Annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show scheduled
FORT BRAGG, CA >> Each year, the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) partners with Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to showcase some of the best rhododendron specimens on the west coast. The 43rd annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show will be held at the Gardens on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15. This juried show is the largest in California with a typical show displaying more than 800 entries, filling the big tent with cascades of colors and fragrances.
The Rhododendron Show is free to attend and open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to hundreds of individual flower entries, there will be plants, bonsai, photos, floral arrangements, hourly plant raffles, and educational displays.
A large selection of rhododendrons and other plants will be available for purchase in the big tent and at the Gardens' Nursery. Local growers and Noyo Chapter ARS members will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the best plants for your garden.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens will also be open to visitors during the Rhododendron Show. Regular admission rates apply and advanced admission tickets are strongly recommended. The Gardens is home to one of the nation's largest collections of rhododendrons—many hybridized on the Mendocino Coast—and they promise to fill the formal gardens and woodlands with riotous color. The Gardens' Rhododendron Collection includes over 124 species and 315 taxa.
More than 1,000 rhododendrons can be seen blooming throughout the Gardens from early spring until June!
Everyone is welcome to enter their best rhododendrons, azaleas, bonsai, photos, and floral arrangements for judging. Those wishing to enter should bring their trusses to the Gardens on Thursday, May 12, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and on Friday, May 13, between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. Chapter members will be available to assist in filling out entry forms. Judging will start at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. Judges will award ribbons and trophies to top entries in a wide range of categories. Please visit www.gardenbythesa.org for details on the event or www.noyochapterars.com for more information on entry rules and procedures.