The Ultimate Rhododendron
Conference – April 9 to 11
The 100 available spaces are going quickly!
The conference is at the University of British
Columbia Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research in Vancouver (www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org).
This is Canada’s premier rhododendron garden and it’s the perfect
environment to learn about rhododendrons. The Ultimate Rhododendron
Conference is the first in North America to be designed on a double-track
classroom learning model. It features classroom and field experiences at 2
learning levels, tours of 3 world-class gardens, rhodie sales, on-campus
suite accommodation, and free time in evenings to visit beautiful Vancouver,
site of the 2010 Olympics. Veteran rhododendron collectors will enjoy
Douglas Justice’s advanced (Level 2) classes with their emphasis on species,
and Ron Knight’s novice (Level 1) classes will be a great place for newer
club members to learn all the basics of rhododendron gardening. In fact,
you could use this conference as a way to introduce gardening friends, who
are not yet members of your chapter, to the wonderful world of
rhododendrons.
The registration fee of $155 is all-inclusive for activities at UBC
Botanical Gardens:
* 6 ninety-minute learning sessions taught by professional teachers in
high-tech classrooms
* a folder of notes
* Saturday and Sunday lunches and coffee breaks
* Free admission to the Asian and Alpine Gardens.
* Complimentary parking
Registration is limited to 100 rhodophiles and over 50% of available spaces
are now taken. Level 2 classes are filling up especially quickly. Please register
now to ensure that you get the learning level you want. If you need
hotel accommodation, make your reservation soon because the conference
committee has not pre-booked any blocks of rooms in the three recommended
hotels. Conference details and a printable registration form may be
obtained from the ARS District 1 website: www.rhodos.ca (click
on “registration form” and
“information” halfway down the page, under April 9 – 11). If you have
questions, please contact Ron Knight at: rcknight@telus.net