It has come to our attention that the for some unknown reason, the May Newsletter, posted May 7, has not been received by many members (including me). In order to gauge the magnitude of this problem, please reply to me if you have NOT received the Newsletter yet. Extra copies will be on-hand this weekend at our Truss Show and Sale.
Since many of you have not received the newsletter, below are key notices regarding our chapter's upcoming Rhododendron Truss Show & Sale, May 19 & 20 (this weekend), mostly courtesy of Susan Clark, Newsletter Editor, as follows:
1. General Announcement & Schedule
2. Truss Show Announcements
3. Plant Sale
4. Rhododendron Database Project – request for help
1. Announcement & Schedule
Come and participate in our big event this weekend, May 19 & 20. Volunteer, enter trusses, buy plants! This is our big fund raiser, big show, and big outreach to the gardening public in conjunction with the Society Row Sale. We need lots of help and lots of participants. All events at Elm Bank in Wellesley on Route 16, in and around the Education Building, next to our chapter's display garden. If detailed directions are needed, please contact a member of the board or our chapter presidents.
Schedule for May 19, 2007 Saturday
12 pm- 1 pm tutorial for novice exhibitors – NEW!
12:30 pm truss registration starts
2:00 pm registration ends
2:30 pm judging starts
5 pm judging ends
5 pm plant sale open to volunteers
5:30 pm light dinner for volunteers
Schedule for May 20, 2007 Sunday
9 am show opens to public
9 am plant sale begins
11 am guided tour of truss show
12 am People's Choice voting ends
12 pm guided tour of the Display Garden
2 pm show & plant sale closes
2 pm clean up
NOTE CHANGE OF TIMES OF MANY EVENTS!
2. Truss Show
We will have a tutorial for novice exhibitors this year, starting at 12 pm on Saturday, May 19. A couple of kindly and very knowledgeable chapter members will be on hand to advise and coach novice or nervous exhibitors at the show. Sage encouragement about which trusses to enter, how to clean and prepare them, and help filling out the registration forms will be given. This is an easy way to learn how to enter your trusses. Bring lots of blooms, even if you are not sure about them. Don't forget, we have a trophy just for Best Novice Entry.
We have 3 new trophies this year to encourage a greater number and variety of entries:
Best Non-elepidote Species (including azalea species). Bring in your less showy or quirkier species for this trophy.
Best Proven Performer Trophy, for the best plant from our Proven Performer list . To find the whole list click on the 'pictorial tour of Proven Performers' on the chapter home page.
Outstanding Achievement Award, a $100 trophy for the person who wins the most blue ribbons (and reds). This award is for the greatest number of excellent entries, very different than Best In Show, which recognizes the single, most perfect truss.
3. Plant Sale
Sunday May 20 we will have a fine selection of rhododendrons, azaleas, small trees and companion plants for sale ranging from small, inexpensive P4M and Van Veen plants up to fairly large-sized plants. Included will be both species and hybrid rhododendrons, some smaller, more affordable selections from Weston Nurseries, choice perennials, and blooming landscape-sized rhododendrons and azaleas.
This year our plant sales will be conducted in the courtyard of the Education Building (where our Truss Show will be held) at Elm Bank. This is the building closest to our display garden. The entrance to the courtyard faces the display garden. In front of this building, many other plant society vendors will have tents and tables set up to sell their particular specialties. Proceed directly past all of these people to our sales area!! You will see some blooming rhododendrons and signs to guide you.
4. Rhododendron Database Project
Ted Petit, the person who has been diligently working on creating an on-line database of all rhododendron species and hybrids, along with genealogy of the latter, is in the process of populating this database with photos for each entry. In addition to the obvious need for photos of trusses, Ted needs photos of the various plant parts. He requests that folks bring a sample of leaves (2 leaves are sufficient) and stem of rhododendrons they are entering in the truss show, placed in a labeled Ziploc bag. He will take these home with him to photograph.
Finally, an exhortation from me to Please Participate!! Even if it is only to browse the beautiful trusses on display and purchase a plant or two, you will have helped to make our most important event of the year a success.
If there remain any questions on the upcoming events, feel free to contact the presidents or a board member (including Susan Clark - 978-369-8597 or me - 508-435-8217).
Joe Bruso
See what's free at AOL.com.
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