Go to the Contacts Tab to see your newly elected chapter officers. We should have some new photos shortly.

Note the changes made to the chapter by-laws voted on by the membership at the annual June picnic. See Article VII - ELECTIONS.

At the Siuslaw Chapter’s annual June picnic, Sylvia Smith was awarded the Bronze Metal!

Saturday, June 26, from 9 AM until 5 PM, at the Newport Intermediate School. Read More...

In Florence, Oregon, Friday, October 8 thru Sunday, October 10, 2010. Read More...

Some of you may know about this new plan and some may not. Use this link to connect to the FCC website. Be sure to read over the information. Right in the center of the article below the hand with the stopwatch, click on the link that says, “Test My Broadband Now”. You will have to give them your address so information on how fast your local broadband speed is can go into their database. Folks, if you can increase your download broadband speed to 100 megabits per second, wow, you will not be waiting for anything when you are surfing the web! Where you will really notice the difference is downloading and playing video. Give it a try!

WHAT: O. HOWARD HINSDALE GARDEN VISITS

WHEN: THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010

12:00 NOON TO 4:00 PM (later if needed)

WHO: ARS MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY

WHERE: Approximately 5 miles east of Reedsport on Highway 38, opposite the elk viewing area. Parking area along the south bank of the Umpqua River reached by a single lane road immediately east of the garden.

OTHER: Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged. The eastern portion of the garden is a fairly easy walk from the parking area. The larger ‘island’ part of the garden is not ADA accessible, and will require walking inside the highway guardrail, negotiating concrete steps and crossing a low footbridge. While care should of course be exercised, low growing vegetation will have been cleaned up before our visits for better viewing and easier walking among the plantings.

GENERAL: Now well over fifty years in the making, this garden is one of the oldest large rhododendron collections in Oregon. It also contains a significant assortment of large camellias and other companions, including many magnolias. You will be rewarded with a mature garden at this remarkable and beautiful location against its scenic river backdrop. Restoration is well underway through major investments by the Bureau of Land Management, with advice and some physical assistance by our members, and financial support for plant replacement from the ARS Endowment Fund. Improved plant health and bloom from these efforts over the last several years is more and more evident. The BLM has kindly agreed to two visits a month apart to accommodate more visitors and, for those who can go on both dates, enjoy a greater range of plant material in flower.

The garden is not yet open to the general public, but you may bring family members and interested friends. Good turnouts will help bolster continued progress, and you are cordially encouraged to take advantage of these special opportunities in a trip to relish both the garden and the panoply of ongoing springtime awakening along the way.

Gordon Wylie

OK, who is this Gordon Wylie guy?

Oregon native grew up in a then rural area of Eugene on a nut farm - walnuts and filberts, and sometimes people. Retired lawyer. Outdoor enthusiast: hobbies include exploring Oregon’s wonderfully diverse geography, camping, drift boating, fly fishing, hunting, photography, other travel and gardening. Member of the American Rhododendron Society for thirty plus years. Past president of the Eugene Chapter, District 4 Director and ARS President. Two Bronze Medals and a Gold Metal.

He along with other ARS members, Gene Cockeram, Bob MacIntyre and Galen Baxter are examples, have helped BLM in identifying rhododendrons and other plants at the Hinsdale Garden. Gordon may even be more involved than the above!

So you want to plant some tulips, here are some sites to look at. Read More...

Double check the Chapter Calendar and Flower Shows pages for information and details on our two spring flower shows on Sat/Sun, April 24-25 and Sat/Sun, May 22-23.

You are invited to participate in a research project that will provide some great shared input from and for coastal gardeners in the Pacific Northwest! Read More...

Check out our local web page for information.

The meeting topic for the Tuesday, October 20th meeting will be the mini plant auction. So bring your plants to be auctioned and your check book to purchase more! Don’t forget to contact Rosemary by the Friday before the meeting, if you plan to attend the pre-meeting dinner at 5:00 PM at the Bridgewater in Old Town.

The Tuesday, November 17th meeting topic will be about companion plants. Pre-meeting 5 PM dinner will be at the new Chen’s Family Dish restaurant on US Highway 101 just north of the 35th Street signal light.

The 2009-2010 chapter calendar has been updated with flower show dates plus pre-meeting dinner locations.

Mike Bones sent the following 38 photos of bonsai plants for members to get an idea as to what to work towards.
You may also find a link to these photos under the Bonsai tab.

Bonsai Photos link

Bill’s photos of the Hinsdale Estate. Read More...

The Easter Bunny visited the Chapter Early Flower Show late Sunday afternoon! Just click on the Easter Bunny link. Give the video some time to download. Hearsay has it that Bones Nursery may provide anyone who can guess who the Easter Bunny is with a FREE rhododendron or azalea! Call now to claim your prize! (997-3082) Of course there is NO GUARANTEE that there will be any plants left by the time you call or get there!

A number of chapter members have been to the Whitney Gardens & Nursery up in Brinnon, Washington. It is worth the visit. What the webmaster wants to call your attention to is how to get their 2008 CATALOG FREE. A good number of chapter members like the catalog because of its descriptions of rhododendrons. It is one of the few catalogs that tells you if you should plant a rhododendron in sun, shade, heat, part shade, etc.

Here is the link to the page on their website where you can sign up to receive yours by mail.

https://www.whitneygardens.com/catalog.html

Coming June 26-27 in Newport. Read More...

Some examples of what can be done with photos and short videos from a digital point and shoot camera. Read More...

Slideshow of Gene’s Creations given by Gene Cockeram at a past Portland Chapter meeting. Read More...

If you look closely, you will find a new Tours tab. Read More...

Propagation demonstration at our next meeting! Read More...