Rhododendron and
Azalea News

Ideas for Chapters

Tips on exhibiting trusses and sprays

In the Victoria Chapter's April 2004 Newsletter, Alec McCarter, wrote about now to exhibit trusses and sprays.  Alec had a real zeal for making trusses look beautiful and wanted to share his knowledge with others.  It seems most appropriate to share his tips at this time.  Why?  Because Alec died February 14, 2005.  It is hoped those reading these guidelines will receive inspiration from Alec to making their truss presentations so beautiful...that, they win!

Alec wrote that the first show was held in Victoria in 1990 in response to Edmund de Rothschild's challenge to the Society to hold a competition for the silver cup that he donated: the de Rothschild Challenge Trophy.  Alec then offered the following tips for preparing trusses for display:

• A day or two before the show, go around in your garden and make a list of the blooms you will pick on the day before the show.  Note whether they will be trusses or sprays.

• Then figure out which class they are in, using the show list of class names.  Try to use the list published with the Show Rules.  If you do this at home rather than at the show, you will be able to look up correct spelling. Consult your reference books, if necessary.

• Organize whatever containers you will be using to transport your blooms to the show.  They needn't be elaborate.  Empty bottles or cans work well.  Be careful to avoid crushing the blossoms.  Fill the containers with water almost to the top.  Six-pack cartons are great for transporting.

• Picking blooms always takes more time than you think it will!  Choosing trusses: look for ones with straight stems...with the bloom at the top.  Don't choose ones with crooked stems that are growing at odd angles...e.g. pointing straight down.

• Choosing sprays: look for ones that will present themselves gracefully in a bottle.  Pieces of cork can be used to stabilize the stem in the neck of the bottle.

• Prune judiciously...if needed to enhance the shape of a spray.  Avoid choosing entries with bruises.  Sometime rain damage is inevitable, but avoid it, if you can.

• Look for freshness.  In a spray, it is better to have one or more unopened flower buds...for they frequently open after they have been picked...than to choose blooms that are already open and going over.  Some judges like to see one or two unopened or partially opened  buds...but,  a truss must not have flowers from more than one bud.

• Choose blooms with good-looking foliage.  Avoid ones with chewed or otherwise  damaged leaves.  Once again, some judicious snipping of damaged leaves snipping of damaged leaves can be done... but don't go too far because some foliage is needed.  You must not trim off the bitten parts of a weevil-chewed leaf!

• For a truss...one nice whorl is best...with flowers from one bud only.  For sprays, more foliage will often be needed for balance and, of course, more than one flowering bud is allowed.

• After cutting, plunge the truss deeply in lukewarm water.  Later you can make an oblique cut across the stem leaving the right length to make the exhibit look balanced.  Do this under water. This helps the truss to take up water and keep it fresh all day.

• May store your exhibit in its water-filled bottle in the refrigerator.

• Be sure to check your show schedule very carefully.  More than one exhibit has been set aside not to be judged because it has been entered "Not according to Schedule."

More on truss preparation from Win and Anne Howe of the Valley Forge Chapter (Pennsylvania).  Their article appeared in the Princeton Chapter's Newsletter.  Here it is again...the matter of sharing information between chapters.  Beautiful!

• Selecting trusses: This may be the most difficult and time-consuming part.  Ideally, a truss should be fully open...or have no more than three unopened flowers...and should be without blemishes on petals or leaves.

It should definitely not be past its prime.

If necessary, some leaves may be removed...but the truss should end up with a fair rosette of green, undamaged foliage.

The truss should have a straight stem about six inches long (minimum four inches.).

Browned edges, water marks, bruises, and insect damage on petals and leaves blemishes that should be avoided.

• Treating trusses: A cut flower should immediately be placed in water in a cool place for about two hours. Lukewarm water may be used...and must be used to revive a wilted truss.

A well-watered truss will hold up for quite some time, such as transport to the show.

An additional short section of the stem should be removed prior to insertion in the show container.  For fast uptake of water, the base of the stem should be wounded by slicing off the bark on both sides of the stem for the last inch or two.

• Grooming truss: With tweezers, tongs, Q-tips, etc., remove any foreign matter from petals or leaves. The flower bud scales, which are loose inside the truss, should be removed, as well as dead pips, which are the remains of flower that did not make it through the winter.

Your efforts at grooming a truss may make the difference between winning...or not winning a ribbon or trophy.

• Transporting trusses: The trusses may be laid in a flat box on top of slightly crumpled tissue paper.

If the trusses have been in water for two hours, they will hold up during transport.  A milk crate with wire dividers, or any box with compartments into which bottles can be fitted, is goof for transporting trusses.

(Note: Read on and learn more about transporting from Kath Collier.)

Transporting trusses

The Portland Chapter has been getting ready for truss shows and other exhibits to "show off".  With Spring just around the corner, Kath Collier, the editor, in the December 2004 issue of Rhododendron News offers some ideal suggestions for all chapters to consider.

• Wedging will help hold the stems in place and may keep them from falling out of the transport container.

• Keep in mind that whatever container you use, it should hold enough water to support the plant from the time it is cut...until it arrives at the show.

• If you need to hold the exhibit longer, such as overnight, check the water levels frequently and refill them using a turkey baster.  Be sure to check the water levels before traveling.

• You may want to also keep the exhibits in a cool place to slow down the maturation of the bloom...keep it from falling apart too early.

creating a carrier...

You might notice that exhibits arrive in a variety of contraptions and you may need to experiment with what will work best for you.  You can build your carrier by recycling materials or build from new.  A couple of suggestions and tips for both are:

• A cardboard, six-pack bottle holder can be used to transport just a few specimens.

Tip: To make this lighter, you might want to use plastic, rather than the original glass bottles.

• A cardboard box can hold plastic bottles, too, especially if styrofoam packing material is used to space and hold the bottles in place.

Tip: Because there is a good change of spillage, you may want to line the box...or better yet...use a plastic box.

• There are many plastic storage boxes and they make great, sturdy reusable transport containers.  Two ideas for holding the containers in place include:

• cutting holes in the sheet Styrofoam the size of the plastic bottle (there are zippy circular blades that will fit on an electric drill that can make quick work of this).
• can also buy the large blocks of florist foam and use floral tubes (tubes with a point on the end) to hold the trusses.

Tip: The floral tubs typically don't hold a lot of water but work well for smaller specimens.  Spilling a little water on the florist foam can make it very heavy but it can also provide a source of moisture as it evaporates and keep the exhibits in better shape longer.

• PVC can be fashioned into a variety of shapes.  One shape that has been very successful is to create one that looks somewhat like a layered chandelier with handles. The PVC is filled with water and stems placed in it.  Note that the water level will equalize between the various connected tubes...so you may want to be careful about which pieces you connect.  PVC cutters and special PVC glue are readily available at your local hardware store.

Tip: Be sure to design the holder so that there is enough room for the trusses to sit together freely.  You might want to create carriers for different size plants...a carrier for Loderi's, for instance, would be very different than one for azaleas.

• Heavier materials, such as wood, can also be used to create a carrier, particularly long carriers.  Depending on your transportation and strength these can be handy as well.

gardener's apron...a must...

Finally, regardless of the carrier you create, you may want to wear some kind of carpenter or gardener's apron to store your labels, wedging materials, tweezers, clippers, pens, and other materials you will need to stage the exhibit.

This may sound like a lot to do...but...when you check out the trophies...it makes it all worthwhile!

Giving reminders!

It has been clearly noted that some of the chapters in their newsletters have a very prominent section called by various names, i.e. "Meeting Reminders", "More to Come", or any such clever eye-catcher!  Then, it has a cheering note of why members should come to the next meeting.  Seems so appropriate!  It makes one feel they are really welcome.

Electronic newsletters are popular!

It seems that each month another chapter has decided to take another giant step forward into the area of cyberspace!  They were asking members if they would like to receive the chapter's newsletter by e-mail or by mail. After careful evaluations, they are electing this method...and the joy is they are saving money!

Another plus for this method is, members in another chapter may be able to link up and receive other chapters' newsletter. It is amazing to see the various styles used.

More web sites developed

One year ago 27 chapters had web sites for the world to see.  Most recently, the number has increased to 37!  This is another giant step forward.  Why?  Simply by the click on the mouse, you can roam around the world and see what other rhodo lovers are doing.  In the event you haven't taken a look at the ARS web site listing, you are encouraged to do so.

It is a dream...a real dream...to incorporate prints and graphics in the R&A News in the future.  In this way, we can show the beauties in your gardens and give credit accordingly.  Are you proud of your efforts?  Wouldn't you like to have others enjoy your beauties?  We're working on it!

Do you have "potting" parties?

Sounds sort of strange doesn't it!  It's true!  The Portland Chapter (Oregon) invites their members to a potting party so they can transplant plants for their Spring Flower Show.  They go at it eagerly and ask for "all hands on deck" to show up.  Fully imagine there will be the traditional goodies to go along with party...and lots of fun, too.  Try one at your chapter.

A garden profile...so necessary for success

Helen Myers reflects on her garden planning for the Mason-Dixon Chapter's newsletter.  You may glean some ideas for your active or...to be active garden.

The important feature of this item is...broaden your membership and become friends.  You will meet the most wonderful people in the world!  That's what I was told by my friend who gave me a personal membership...and it has become a reality!  Helen says...

Years ago my grandfather moved a "wild honeysuckle" to his land in Virginia...and later a "deer tongue laurel."  We would call them today, respectively, an azalea calendulaceum and a Rhododendron maximum.  The yellow azalea survived a long and lovely life until very recently.

Her mother grew vegetables in her garden.  But, when Helen and Gilbert, her husband, gardened, they planted azaleas as well as a big vegetable garden...which they still  maintain...2/3 of an acre on the original site.

The azaleas came in the 1950s, but it wasn't until they built their current house up the road in the 60s that she became interested in rhododendrons.  The first plants came from Henry Hohlman of Kingsville Nursery.  Helen joined as an independent member of the American Rhododendron Society in the 1950s, and Gilbert made her a lifetime member of the organization shortly thereafter for $100.  What a deal!  She attended Potomac Valley meetings but it was a long way to go...and she missed having fellow enthusiasts nearby.

George Miller in Hanover, Pennsylvania, a friend and well-known figure in rhodo circles, was very involved with the Potomac Valley Chapter.  But with Ed Reilly and Joanne Riccicutti, Helen worked to establish a chapter in the more northern part of Maryland.  When the extension office in the Agricultural Center in Westminster offered meeting space, they were able to bring together the requisite of 21 members to start the Mason-Dixon chapter in 1981.

Helen's own garden is 1-1/3 acre, with the 1/3 acre being woods.  Rhododendrons and azaleas surround the house...as well as the woods...a lath house, raised beds and planters. Gilbert is the indispensable, much appreciated "shovel hand."  Many of their plants are from friends in the various chapters...often grown from cuttings.

Helen warns that you should always find out whether the donor objects to your later giving away cuttings from those plants you raise.  Among her favorites are: 'Bellringer'; 'Mardi Gras'; 'Blue Peter'.  She has not done any hybridizing...on purpose...but has grown a natural cross from 'Blue Peter' which she named 'Gilbert Myers'.

Book Review: Tales of the Rose Tree

Al Campbell of the Cowichan Chapter, Vancouver Island, offers this book review for others.  Am sure you will want to read it for yourself.  Al says this:

Have recently finished reading Tales of the Rose Tree by Jane Brown.  She has given an intriguing insight into the sometime tempestuous relationships between British royalty, the moneyed-sponsors of collecting expeditions, the plant hunters themselves, and the indigenous people of the lands under exploration.  Ms. Brown expresses dry wit at the pompous British Raj of the day and its need to name these 'newly discovered' genera of plants.  New to their ken...but named and known for centuries by the indigenous peoples.

The author guides us through the designing and building of the great gardens of the British Isles. The dispersion of seed to those select few.  The hybridizing that took place by these men and women of the leisure class.  Select nurserymen spreading merited plants on public demand.  Demand that started locally but spread to plants men around the world.

Ms. Brown has given the reader the ability to connect the dots between the named plants in our gardens, the great gardens of Europe, the plan growers and the plant hunters, and allowing the history of the Rhododendron to unfold in base relief.

Al's advice: Read and enjoy!

Something to ponder...

The team player knows that
it doesn't matter who gets the credit
as long as the job gets done.
If the job gets done,
the credit will come!