1998 The Rhododendron

• Date: 22nd January 2016

The material upon which this article was based was created originally for use
in connection with the annual Short Courses in Gardening with Azaleas &
Rhododendrons conducted by the Victorian Branch and offered to both ARS
members and the public.

The plants nominated are selected on their observed performance in
Melbourne (the suburbs, rather than the more benign mountain environments
nearby). There are enough similarities in climatic conditions in other locations
in southeastern Australia that the nominations can be expected generally to be
among the “hardier” of garden choices.
Azaleas

As a group, azaleas have a long history of cultivation in Europe, particularly
England and Belgium, and an even longer one in Japan.
Loosely speaking, the deciduous azalea cultivars seen here today were
bred mainly from North American species, together with a few from China
and Japan. The majority of the named deciduous azaleas we grow today
were bred in England under the descriptions the “Knap Hill” azaleas and
the “Exbury” azaleas, referring to the gardens in which they were developed.
However, today in Australia formal parentage is seldom recognised and
many are sold as seedlings in flower, with the choice of variety being based
solely on the customer’s preference for colour. This is mainly because
propagation from cuttings of deciduous azaleas is not easy and, in general,
seedlings seem to grow better…excerpt of article Selecting Good Growers for South Eastern Australian Gardens by V. Hurley & J. O'Shannassy page 30

CONTENTS
Branch Information ................................................................. 2
President’s Report John Schutz .......................................... 3
Annual Report Barry Stagoll .............................................. 5
Life Members Lionel Marshall ............................................. 7
The Life of Dr Joseph Hooker Lisa Charlesworth .................... 9
Yunnan – People, Places and Plants Margaret L. Cameron....... 20
Selecting Good Growers Vin Hurley & Jack O’Shannassy ....... 30
Why not the Species? Noel Sullivan ................................... 36
Tree Rhododendrons Richard Francis ................................. 37
Just rewards: As you sow, so shall ye reap Noel Sullivan .......... 41
New Registrations 1997–98 Graeme Eaton ......................... 58
Treasurer’s Report and Society Accounts ............................... 65