From the President
Lynn Watts
Bellevue, Washington

We have just returned from a very enjoyable and successful ARS Annual Convention in Burlington, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, because of the day-long Board of Directors meeting and the annual business meeting, we missed some of the wonderful tours. We were, however, able to go on a self-guided tour of Lexington "where once the embattled farmer stood and fired the shot heard round the world." On that same day trip we visited the Garden in the Woods, the botanical garden of the New England Wild Flower Society. This woodland garden of 45 acres features North American flora and displays over 1,700 varieties of plants in a natural setting, including 200 rare and endangered species. The tours which we were unable to attend featured such places as the outstanding Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the Heritage Plantation in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Also included on the tours were many outstanding small gardens of Mass Chapter members. These gardens, according to many with whom I talked, were at the very peak of bloom.

We wish more of our ARS members had been able to attend this convention and we would really like to know what kept so many away. Let your chapter president or your district director know because we want to make our conventions as "user friendly" as we possibly can.

It is my understanding that there will be no Eastern Regional Conference this fall. The Western Regional which will be held September 14-17 at Duncan on Vancouver Island promises to be an outstanding event. Treat yourself and plan to attend.