Scottish Rhododendron Society
Spring Activity Report March 2024
All over the UK rhododendrons are well budded up for a spectacular show this year, already the Social Media sites are posting pictures of our favourite plants.
Our seed exchange has been well used again this year with over 60 requests and after taking off expenses, we should be adding another £750.00 to our Education and Exploration Fund.
Talking about our E&E fund, the second recipient Colin Jones has been awarded a sum of £1000.00, Colin is Joining a Botanical trip to Yunnan, which is being organised by Seamus O’Brien.
We are holding our Joint Conference with the RSCG in the conference room at the RBGE, which is a venue we have used on many occasions.
“Modern Day Botanical Travels” on Saturday 5th October. We will have talks from Richard Moore on his trip to NE Nepal, John Roy, Jeanie Jones (Primulas) Grant Moir and hopefully Colin Jones about his trip to Yunnan.
We would be arranging garden visits on the Sunday, along with our usual plant auction. (more details later)
However, we still have our AGM and Spring Show at the Gibson Hall at Garelochead on 26/27th April to look forward to, with Plant and Book sales. Teas and Cakes on offer as well. (again, more information from the show committee later)
The updated show schedule can be download from our website.
As we are talking about our website Grant Moir has been busy modernising how we go about attracting members of the public to visit the website at
Scottishrhododendronsociety.org.uk
Please check it out for yourselves, also with links to plant databases.
As members you can visit our members area
Lots of interesting articles, notice board and details on cultivation of rhododendrons.
Other Social media news is that our Facebook page is being visited daily by many and Grant Moir is setting up an Instagram page hoping to reach the younger generation of the public who may eventually become interested in our favourite plants.
As always, your committee is here to help answer questions or queries you may have on plants, gardens to visit, also if you our members may have some suggestions you may like to see the Society becoming involved in, please contact anyone on committee..
With Gardens to visit, our spring tour itinerary is complete, wonderful gardens in the Oban area, with Baravalla and Achamore on Gigha at the end of the week. Hotels at booked in Oban and Stonefield Castle our old favourite down at Tarbert.
We have had someone drop out of the tour, so we have a single room already booked, so if you’re interested in coming along, please contact myself by email. (contact details in members area)
You may like to join the tour just for the day, again contact myself for details.
All for now, snowdrops at my old garden at Gargunnock have been outstanding as have the early rhododendrons, like praecox, Christmas Cheer and sutchuenense blooming away just fine.
Willie Campbell
Newsletter Feb 2024
I do hope you all have had a good festive season and find that the weather in your part of the world has been kind to you and the garden is all budded up for a spectacular flowering season. I look at my own garden in Doune in Central Scotland, with snowdrops, aconites, early daffodils, crocus and primroses already giving Fiona and I some early season pleasure.
Although the Seed Exchange is now closed, still have plenty seed left and if you would like to get a £10.00 or £5.00 surprise package of rhododendron, trees and shrubs along with companion plant seed. Just Email me. william.campbellwj@btinternet.com
Again, we as a Society must thank all the seed donors, without them no seed exchange. This year so far, we have had over 50 requests and should add around £750.00 to the Education and Exploration Fund.
Other good news is that we have a nomination for the SRS secretary, if anyone else would like to be nominated at our AGM on the 26th April, 2.00 at the Gibson Hall at Garelochead, contact Katrina our current Secretary.
However, we still are looking for new committee members.
1) Someone to help with editorial work on our publications to take over eventually from John Roy. Perhaps taking on editing the Spring and Autumn journals to start with.
2) Someone to come on as Treasurer, again not this very instant but to shadow Colin Whitehead who has been in the job for some 12 plus years.
3) Someone to take on the Tours and Conferences, I have taken over this task, but hope someone will take over completely.
4) General committee, just come on help out with what ever tasks are needing attention, shadow members many of have been on much longer than the three years as per constitution.
As always, we only meet “Face to Face” twice a year, you can now work remote and join meetings on “Zoom” so no excuses, that distance is an object.
Our Spring Tour to Argyll Gardens this year is all booked, Hotel wise but you can still join on a daily basis, please contact myself for details.
Just a reminder, subscriptions were due at the beginning of the year, if you have not rejoined yet, please do so NOW.
I would also like you to join with me and all my committee in wishing one of our Society founder members Peter Cox a very Happy 90 Birthday.
Kenneth has asked if you want to send Birthday Greetings to Peter, just send to cards to
Kenneth who will read your personal messages out to Peter on the 28th of February 2024.
As always, we want you to be involved in the Scottish Rhododendron Society, you can tell John Roy about your Garden, ask Matt Heasman to identify a plant you have, ask advice on plant propagation or John Hammond on the History of our gardens.
Hope to see you all at the Show 17th April at Garelochhead. More details later.
Regards
Willie Campbell
email contact in members area