JARS v63n4 - Come! See! Hear! The Eastern Challenge, ARS Annual Convention on Long Island, New York, May 14-17

Come! See! Hear! The Eastern Challenge, ARS Annual Convention on Long Island, New York, May 14-17
Wing Fong
ARS Princeton Chapter

COME! SEE! HEAR! - Timed to coincide with the peak bloom period on Long Island, the 2010 Convention will be held on May 14- 17, 2010 at the newly renovated Holiday Inn, located at the Islip Airport in Ronkonkoma, NY. Traditional hospitality awaits you in the spacious, but intimate and unhurried atmosphere at this facility. The event will be hosted by the three Chapters in District 7 and the Convention theme will focus on the challenge faced by District 7 hybridizers in the creation of new rhododendron hybrids that extend the range of flower color, cold hardiness, heat tolerance and overall performance. Please join us for what promises to be a most enjoyable experience.

In keeping with the Convention theme, garden tours are planned for Saturday, May 15th and Sunday, May 16th, the two core Convention days, scheduled to accommodate participants with weekday employment obligations. You will view first hand the accomplishments of District 7 hybridizers. Six private gardens will be featured, including George Woodard's trial gardens at the Howard Phipps estate; along with a stop at Planting Fields Arboretum, where tour attendees can visit the Long Island Hybridizers' Garden, and enjoy the magnificent plantings at this extraordinary Gold Coast property.

A flower show is planned along with a plant sale, featuring many new or soon to be registered hybrids developed in District 7. A very ambitious propagation effort initiated in 2007 promises the availability of an exceptional range of plant material. A photo contest is contemplated as well.

Three preeminent East Coast hybridizers, Allan Anderson, Werner Brack and George Woodard will collaborate on Saturday evening in an audio-visual presentation of the "Best of Their Best". The Banquet will be held Sunday evening, followed by a highly entertaining presentation by a guest speaker not widely known to our membership.

Given its special significance at this Convention, the Hybridizers' Roundtable, chaired by Werner Brack, will be held Priday evening after the dinner hour, affording greater opportunity for those interested in attending this event. The Board Meeting will be held Friday, May 14, 9:00 A..M - 4:00 PM. On Friday afternoon educational sessions are planned on topics of interest to the membership. The formal Convention agenda will conclude with the Executive Director's Forum on Monday morning, May 17th.

The registration form and additional details about the Convention will appear in the Winter 2010 edition of the ARS Journal. In the meantime, please mark your calendars for May 14th- 17th, and join us here in the Northeast for a celebration of the accomplishments of District 7 hybridizers - COME! SEE! HEAR!