QBARS - v22n3 California Chapter Show

California Chapter Show
by Hadley Osborn

The California Chapter's Rhododendron Show was held outdoors in Strybing Arboretum on May 4th and 5th; and, in spite of a very early season and fairly lute show date for this climate, Chapter members responded with a record number of trusses, both in competitive and courtesy exhibits.

The Crowells of Albion Azalea Acres again showed their impeccably grown and exceptionally large-flowered azaleas. Trusses from crosses made by Gary Farwell highlighted the large and varied exhibit of Farwell's Rhododendron Nursery, with a nice yellow 'Carita' x 'Moonstone' causing particular comment. Golden Gate Park provided an outstanding display from the McLaren Dell (to which free tours were provided via mobile cable car), and exhibits including newer and seldom seen rhododendrons from Strybing Arboretum and the U. C. Botanic Garden were of great interest.

Standard and hanging azaleas supplied by Toichi Domoto were interspersed with the competitive exhibits, and a well thought out exhibit of the Maddenii Series and its hybrids prepared by Basil Vaerlen received prolonged attention from neophyte and expert alike. The Maurice Sumners prepared an unusually attractive leaf display, and the ubiquitous Mr. Vaerlen manned an educational table devoted to seedling raising.

The Sweepstakes Cup for the exhibitor receiving the most points went to Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Sumner, with many of their winning entries being their own hybrids. The Perpetual Trophy for the best rhododendron plant was won by their huge-flowered 'Mi Amor', and a truss of this R. lindleyi x R. nuttallii hybrid won the Paul and Ruby Bowman Perpetual Cup for the best truss of a hybrid with both parents in the Maddenii Series. The Sumners also won the trophy for the best new rhododendron hybridized and grown by the exhibitor with a neat, dwarfish plant derived from R. elliottii and 'Fabia' with coral red, heavily calyxed flowers. Other Sumner entries won countless ribbons, and they completed their silver collection for the year with the cup for the best deciduous Azalea plant, showing 'Coquillo', a large, brilliant yellow of the Ilam strain.

A new cup, with open competition, was provided this year for the best new azalea hybridized and grown by the exhibitor, and the Crowells swept the boards. The cup was won by their striking, pale pink 'Gloria' ('Pink Splendor' x 'Fairy Queen'); with 'Baby Doe' ('Emil de Koenig' x 'Dr. Bergman'), a unique beige pink with chartreuse blotch, taking second; and 'White Swan' third.

The competitive exhibit of evergreen azalea plants was the most photographed part of the show, and Mrs. Harriet Whittington's entries won most of the ribbons, with her 'George Lindley Taber' taking the Cora Brandt Cup. Mrs. Whittington also won the Massey Memorial Cup for the best foliage plant with 'Brocade'. Some R. williamsianum hybrids do not always appear at their best in California's climate, and it was refreshing to see a faultless plant with new growth just hardening win a cup that normally goes to representatives of the Grande or Falconeri Series.

The California Chapter has a special cup for the best pink rhododendron truss, and in a highly competitive exhibit that included fine examples of several newer award varieties, a superbly shown truss of 'Dr. A. W. Endtz' from the garden of Dr. and Mrs. John P. Evans proved to be too much for the newcomers. Trusses entered by Dr. and Mrs. Evans, last year's sweepstakes winners, were again notable throughout the show and won a total of twenty-six ribbons.

'Leo' has been a frequent winner of best truss awards in recent years on the Pacific Coast, and the John Druecker Cup for the best hybrid truss (except pink) again went to a 'Leo' after it barely survived the competition in its own class of an outstandingly large-flowered and fine-foliaged 'Radium' entered by Bill Nolan of Santa Cruz.

Finally, coastal California is Maddenii country, and the Ed Long Perpetual Cup for the best species truss in the Maddenii Series was won, as it frequently is, by a R. lindleyi , with this year's prevailing truss coming from the garden of our immediate past president, Mrs. Philip McCombs.