, Exbury Azaleas and excellent plants of rhododendrons 'Lady Bessborough' x 'C. R. Rafill', 'Borde Hill', 'Loder's White' and 'Van Ness Sensation'.
A Special Award in Class 3 went to Seven Firs Nursery, Mrs. Izetta Renton. A woodland setting with ferns, Kurume azaleas and Knaphill azaleas, displayed several very striking bright rhododendrons 'Medusa', 'Fabia', and 'Betty Robertson'. Another Special Award in this Class was won by Rainier Mt. Alpine Gardens with an unusual design using choice species and hybrid dwarf rhododendrons and conifers.
The University of Washington Arboretum Courtesy display featured Flame azaleas,
Primula japonica,
Menziesia lasiophylla
and
Vaccinium glaucus album
. This was an interesting exhibit, and the rhododendrons displayed were 'Queen of the May',
fortunei
, 'Mrs. E. C. Stirling',
yakushimanum
, 'Bonfire', 'Vulcan',
cinnabarinum
and
falconeri
.
The Educational Exhibit of the Study Group had 3 unusually interesting sections. One was display of various rhododendrons with unusual leaf and fruit interest. One was a display of dwarf species, and the other was an exhibit of native rhododendrons, of China, Tibet and Burma.
A special feature display was that of Kelly Nishitani's Bonsais. All of the exquisite miniatures, in bloom, were plants of rhododendrons or azaleas, each one a treasure.
A new feature for the competitive individual exhibitors was an award for the most points accumulated in trusses and specimen plants. This Amateur Sweepstakes Award, presented by the Lincoln First Federal Saving & Loan Association, went to Mrs. Wm. Culliton.
Mrs. Culliton also won the Griswold Nursery Trophy for the best azalea spray in show.
The Greater Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Trophy for the best amateur truss in show was won by Mrs. Wm. Patten for her R. 'Mrs. Furnival'.
The Annual Achievement Award Cup for Best Hybrid Seedling Plant (not previously exhibited, the hybridization made in the state of Washington) and The Seattle Rhododendron Society $100 cash award, was won by Lester Brandt for his flowering plant of
haematodes
x 'Felis'.
| SECTION C. CUT-BLOOMS |
| Div. 1-Rhododendron Species |
| Class 17. One Flower truss of any species in Series Fortunei. |
| Red- decorum seedling- Mrs. Stephen E. Anderson |
| Class 19. One spray of any species in Series Triflorum. |
| Blue-Mrs. William Culliton |
| Red-Mrs. Betty Madison |
| Class 25. One truss in Series Ponticum. |
| Blue-Mrs. S. Baker |
| Red-Mrs. K. Trimble |
| White-Pat Ballard |
| Div. 2-Rhododendron Hybrids |
| Class 27. One truss of a cream colored rhododendron. |
| White-Mrs. Wm. Culliton |
| Class 28. One truss of any yellow rhododendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. Stephen Anderson |
| Red-Betty Madison |
| White-Mrs. Wm. Culliton |
| Class 29. One truss of any pink rhododendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. Wm. Patten |
| Red-Mrs. C. Bledsoe |
| White-Betty Madison |
| Class 30. One truss of any rose rhododendron. |
| Blue-tied: Mrs. Wm. Culliton and E. B. Dunn |
| Red-Lloyd McKee |
| White-Mrs. Stephen Anderson |
| Class 31. One truss of any red rhododendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. H. R. Barneby |
| Red-Mrs. Wm. Culliton |
| White-Mrs. Betty Madison |
| Class 32. One truss of any white rhododendron. |
| Blue-Ed Arntsen |
| Red-Mrs. Wm. Patten |
| White-Mrs. Kay Trimble |
| Class 33. One truss or spray of an orange or apricot rhododendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. Betty Madison |
| Rd-Mrs. Ralph Jacobson |
| White-Mrs. Pendleton Miller |
| Class 34. One truss of any mauve, lavender or purple colored rhododendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. Wm. Patten |
| Red-Lloyd McKee |
| White-Mrs. C. Bledsoe |
| Class 35. One truss of an azaleodendron. |
| Blue-Mrs. Wm. Patten |
| Red-Mrs. Stephen Anderson |
| White-Mrs. Wm. Culliton |
| Class 36. One spray of any deciduous azalea hybrid form. |
| Blue-Mrs. Pendleton Miller |
| Red-Mrs. Wm. Culliton |
| White-E. B. Dunn |
| Class 37. One spray of any evergreen azalea hybrid form. |
| Blue-Ralph Jacobson |
| Red-Mrs. B. O. Mulligan |
| White-Mrs. Swift Baker |