QBARS - v21n4 17th Annual Show of the Seattle Chapter

17th Annual Show of the Seattle Chapter
MAY 19-20-21, 1967

Again the Show was beautiful, weather was sunny, and the crowds enthusiastically viewed the 17th Annual Show of the Seattle Chapter, American Rhododendron Society. For the second time it was held in the Ice Skating Pavilion at Crossroads Shopping Center, Bellevue.

A preview was held the evening of May 18, when we also entertained the 66 visiting New Zealanders, members of the New Zealand Rhododendron Society, a group touring the western U.S.A.

The show could be entered from the east or west doors of the Pavilion and plant and landscape displays formed islands down the center and flanked the north and south sides. All beds were edged with railroad ties, and a uniform covering of bark gave a pleasing appearance. Tiers of cut trusses filled the north wall, back of display beds, with over 300 trusses of great beauty, immense variety and interest.

King of Shrubs Nursery won a Special Award for an arrangement featuring three tree-size rhododendrons in the background-'Susan', 'Butterfly' and 'Faggetter's Favorite'. In the foreground were 'Moonstone', 'Bow Bells', 'Loder's White' and R. augustinii .

Mayfair Nurseries also won a Special Award. Cedar rounds led to the background of glowing yellow Dutch Mollis azaleas, pink dogwood, enkianthus and chamaecyparus. Foreground plantings made use of mosses, Gaultheria procumbens and Pachysandra, with rhododendrons 'Madame de Bruin', 'Bow Bells' and 'Blue Diamond', and azaleas 'Pinky Pierce' and 'Hinodegiri'.

A Special Award was well deserved and won by Rainier Mt. Alpine Gardens. Twisted driftwood logs were effectively used to separate groupings. In the background were rhododendrons of medium height- R. oreotrephes , mahogani and timeteum -also three seedling maples (from Japan) and dwarf conifers-Picea abies (three varieties), Abies nobilis glauca , Pinus pentaphyllum and P. mugho 'Pumilio'. His delightful plantings of the little dwarf rhododendrons included: 'Dusty', 'Patricia', 'Maricee', 'Carmen', lepidotum , cremastum , sargentianum seedling, glaucophyllum , reticulatum , hanceanum nanum , flavidum x russatum ; azalea R. kiusianum and Cryptonieria japonica nana were also included in the display.

Another Special Award went to Sunset Village Nursery. They featured a garden path of cedar rounds and a bench, against a background of pines and birch trees. Plantings of rhododendrons filled in the well designed exhibit using 'Jingle Bells', 'C.I.S.', 'Zuiderzee', 'Carolyn Grace', 'Mrs. A. T. de la Mare', 'Elizabeth', 'Yellow Hammer', 'Cary Ann', 'Brickdust', 'Bow Bells', 'Naomi Exbury', 'White Swan' and 'Cotton Candy'.

An arrangement titled "An interpretation of a roadside monument erected by Tibetan travelers as an expression of gratitude for the unity and harmony of man, earth and heaven" won a Special Award for the Lake Washington Garden Club. A simple plot of green grass was combined with a stone ornament, a background of rhododendrons, and two graceful trees of Cornus kousa . The rhododendrons used were 'Bow Bells', 'Mrs. G. W. Leak', 'Madame Masson', R. desquamatum , R. davidsonianum , and azaleas 'Wendy' and 'Holland Red'.

Blueberry Lake Nursery displayed a small but effective arrangement with lacy maples, a Cornus kousa and dwarf pine, combined with rhododendrons 'Loder's White', R. augustinii , 'Mrs. G. W. Leak', 'Bow Bells'. Azaleas included 'Rose Greeley', 'Wendy' and 'Hakata Shiro' (the latter a striking mass of white).

Cross Landscaping's exhibit highlighted a sculptured totem and won a Special Award. In the background were very tall vine maples, a weeping Alaska Cedar and 'Hinoki' Cypress. Effectively placed were specimen plants of dwarf Mugho pine, Golden Pfitzer, Green Laceleaf Maple, Juniper, Red Cutleaf Japanese Maple, weeping Norway Spruce and Fatsia japonica . Rhododendrons featured were 'Earl of Athlone', 'Jean Marie de Montague', 'Unique', R. augustinii , and azaleas 'John Cairns' and 'Ledifolia'.

First Place was won by Homestead Nursery with a large and beautiful arrangement for landscaping. A small pond was complete with rocks, and other rocks and twisted logs were placed effectively. Mosses covered the exposed ground. The greenery background contained a tall Cornus florida alba , Acer palmatum , hemlocks, pinus and kalmia. Lovely rhododendrons included 'Cotton Candy', 'Bow Bells', 'Dormouse', 'Doubloons', 'Sappho', 'China', 'Helen Johnson', 'Odee Wright', 'Adrian Koster', 'Honey Dew', 'Cary Ann', 'Show Off', 'Virginia Richards', 'C. I. S.', 'Fastuosum Flore Pleno', 'Carolyn Grace', 'Madame Masson', 'Ocean Lake'. Here and there were ground covers of Cornus canadensis , Vancouveria , Hexandra and Empideum pinnatum . Azaleas displayed in the foreground were 'Mrs. Fisher', 'Gumpo Pink', 'Pinky Pearce' and 'Wendy'.

A Special Award went to Kimura Nursery with its discreet display that included a quiet pond with simulated rock ledges, a green plot of Sagina moss, a tall background of greenery from Cedrus atlantic pendula , Alpine Fir, Acer palmatum , Pinus thunbergii . Rhododendrons were 'Jean Marie de Montague', 'White Swan', 'Countess of Athlone', 'Unique'; and azaleas 'Hino Crimson', 'Purple Splendour' and 'Ledifolia Alba'. Ground covers used were Euonymus fortunei radicans and Osmanthum delavayi .

Center Home and Garden Stores presented a "different" arrangement. It featured large round pebbled blocks set in a path of white chips, with Japanese maples in the background. 'Blue Peter' and 'Early Gem' were the rhododendrons shown and masses of very bright azaleas were effectively used.

A Special Award for McAuliffe Nursery's arrangement. One saw a very interesting tall gray stump with a contorted pine sheltering a sculptured deer, and in the background a large vine maple and red leaf maple. Foreground greenery was composed of weeping Norway Spruce, Cedrus atlantica glauca and Viburnum davidii . Effectively placed rhododendrons were 'Mrs. G. W. Leak', 'Mrs. Betty Robertson' and 'Souvenir of W. C. Slocock'; also azaleas 'Wendy' and 'Pinky Piarce'. Nicely placed low amber garden lights were seen at strategic intervals.

The University of Washington Arboretum displayed some specimen trees which proved very interesting to the public. They included Gingko, Dove Tree, Pin Oak, American Hornbeam and several Acer hybrids. Their exhibition of species rhododendrons also drew interest, R. griersonianum , fortunei 'Rubra', trichostomum , souliei , puralbum , orbiculare , hanceanum 'Nanum', davidsonianum , decorum , fortunei , wardii , kingianum , oreotrephes , basilicum , impeditum , wasonii and rex .

Sky Garden Center won First Place in its class. They had designed a pleasing arrangements of rocks, a bridge, dry brook of pebbles and a stone lantern.