JARS v39n1 - Welcome to the International Rhododendron Species Symposium, April 29-30, 1985

Welcome to the International Rhododendron Species Symposium, April 29-30, 1985
David W. Goheen, IRSS Chairman

Plan, prepare and come. The Rhododendron Species Foundation of Federal Way, Washington will host the International Rhododendron Species Symposium on April 29-30, 1985 at the Executive Inn, Tacoma (Fife), Washington. The Inn is about five miles from the Foundation's garden.

The last international conference was held at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh in 1982. Rhododendron enthusiasts, botanists and horticulturalists from all over the world attended that meeting. The 1985 symposium will be equally as exciting and stimulating. We expect world wide participation. Such an opportunity does not often come to rhododendron people in our part of the world.

Over twenty contributors from fifteen different countries, including USSR, mainland China, United Kingdom, Denmark, Japan and Germany, are scheduled to participate. Topics include taxonomy, classification adjustment in coordination with horticultural organizations, acclimatization, garden and planting designs, establishing species collections, propagation and collecting in the wild.

Prior to the symposium, on April 27, there will be the dedication of the new garden and the RSF annual meeting, featuring Keshab Pradhan from Sikkim as honored guest speaker. April 28 will celebrate the official public opening of the redesigned and rebuilt twenty-four acre garden. The garden's uniqueness is demonstrated by its devotion to a single genus, yet it is comparable to botanical gardens and arboreta. The plant collection contains more than four hundred seventy-five species in varieties of clones. Species both hardy and tender to the area are displayed. Easy access to this unusual garden will be provided by shuttle service from the Executive Inn. Symposium registration will also be on April 28 at the Inn.

The public and all rhododendron groups are invited to participate in the symposium and garden celebration. Following these RSF events, the annual ARS National Convention will complete a full week of memorable rhododendron fellowship, lectures, programs and tours.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM
Session I — TAXONOMY (Monday, 29 April 1985)

  1. R. carolinianum and Lepidote Rhododendrons in SE USA, William Gensel, North Carolina State University; Comments on Subsection Caroliniana - James Cullen, Edinburgh RBG, SCOTLAND.
  2. Dwarf Lepidote Rhododendrons, summary of paper by Peter Cox, Glendoick, SCOTLAND.
  3. Taxonomic Work in the PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA, Representatives of the Chinese Botanical Groups working with rhododendrons.
  4. Taliensia, David Chamberlain, Edinburgh RBG, SCOTLAND.
  5. Discussion of Taliensia.
  6. Cladistic Analysis in Rhododendron; Phylogenetic Relationships Among the Lepidote Rhododendrons, William Hathaway, University of Washington, Seattle, WASHINGTON.

Session II — ACCOMMODATING EXOTIC RHODODENDRONS (Monday, 29 April 1985)

  1. Severe Winter Climates, Importance of Provenance and Clonal Selection, David G. Leach, North Madison, OHIO.
  2. Mild, Rain-Forest Garden Complications, Graham Smith, Pukeiti, NEW ZEALAND.
  3. Container Growing and Heat Problems, Hideo Suzuki, Kuma-gaya, JAPAN.
  4. Summary of Paper, Winter Protection and Rhododendron Culture, Peter Lapin, Moscow Main Botanic Garden, Moscow, USSR.

Session III — DESIGN OF PLANTINGS (Monday, 29 April 1985)

  1. Introduction
  2. Layout of Rhododendron Plantings; Their Appropriate Place in Garden Design. Tony Schilling, Wakehurst, ENGLAND.
  3. Comments.

Session IV — ESTABLISHING COLLECTIONS (Tuesday, 30 April 1985)

  1. Dormancy and Greenhouse Culture — D.J. Ballantyne, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA.
  2. Establishing Plants from the Wild, Graham Smith, Pukeiti, NEW ZEALAND.
  3. Experiences in Developing a New Garden, A. Barre and Jean Lennon, Elliant, FRANCE.
  4. Establishing Collections in China, Selected speakers from the PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

Session V — COLLECTING IN THE WILD (Tuesday, 30 April 1985)

  1. What is in the Himalayas and Suggestions for Obtaining, Keshab Pradhan, Gangtok, Sikkim, INDIA.
  2. Goals and Coordination in Collecting Vireya Section Rhododendrons, John S. Wormersley, Westbourne Park, AUSTRALIA.
  3. Proposal for Coordinating and Exchange Among Cultivated Collections, Bjorn Alden, Goteborg, SWEDEN.
  4. Discussion of Proposals, Summary and "RESOLVE", David G. Leach, North Madison, OHIO.