Eighth International Rock Garden Conference, 2011

[Calvin Becker]

Look who dropped in today on his way home from the conference,he is taking the long way home.

If I had the money I would have driven down to meet him

Fermi and Will arrive here tomorrow for a very busy 5 days. The plan was to go to the Burren but it's over 4 hours away and the roads aren't the huge roads that cross Australia

Re the photo I'll fix it later. I'm just up and need a shower and breakfast

Thanks for thought Mark. I visited the burren on Thursday and it was really good. I bit early for plants still, but the Dactylorhizas, gentians and a few others were out. The scenery was amazing too, very different to that of SA.

[angie]

Wow Mark, hope those boys can move fast. Sounds if you all will have a great time. Let's hope it keeps dry, it makes all the difference.
Take plenty pictures for us to see.

Angie

[J.B.Wyllie]

Marcelle and I saw Susan off on the next part off her trip to Turkey on Saturday. We are missing her already (That is what you wanted us to say!!!) She is great fun and Jim and I are looking forward to seeing her next year.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Post Conference trip to Scotland.

[ranunculus]

Some images from the trophy presentation at the joint AGS/SRGC Show held at the Nottingham Conference.

My apologies for any untitled images ... perhaps someone would be kind enough to add names where appropriate and even greater apologies to those trophy winners who unwittingly escaped my camera lens?

JON EVANS AND SRGC PRESIDENT; LIZ MILLS
AGS PRESIDENT; VAL LEE CONGRATULATES ...
JIM McGREGOR, JEAN WYLLIE, VAL LEE AND LIZ MILLS (JEAN WAS COLLECTING A CERT' OF MERIT ON BEHALF OF PETER SEMPLE)
VAL LEE AND TONY LEE
JULIE MARTIN, LIZ MILLS, LEE MARTIN
VAL LEE, LIZ MILLS, CYRIL LAFONG
CYRIL LAFONG
LIZ MILLS AND DAVE MOUNTFORT
NEW DIRECTOR OF SHOWS FOR THE AGS; RAY DREW
VAL LEE AND IAN KIDMAN

[ranunculus]

THE TWO PRESIDENTS CONGRATULATE CHRIS LILLEY ON HIS FARRER AND FORREST MEDAL WINNING ACHIEVEMENT
A WELL DESERVED CARD AND PRESENT FOR RETIRING DIRECTOR OF SHOWS, JIM McGREGOR (Many thanks for all your tremendous efforts Jim on behalf of exhibitors everywhere).

[Martinr]

Cliff, the missing name on the second shot is Jean Morris. Certificate of merit for a needlework exhibit of Meconopsis aculeata

[ranunculus]

Thanks Martin.  I know dear Jean very well but didn't recognise her at all from my own image (what does that say about my photography skills)?   

[Susan]

Thank you Jean and Jim for your wonderful hospitality.  I arrived in Turkey minus my luggage. Terminal 5 and British Airways had swallowed it up. I had to rush next morning to the Grand Bazaar,  as we were to travel to Gallipoli that day to spend the night, in the open.  All my warm clothes were in my bag.  Heeled boots and a light jacket were not quite what I was intending to wear.  I am now the proud owner of some "genuine" Dolce and Gabbana and Chanel T shirts - and some Nike walking shoes, also I believe genuine!

It was freezing.  I am still waiting - they have found my bag and it is being couriered to Eceabat - it may take 48 hours - I may not be here.  I am getting used to my minimalist wardrobe - not liking it, but used to it.

However, I am loving Turkey, the people are neat as is the food.  I just want someone to tell me what the shrub that is everywhere on the Gallipoli peninsula is, it looks like a type of Pieris.  Will post a photo when I can as I would love to know.

It was really super to meet all the Forumists at the Conference.

Susan

[Lesley Cox]

Hi Susan, I wondered if you were going to Gallipoli. According to local TV news, there were about 4000 Kiwis there! Considering the origins of that name in our culture, I am amazed at the generosity of the Turkish people who now refer to the Kiwis who visit the Peninsula, as "our friends and family."

[Ed Alverson]

I was at a used book sale last Saturday and picked up a copy (for 50 cents!) of the special issue of the Alpine Garden Society Bulletin that was published for the 4th International Rock Garden Conference in 1971.  It is a bit of an interesting time capsule.  The first section of the issue is a series of short entries from all around the world where local experts describe 6 favorite or most noteworthy rock garden plants from the particular region. It would be interesting to compare these with the plants that people would call their favorites in 2011. 

In another section, various authors discuss changes in the previous 10 years (since 1961) in a wide variety of topics related to rock gardens, including Plant Photography, Postage Stamps, Books, Alpine Houses, Bulb Frames, Plastics, Peat, Plant Conservation, and Pesticides.  Finally there is a section on progress in various gardens and rock garden organizations. Certainly there was a lot of change between 1961 and 1971 - both socially and technologically - but looking back over the past 10 years it would seem like we are also in a period of rapid change.  For example, there has been a major shift from film to digital photography over the past 10 years as the cost of digital cameras has dropped.  In contrast, in 1971 the major innovation in photography was the development of faster color films - ASA 50 or 64 rather than ASA 10!

Ed

[astragalus]

I'd really like to know what those favorite plants were in 1971.  Were certain plants a consensus?  Please add some more information.  Plants seem to go in and out of favor for no particular reason.

[Ed Alverson]

I'd really like to know what those favorite plants were in 1971.  Were certain plants a consensus?  Please add some more information.  Plants seem to go in and out of favor for no particular reason.

The section in the journal was titled "Alpines of the World", and to a large extent it deals with plants native to various regions for the world.  24 separate regions are represented,  each entry written by a local expert. Each entry is 1 to 2 pages. 

For example, the entry on "Plants of the Appalachians", by Lincoln Foster, features Dicentra cucullaria, Epigaea repens, Phlox stolonifera, Shortia galacifolia, Trillium grandiflorum, and Viola pedata.  "Plants of the Rocky Mountains" has Aquilegia scopulorum, Leucocrinum montanum, Oenothera flava, Penstemon pinifolius, and Primula ellisae. 

Species featured in the European Alps entry include Gentiana verna, Androsace helvetica, Pulsatilla vernalis, Primula hirsuta, Rhamnus pumila, and Senecio uniflorus. There are additional entries for other European mountain ranges, such as the Dolomites: Potentilla nitida, Papaver rhaeticum, Ranunculus parnassifolius, Rhodothamnus chamaecistus, Primula tyrolensis, and Hepatica triloba. 

There are entries for the western Himalayas (Primula rosea, Androsace sarmentosa, Anemone rupicola, Anemone obtusiloba, Corydalis cashmiriana, and Cypripedium cordigerum) and Japan (Conandron ramondioides, Glaucidium palmatum, Fritillaria camtschatcensis, Ophiopogon planiscapus f. nigrescens, Primula reinii, and Dicentra peregrina) but nothing on China!

[Lesley Cox]

I guess many or most of those would be on various Forumists' favourites list, even all these years later. I think that so often, one's favourites boil down to what is available at the time, and of course, what has done well in one's own garden over many years. I can't fault my Weldenia candida but I daresay Conandron ramondioides and Primula reini would be right up there with it, if only......

I suppose that Conference was pre Nixon's visit to China and the gradual opening to the West, of that fascinating place and culture.

[David Nicholson]

Was Otto at the Conference, I didn't see him on the Forum "mug shot"?

[ranunculus]

Was Otto at the Conference, I didn't see him on the Forum "mug shot"?

Otto was certainly there David, as were others from the forum.  Some may have been too shy (I nearly didn't go  ) or they may simply have missed the announcement.  We tried DESPERATELY to keep some of them away but no such luck!!!