PLANT SALE and GARDEN TOUR MONTH

Rhododendron ‘Starbright Champagne’ hybridized by the outstanding Whidbey Island gentleman, Frank Fujioka

Every successful volunteer organization has its public moments: the well-attended event, the beautiful garden, the busy plant sale, the polished newsletter, the community tour, the boisterous Christmas party, or the fundraiser that exceeds expectations. These achievements are often described as the work of a committee or a few visible leaders. But behind every success is a larger story: the quiet, generous, and often unseen labour of volunteers.

The regular Wednesday monthly meeting for May 2026, has been changed to Saturday, May 9, 2026. This meeting will be a workshop on pruning rhododendrons — when, why, and how. The Pruning Workshop will include both theory and hands-on instruction.

On Thursday, April 23rd, guests toured three Cowichan Valley Rhododendron Society members’ private gardens and enjoyed an outstanding luncheon in one of the gardens, catered by Step Up Catering.

Following the April 23rd CVRS garden tours for the American Rhododendron Society Convention, Sandy and I joined a group of convention attendees for a preregistration dinner at Qualicum Beach.  Among the diners were a number of notable people within the rhododendron community, who Sandy and I have known for many years. 

Alan Campbell is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Genus Rhododendron and the international and local rhododendron communities.

Feature Tree for May

This tree, growing in Elizabeth Zoffman’s garden, attracted much attention during the recent Vancouver Island ARS 2026 Spring Convention garden tour.

CVRS members offer both
Member Only and Public Events

Rhododendrons are brilliantly colourful, attracting much attention in spring gardens. This fabulous garden colour can be enhanced and extended with the addition of species Paeonia growing in the sunnier borders.

Rhododendron 'Jim Barlup'

A new hybrid created by Marc Colombel of France and named after the late Washington State hybridizer Jim Barlup. The cross is R. 'Fire Rim' x R. 'L'Engin'. This plant is a registered tetraploid, so has more chromosomes. This means thicker stems and leaves, and sturdy flowers. The red-pink flowers have white centers with strawberry red spots.

Dear Friends,

Why Rhododendron Gardeners May Be Resting Their Brains Better Than Most

I have had something of a gardening revelation: pottering about among rhododendrons may actually count as brain care.

This idea stems from Dr. Joseph Jebelli’s writings about the brain’s “default network,” which activates when we are resting, daydreaming, or simply being quiet. Far from being idle, the brain may actually be in a state of restoration.

Informed Choices When Selecting Rhododendrons for Your Garden

with Alan Campbell

Rhododendron cinnabarinum

Alan Campbell’s PowerPoint presentation helps sort through the thousands of rhododendron plants available to gardeners visiting nurseries and plant sales this spring.

Of the more than 25,000 registered rhododendron hybrids, these are five of a full spectrum of dazzling rhododendrons that lift spirits in April.

Here on Vancouver Island on the West Coast of Canada, we experience the magical awakening of Nature in April

I am hesitant to share too many of my photos of these signs of Nature’s magic with my family and friends on the Prairies and in Eastern Canada, who, at this time, are facing snow storms, white outs, freezing temperatures, mountainous snow banks, and power outages. If these patterns continue, they may agree with T.S. Elliot that April is a cruel month.

The poet and playwright, T. S. Eliot once stated in his poem ‘The Waste Land’ that “April is the cruelest month”.  It is easy to surmise that Mr. Eliot was not a gardener.

Rhododendron growers eagerly await the first blooms as the new year dawns.  The species R. dauricum, R. mucronulatum and R. ririei compete with early hybrids ‘Christmas Cheer’, ‘Lee’s Scarlet’, ‘Seta’, and ‘Snow Lady’. As the calendar page turns to April, the proliferation and escalation of blooms surges.

When rhododendron enthusiasts shop for special new hybrids for their gardens, they know to look for those created by several renowned Pacific Coast hybridizers.

Jim Barlup and Frank Fujioka are the more recent West Coast creators of notable rhododendron hybrids.

As I wander my garden in late March and early April, I spot numerous one-inch spikes of Hosta piercing through the woodland leaves and mulch. There is a strength and determination in their upward thrusts that invigorates my own spring movement.

Over the last several years I have been adding more companion plants to my woodland garden and am drawn to plant drifts of ferns and hosta together with my rhododendrons.

April’s Feature Tree

Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ is also known as Lion’s Head Japanese Maple. It has dense tufts of deep green, crinkled foliage on each branch that resemble the mane of a lion, hence its common name.

ARS Convention April 21 - 25, 2026 on Vancouver Island

Garden Tours in Victoria, Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, and Qualicum Beach

The Beamish garden is perhaps the only garden growing this rarely-seen, stunning Rhododendron ‘Shogun’. (Photo: Al Cambell)

One of the private gardens open to guests during this International Convention is the Beamish Garden.

Dr. Richard Beamish is, by any standards, an accomplished individual.

He has a PhD in Zoology. Significantly, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 as a member of the International Panel on Climate Change.

Dear Friends,

On Valentine’s Day, as I bask in the warmth of the sun and admire the vibrant bouquet on the table, I’m reminded of the joy this day brings—the feeling of being cherished and chosen. ​ It’s an intense, focused celebration of love. ​ Yet, in contrast, the fulfillment from volunteering offers a broader, more enduring sense of purpose. ​ Rooted in the desire to contribute and connect with a larger community, volunteering fosters a deep sense of belonging and meaning. ​ Unlike the exclusivity of romantic love, it emphasizes communal responsibility and creates a stable, lasting form of well-being. ​