QBARS - v23n4 New York Chapter Flower Shows - 1969

New York Chapter Flower Shows - 1969
Joan Knapp, Corresponding Secretary

The New York Chapter members were involved in four different flower shows during the spring of 1969 starting off with their exhibit in the 52nd International Flower Show held in New York City during early March. Over 60 members, contributing freely of their time and talents, helped to secure for Chairman Ray Kruse and Co-chairman Joan Knapp, in the name of the Chapter, a Gold Medal Certificate and a cash award of $100.

The twofold purpose of our educational exhibit was to show the garden public some of the varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas that can be grown successfully in the New York area and to help rhododendron growers acquire additional information about the cultural needs of their plants.

The rhododendrons and azaleas on display, carefully forced at Planting Fields Arboretum under the direction of Gordon E. Jones, were the results of years of efforts by prominent eastern hybridizers such as Paul Vossberg, G. G. Nearing and Edmond Amateis.

A group of beautiful yellow Knaphill azaleas, selected seedlings grown by Prof. Harvey Gray, attracted the eyes of many visitors who were usually amazed to learn that plant producing such magnificent blooms as these azaleas, and hardy hybrid rhododendrons such as R. 'Scintillation', R. 'Wheatley', R. 'Westbury', R. 'Windbeam', and R. 'Dora Amateis' not only can be grown in the inhospitable climate of our East Coast, but were in fact grown in open fields on central Long Island.

Following the show, members who had manned our exhibit were asked to fill out questionnaires concerning the types of questions they were most frequently asked and those that they found most difficult to answer. These questions and answers would probably be as applicable to other parts of the country as they were to the East.

Questions most frequently asked by those attending the show concerned reasons for the untimely demise of the questioners' plants. general cultural practice and pruning, and sources for purchase of plants hardy in the area. The first of these questions was often the hardest, as the owner rarely could give a name to his plant or much other information. In general, our members recommended our rhododendron booklets prepared for the purpose and suggested ARS membership for access to plants and information in the future.

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Our "early" flower show was held April 30, 1969 indoors at Planting Fields Arboretum in conjunction with our regular monthly meeting. Chairman Al Schefer was kept busy as more and more trusses were brought in by members eager to share with others these first signs of spring. When all entries had been submitted, Dorothy Schlaikjer, who had generously consented to be our judge, had a large array of hybrid and species azaleas, many lepidote and even a few elepidote rhododendrons from which to pick winners. When the evening's judging was completed, members again had a chance to admire the blooms so rarely seen in our public shows in mid or late May and to congratulate past president and collector extraordinaire, Sid Burns, top winner of the evening with a total of seven ribbons.

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On May 17th, the New York Chapter held a cut truss Flower Show in the enclosed mall of Walt Whitman Shopping Center, Huntington, L. I. Erik Jorgensen, chairman, working closely with Mrs. Marian Feld of the Walt Whitman Merchants Association, and aided by the wholehearted cooperation of scores of chapter members, managed one of the largest and most comprehensive shows Long Island has ever had. Erik achieved many "firsts" with this show, some of which may be of interest to others chapters and other show chairmen.  First time all Best of Show winners went home with silver trophies donated by the Walt Whitman Merchants Association. These were taken by:

• Best Rhododendron: R. 'Wheatley' - Exhibitor: Henry Dumper.
• Best Species: R. metternichii - Exhibitor: Walter Maynard.
• Best Deciduous Azalea: Yellow Exbury - Exhibitor: Betty Hager.
• Best Evergreen Azalea: 'Palestrina' - Exhibitor: Henry Dumper.
• Best Flower Arrangement: Exhibitor: - Leslie Tonge.

First time a department store, Abraham and Strauss, put one of its large display windows at our disposal for publicity purposes. Thanks to the efforts of Martha and Jordan Prince, who single handedly planned and executed the eye-catching window decorations, rhododendron photographs, educational booklets and the five silver trophies were on display for the entire week proceeding the show.

First time a large number of flower arrangements competed for a silver trophy. Edythe Griffine succeeded in persuading many members to enter flower arrangements - a competitive class for the first time this year - and secured Federated Garden Club judges who not only judged but offered constructive criticism of our work.

First time tub or planted plants were placed in a competitive class with Dick Murcott winning a blue ribbon for his own cross of R. 'Meadowbrook' X R. 'Pink Symphony'.

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The final Flower Show, of the year was held outdoors at Planting Fields Arboretum on June 1st. The setting was ideal and near idyllic on a perfect spring day. Indeed the weather had been so nice for so long as to cause great doubt about the effectiveness of the show. Show dates are, of course, picked long in advance of knowledge of spring weather-early or late, cool and wet or hot and dry, the show is committed.

Martha and Jordan Prince chaired one of the most rewarding shows we have ever had. Despite all fears, there was ample and varied material, and the lateness and warmth again brought out some lovely trusses rarely seen at our shows. These were enhanced by the setting in front of Coe Hall, surrounded by its wide lawns and impressive specimen trees. It is always a pleasant surprise to see again how effective a well-grown "iron-clad" can be - take, for instance, R. 'Mrs. C. S. Sargent' which took a blue ribbon for Mr. and Mrs. Prince (and which last year took best of show for them)-and to see such vivid trusses as 'Captain Jack', 'Ann Hardgrove', and 'Lincoln's Late Red' lined up together. Despite all this color, Best Rhododendron of Show went to Howard Phipps for his delicately colored cross of Hicks Hardgrove Yellow x #76, one of many outstanding hybrids he has show in recent years.

Best Deciduous Azalea was 'Oxydol' exhibited by Walter Maynard and Best Evergreen Azalea was taken by 'Angela Place' exhibited by Jack Weiss.

A delightful show to be remembered by all makes its own appropriate tribute to its chairmen and their helpers, and so it was. The show was a fitting end to the season's activities and put us all in the best of moods for our final dinner meeting that same evening.