JARS v64n4 - From the Editor

From the Editor
Glen Jamieson
Parksville, BC, Canada

As is likely the case with most journal editors, it is always a challenge to meet the interests and desires of a large audience, as virtually all of us have specific topics that most interest us and which we would like to have more information about. The content of each JARS issue thus represents a balancing act, as it tries to incorporate articles and notes on each of the three main "rhododendron groups," azaleas, rhododendrons and vireyas; articles of seasonal interest relating to both gardening (e.g., spring planting, fall propagation, etc.) and Chapter activities (show judging, etc.); a diverse geographical perspective; and so on. Over the past 18 months that I have been editor, I have tried hard to achieve this balance, and have three observations on challenges I've encountered in achieving it.

The first is that as mentioned in a previous editorial, JARS is unusual among "garden society journals" in that it has four 60-page issues a year, much more than that produced by any other species-specific gardening society I am familiar with. I would argue that ARS members thus receive good value for their dues in this respect. However, unlike commercial garden publications, JARS does not pay contributors for articles, which means all contributions are from volunteers. One of the consequences is that the editor can receive unsolicited articles on a wide variety of topics at any time, with the obligation then to try and use them in as timely a manner as possible. When I know someone has a particular interest and/or has recently given a talk on that subject, I can try and fill in gaps in the available material on different topics that I have on hand by asking them for a specific article, but the time frame in which this article may arrive I have no control over. All ARS members should therefore join me in commending and thanking all JARS authors for their greatly appreciated efforts to date. I welcome new submissions and encourage both past and new authors to help me make JARS as relevant as possible.

The second observation is that because of the above, I often have a lack of original material in all desired subject areas at any point in time, which means that to fill an issue, I either have to reprint some material already published elsewhere or strike a less optimal balance in the content of a particular JARS issue. Reprinting material may mean that some people may read material they are already familiar with, but it also has a number of positives - it may come from another relevant journal that most ARS members do not have access to, and thus be new to them, or it may come from an ARS Chapter's newsletter, which are not typically widely distributed beyond that Chapter's members. The former has allowed me to publish articles from other rhododendron societies, such as from Australian and New Zealand, and from specialty groups, such as the Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia Group of the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK.

My third observation is that reprinting some articles from ARS Chapter newsletters in JARS provides additional recognition for the contributions of members at the local level, and I have had much positive feedback here. It also gives me greater opportunity to address "How to" issues that many members, and particularly new members, desire. It's fine to have some fairly technical and esoteric articles in JARS, but what many members also want is basic, practical gardening information on topics such as pruning, propagation, diseases, attractive companion plants, and so on. Many Chapter newsletters have such information, and my reprinting such articles can thus fill a number of needs.