New York Chapter

     American Rhododendron Society

                         President:  Marvin Fisher, e-mail: Marlin77@optonline.net

                                                          Phone:631-838-1477

                                   Chapter Website: http://NYRhododendron.Org

                                   ARS Website: http://www.rhododendron.org

                                   Newsletter Editor: Jim Fry, e-mail: JimsCreatures@verizon.net

                                                                                 Phone: 631-495-6531

Sunday, January 8th

2PM, Membership Meeting

Main Greenhouse, Planting Fields Arboretum

Jim Fry

“New” Evergreen Azaleas to “die for”

              Well, I wouldn’t go that far!  Jim has photos and information on 1000 of his favorite evergreen azaleas, but due to time limitations of the meeting, will only be showing 50 or so. 

              The presentation will be in two parts.  Part one is about an innocent quest to increase his azalea collection and what it has involved in time, money and space (especially space!) over the last seven years.  Part two is about many of those rooted azalea cuttings that were purchased several years ago from Bill & Mich Steele’s Nursery of West Chester, PA.  Hybrids from Glen Dale, Gartrell, Kehr, Holly Springs to name a few.   The pictures should cause lots of oohing and ahhing so there won’t be too many people able to doze off in the back row!

              Jim is a retired engineer, junk sculptor, and rabid rhodophile.   He’s been the NY Chapter president for 2 three year terms, was the recipient of a bronze medal and is currently the newsletter and website editor.

Refreshments

For this meeting:

Fo-K

It would be greatly appreciated if members with last names beginning with the above letters provide the refreshments for this meeting.

A message from our President

Hello again fellow rhody enthusiasts.

              So far we’ve been fortunate in not having a repeat of last December. Let’s hope our luck holds. Linda and I just completed a trip to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania’s Brandywine valley. If you are looking for a fabulous day (or two day) trip it’s a great place to go. The gardens are great and there is a huge indoor conservatory that is the main attraction of the gardens. There is also a café (I recommend their homemade cream of mushroom soup) where you can take a very pleasant break.

              I hope some of you were able to go to Planting Fields Xmas tree lighting ceremony. If you were there and I missed you, my apologies (it was very dark outside with a huge crowd). I’m looking forward to seeing you at our January meeting when our guest speaker will be one of our own, past president (3X) Jim Fry. It should be great.

              Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza (did I miss anyone?) and a happy and HEALTHY New Year.

Marvin

In Memoriam

Jane McKay, 76, of Palymra, Virginia, died suddenly on November 15, 2011. In 1992 Jane and her husband Wally moved down to Palmyra, Virginia, from New York where they had been long time members of the New York Chapter ARS. Wally had retired from the US Postal Service. Jane was an associate member of MAC starting at least in 1988 and later moved her primary membership to MAC from the NY Chapter.

Jane had been interested in azaleas, rhododendrons and other plants going back into the 1960s when she would attend NY Chapter ARS meetings with her father.  Jane worked at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico in the early days of her marriagewhileWally was stationed in New Mexico in the service.

She knew many of the well-known rhododendron people in NY from that era. Jane had served a term as New York Chapter president (1983-85), and was awarded the Bronze Medal by the NY Chapter (1977).

Jane was also active in the Holly Society of America in both the chapter in New York and later in the Colonial Virginia Chapter. She belonged to several other plant societies.

Jane served as Registrar for the 1999 Eastern Regional Meeting hosted by MAC which drew 257 attendees. She was on the MAC board of directors for many years and also served as Membership Chairman for 13 years. She wrote a column in our chapter newsletter which was popular with the membership.

Jane received the Certificate of Appreciation from MAC in 2004, and then received the Bronze Medal from MAC in 2008.

Jane is survived by her son Darren McKay.

(obituary provided by ARS-MAC Chapter)

New Member

Margrit Thielman, Babylon, NY

Schedule Change

              Please note that the date for our May Flower Show has been changed to Saturday, the 19th!

NY Chapter Luncheon

The March Membership Meeting will be held, once again, at the Irish Coffee Pub, located at 131 Carleton Avenue, East Islip, on March 18, 2012 from 12:30 PM until 4:00 PM.  We will enjoy a formal sit down lunch, at a cost of $37.00 per person, which will include an appetizer, salad, choice of one of three entrees, dessert and coffee.  This year we will be in the Dublin Court private dining room, also known as the Library, on the main level.  The bar is also located on the main level, where you may purchase alcoholic beverages, wine or soft drinks of your choice on a cash basis.

Please send your check, payable to “ARS – New York Chapter”, before February 20th to Marianne Feller, 88 Old Field Road, Old Field, NY 11733.

We will award three gift certificates in the amount of $25.00 each to three lucky attendees redeemable at the Chapter Plant Sale.  Please join for us for good food and camaraderie. 

Appalachian Spring
ARS/ASA Convention
May 4-7, 2012
We’re being urged to register early for this event as they are expecting a big turn-out. The convention will be at the Crowne Plaza Tennis & Golf Resort in Asheville, NC. You can reserve your room by calling 888-233-9527. Be sure to mention ARS Convention to get a reduced room rate. I’ll put the information up on a special page of our website as soon as possible. -JDF

NY Chapter Schedule for 2012:

Sunday, January 8, 2012, 2:00 PM, Main Greenhouse

Sunday, February 26, 2012, 2:00 PM, Main Greenhouse

Sunday, March 18, 2012, 12:30 PM-Luncheon-Irish Coffee Pub

Saturday, April 21, 2012, Early Flower Show

Saturday, May19, 2012, May Flower Show

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Join the NY Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society:  Become a member of the ARS. On a piece of paper put your name, address with zip code, phone number, e-mail if you have it, and name of spouse. Send it with a check for $40 made out to ARS-NY Chapter to Marianne Feller, 88 Old Field Road, Old Field, NY 11733-1646