JARS v64n4 - Why A Program Library?

Why A Program Library?
Wing Fong, ARS Program Library Chair
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

The Program Library's (PL) DVD programs enable ARS members and chapters to SHARE. Not everyone can travel to Scotland, Nepal, India, Germany or Australia. Most members cannot visit many of the hundreds of private and public gardens all over the US and the world. Knowledgeable and passionate members have a wealth of expertise, experience, advice and stories to share and educate current, new or, perhaps most importantly, future members.

Currently the PL is working with Charles Feryok, horticulturist with 50 years of practical experience, on a "Pruning" program. This endeavor will hopefully lead to a series of "How to..." DVDs, complementing our members' gardens and our ARS Convention series.

Obviously, this is an ambitious plan for a small PL committee to record these subjects and produce the DVDs. Contributors and interested participants are NEEDED. Chapters could form Program Library committees to contribute programs, offer ideas, and create DVDs. This present PL committee is available to assist and work with volunteers. Narration is always a plus. Music needs to be royalty-free.

This fall 2010, we will release three new DVDs, programs and material contributed by ARS members. Spike Walters of the Great Lakes Chapter provided over 250 digital photographs, script and narration for a beautiful DVD: "A Spring Walk in Walters' Woods.” Win Howe of the Valley Forge Chapter contributed his program with augmented photographs and narrative enabling us to revisit Scotland and the 1996 ARS Annual Convention held in Oban, plus a visit to Glendoick Gardens and Nursery, home of Peter and Kenneth Cox. Lastly the PL went "down under" via the internet and postal service working with Ian Chalk of the Emu Valley Australian Rhododendron Society Chapter, who contributed more than 150 photographs about his trip to Nepal and who recorded his narration for the DVD. This endeavor was inspired by Ian's article in the Fall 2009 JARS issue.

In the works are more programs. One, The Great Lakes Chapter 50th Anniversary Truss Show, May 2010, held at The Holden Arboretum and including tours of the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden and the David G. Leach Research Station. Two, Frank Furman's program which includes dwarf rhododendrons, azaleas and conifers, rock gardens and his late wife Jean's trough gardens. Finally, the ARS conventions in Everett, WA, 2009 and on Long Island, NY, 2010.

As announced in the Winter 2007 issue of JARS, the Program Library was formed and is creating DVD programs that can reside in chapter libraries. These DVDs are used with the digital projector and computer equipment that many chapters are acquiring. The DVDs can also be viewed on a television set with a DVD player.

DVD programs cannot replace the advantages of a presentation by a speaker in person. However, they can be utilized readily for meetings as an alternative and have proven useful for smaller chapters with limited program budgets. Chapter members may borrow from their chapter library, copy, or purchase them for personal viewing. Each DVD is $US 15.00 plus shipping and handling. Six available DVDs are listed in the Summer 2009 Journal. Two more are now available: PL007 "Rhododendrons at the Golden Gate (2007 Annual Convention)" and PL008 "Rhododendrons in the Wild West (2008 Annual Convention, Tulsa)." Recently, a scheduled speaker for a meeting of the NY chapter on Long Island had to cancel on short notice. The chapter substituted the DVD "The Zurich Garden" from their chapter library. Bruce Feller reported that the members liked the program very much, resulting in a successful meeting.