Potomac Valley Chapter Awards Bronze Medals
At its May meeting of 1979 the Potomac Valley Chapter awarded the Bronze Medal to Newton Edwards and to George Miller. Both have provided great service to the Chapter and to rhododendron growers throughout the region.
GEORGE MILLER
George lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, which is only about 25 miles from Stewartstown, home of Joseph Gale. George put this proximity to good advantage, spending many hours at the "Little Woods" studying Mr. Gable's plants and learning from him. He collected many of the plants and now grows some that no longer survive in Stewartstown. His knowledge was most helpful in his participation with the Gable Study Group. George has also been very helpful to fellow growers, being most generous in sharing cuttings and seeds from his extensive collection. He is an active hybridizer, working with many plants, but especially seeking hardy compact yellows. You can be sure that when he finds that ideal plant he will make it freely available.
NEWTON EDWARDS
Newton was instrumental in founding the Potomac Valley Chapter, by interesting local growers in the idea, and by sponsoring a series of meetings in his home. He served as first president of the chapter and has remained enthusiastically active. Perhaps Newton's greatest long term service will prove to be that of having introduced hundreds of new plants to the area and of testing them in our climate. He propagates approximately a hundred of the more successful varieties and offers them, along with sound cultural advice, at his modest nursery. Newton's wide experience in evaluating rhododendrons will serve him well in his recently appointed post as Chairman of the National Ratings Committee.