ARS 2025 Spring Convention Program
Pre-Convention Tour: Halifax and South West Nova ScotiaMay 31 to June 4, 2025 (4 nights’ accommodation, all meals included) |
| Saturday, May 31 – Dinner and tour overview. Accommodations: Best Western Plus Chocolate Lake Hotel, Halifax, NS |
| Sunday, June 1 – Halifax Public Gardens, Hall’s Road Steele Garden, Peggy’s/Polly’s Cove. Accommodations: Oak Island Resort and Conference Centre, Western Shore, NS |
| Monday, June 2 – Lunenburg County garden of Jenny Sandison. She describes here garden as follows:“My garden looks over the waters of Mahone Bay harbour. It faces south so has to contend with lots of sun and can be dry but many Rhododendron flourish here. I love all flowers so the Rhodies co-exist in mixed borders. The garden rises from the roadside with some stone walls, alpine areas and unusual trees in the informal flower beds.”
Followed by a visit to the site of Dick Steele’s Bayport Plant Farm which closed in 2012. The current owners Diane Chisholm and Chris Cooper describe the property as follows: “The old Bayport Plant Farm was created by Captain Richard(Dick)Steele (O.C.) and is an arboretum consisting of over 40 acres containing special rhododendrons, shrubs and other exotic trees planted in the forest. The property contains arguably the largest number of rhododendrons in Atlantic Canada.” Following a picnic lunch we will travel to Liverpool to visit Cosby’s Garden Centre/Sculpture Garden and Pine Grove Park. Accommodations: White Point Beach Resort, near Liverpool, NS |
| Tuesday, June 3 –
In the morning we will visit the private garden of Chris Clarke, who headed up the project to develop Pine Grove Park and was the Mayor of the Municipality of Queens. For a Millennial Project he arranged for almost 1000 dogwood trees to be planted on throughout the region, which he describes as the dogwood capital of Eastern North America. In the afternoon we will visit John Brett’s Rhododendron Garden on Morris Island near Yarmouth. This is the southern most area of Nova Scotia and has the mildest winters, a gardeners paradise. Accommodations: Rodd Grand Yarmouth Hotel, Yarmouth, NS |
| Wednesday, June 4 – Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. Arrive in Wolfville in late afternoon |
Cost for pre-convention tour: $2150 Canadian (approx $1550 US) plus 15% sales tax for double occupancy. This cost includes four nights accommodation and all meals from Saturday night, May 31 to Wednesday afternoon June 4. Single supplement $500 Canadian (approx $360 US) plus 15% sales tax.
ARS 2025 Spring Convention “Emerging Trends for Rhododendrons” |
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Thursday, June 5, 202512 noon: Registration opens at Devour Studios, Wolfville NS. Refreshments onsite, sign-up for evening dinners on your own in local Wolfville restaurants 1:00 pm: Conference Opening – Welcome to Mi’kma’ki, Gerald Gloade; An Introduction to Mi’maw’ki
Gerald Gloade is an artist and educator who is currently the Program Development Officer for the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. Gerald started his career working as a graphic designer for the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources’ Communications and Education Branch more than 25 years ago. The focus of his work with the Province moved from forestry education and graphic art to sharing his culture and history in the landscape and environment of Mi’kma’ki with audiences of all ages. As an artist, educator and Mi’kmaw storyteller, Gerald guides the development of visitor and educational programs for the centre. His stories and interpretations of the Glooscap legends in particular have captivated many audiences. 2:00-3:00 pm: History of Rhododendron breeding in Eastern Canada, Sheila Stevenson 3:30-5:50 pm: Opening of Plant Sale at Wolfville Farmers Market (5 minute walk from Devour Studios) to ARS 2025 Spring Convention delegates 6:00 pm: Welcome Reception, ARS 2025 Spring Convention. Reception in the Grand Hall, Harriet Irving Botanical Centre, and tour the Harriet Irving Botanical Centre Gardens (10 minute walk or shuttle bus from Wolfville Farmers Market) |
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Friday, June 6, 20257:30 am: Breakfast at Acadia University Cafeteria 8:30 am: Buses leave for garden tours 9:00 am: Tour of Rhododendron Collection at Kentville Research Centre 11:00 am -12:30 pm: Lunch at Luckett Vineyards, Wallbrook, NS 1:00 – 3:00 pm: Tours of two private gardens in Canning, NS Idleywildgardens is a 40 year old estate style garden located in Medford Nova Scotia. Nestled under the North Mountain and adjacent to the dramatic rise and fall of Minas Basin tides, this constantly changing 6 acre landscape is a place of both tranquility and grandeur. This garden has been a local favourite hosting many tours and fundraising over the years. Retired horticulturist Tim Amos and his wife Melanie began installing plant material in 1983 on the former hayfield. At that time the major concern was to install wind breaks that would mitigate the relentless winter winds off the mountain. With long sweeping borders, connected by huge turf swaths, visitors can explore and examine mature unusual tree specimens and shrub collections. Predominant collections include Rhododendron, Cornus, Magnolia and Hydrangea. Interspersed with plants you will find eclectic art and creative pruning.
Nestled near Canning, Nova Scotia, close to the dramatic tides of the Minas Basin and Bay of Fundy, the garden of Jamie Ellison and Dianne Murphy sits on a three acre property. Over its seven years of cultivation, it has evolved into a botanical treasure trove, reflecting an unrelenting passion for unusual and rare plants. The garden boasts an impressive collection, with a particular focus on Ericaceae, along with dwarf conifers, rhododendrons, and alpine plants that enjoy the coastal maritime climate. Feature gardens include, crevice gardens, shade gardens, bog and rock gardens, heath and heather collections and a Cottage garden/pollinator garden. Jamie’s recent retirement from a career teaching horticulture has allowed for even greater dedication to the garden. He has taken up rhododendron breeding, adding a new dimension to the already diverse plantings. Jamie has recently started a specialty nursery called “Green Optics” managed with Dianne. The nursery propagates choice plants directly from the garden, offering a piece of this unique space to fellow enthusiasts. Jamie and Dianne’s garden is a living testament to their expertise and passion, set against one of Canada’s most scenic backdrops.
3:30 pm: Bus returns to Wolfville 4:00 – 5:30 pm: Plant Sale at Wolfville Farmers Market, open to the public 6:30 pm: Optional bus trip, Halls Harbour Lobster Pound for Lobster Supper 8:30 pm: Bus returns to Wolfville, NS |
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Saturday, June 7, 20257:30 am: Breakfast at Acadia University Cafeteria 9:00 am: Rhodo Breeders Roundtable – Jamie Ellison chair, Hartwig Schepker, Connor Ryan, Ron Rabideau, and Joseph Bruso 10:30 am: Health Break 11:00 am: Morning Sessions Rhododendron Hybridizing Results: What Works, What Doesn’t, What’s In-Demand – Joe Bruso This presentation will show recent results of my hybridization efforts along several lines: Hybridizing for: big leaves, great foliage, red flowers, Red Max effect & Tropical flower color. It will also discuss approaches to getting general gardeners more interested in rhododendrons.
12 noon: Barbecue Lunch 1:00 pm: Connor Ryan “Commodities, Conservation, and Continuity: The David G. Leach Research Station in 2025” Connor serves as Rhododendron Collections Manager at Holden Forests and Gardens in northeast Ohio, where he and his group care for the David G. Leach Research Station and associated projects. Connor will share status of our breeding project that began in the 1940s, new efforts to conserve wild rhododendron species, and stewardship of the Leach legacy. 2:00 to 3:00 pm: Afternoon sessions (presenters TBA) and local garden tours 6:00 pm: ARS Awards Banquet, Keynote Address by Hartwig Schepker, Impact of Climate Change on Rhododendrons |
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Sunday, June 8, 20259:00 am: Brunch and Discussion: New Trends for Rhododendrons 11:00 am: Convention Closing Registration Fee for Convention $540 Canadian (approx $390 US) This fee covers the cost for the Convention program, the Thursday reception, three breakfasts, Friday bus tour including lunch with wine at Lucketts Winery, Saturday lunch and closing banquet Optional Friday evening Lobster Dinner at Hall’s Harbour $70 Canadian (approx $50 US) Extra tickets for Saturday evening banquet at Devour Studio $90 Canadian (approx $65 US) |
Post-Convention Tour: Rhododendron Gardens of New Brunswick and Northern Nova Scotia
June 8 to 12, 4 nights’ accommodation, all meals
Sunday, June 812 noon: Bus leaves Wolfville 2:00 pm: Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens 4:00 pm: Digby Ferry to Saint John. Accommodations: Quality Inn and Suites Amsterdam, Quispamsis, NB |
Monday, June 98:00 am: Bus to Shamper’s Bluff, Freeman Patterson’s Rhododendron Garden (2,200 plants) Afternoon: Garden visit and uptown Saint John, NB. Accommodations: Quality Inn and Suites Amsterdam, Quispamsis, NB |
Tuesday, June 10Morning: Corn Hill Nursery, Display Garden and Café Afternoon: Harold Popma’s 2 acre Rhododendron Garden, Sackville, NB. Accommodations: Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB |
Wednesday, June 11Morning: Drive along Sunrise Trail, Afternoon: visit to The Willow Garden, Maryvale, NS. Accommodations: St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS |
Thursday, June 12Morning: Tour of Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Rock Garden, Truro, NS Return to Halifax airport or hotels by early afternoon |
Cost for post-convention tour: $1850 Canadian (approx $1350 US) plus 15% sales tax for double occupancy. This cost includes four nights accommodation and all meals from Sunday noon June 8 to Thursday afternoon June 12. Single supplement $350 Canadian (approx $250 US) plus 15% sales tax.
Registration will open in early January 2025. If you have any questions about the program send a mail message to ars2025ns@gmail.com.
ARS 2025 Spring Convention Speakers
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Dr Hartwig Schepker, a trained gardener, horticultural engineer and doctor of plant ecology, has managed the Rhododendron Park and Botanical Garden in Bremen for almost 20 years. On 46 hectares he is curating a huge collection of rhododendron species (approx. 650) and cultivars (>3,500). Hartwig is also director of the German Rhododendron Society.
Numerous trips have taken him to the natural habitats of rhododendrons in North America, Europe and Asia as well as to the most important rhododendron gardens in the western world. These experiences with rhododendrons in nature and culture are incorporated into lectures and articles, all of which show that no other group of woody plants is as fascinating as the rhododendrons. One of his biggest promotional tasks at present is to show that the genus is diverse enough to cope with the challenges posed by extreme climatic conditions. |
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Connor Ryan is the Rhododendron Collections Manager for Holden Forests and Gardens in Northeast Ohio. At Holden, Connor and his team steward the David G. Leach rhododendron legacy by caring for his namesake research station, developing its rhododendron collection, and breeding rhododendrons and other landscape plants. Now 27 years post-Leach, the station has taken on a wild species conservation role in addition to continuing a longstanding rhododendron hybridizing project.
Recent collection development has focused on North American native rhododendrons and azaleas, such as R. flammeum, R. prunifolium, and R. pilosum, while breeding efforts emphasize broader adaptability in elepidote rhododendrons and novel traits in USDA Zone 5 hardy azaleas. Connor has worked for Holden Forests and Gardens for about 6 years following schooling at Auburn University and University of Georgia. |
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Joe Bruso is a rhododendron hybridizer, propagator and grower, specializing in native and exotic species, plus unique and unusual hybrids, mostly of his own creation. Hybridizing goals include attractive foliage features (shape, texture, color, size and retention), as well as flower color (reds, peaches).
Joe Bruso maintains a 4+ acre woodland display garden in Hopkinton, MA. President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society and member of the Executive Committee of the Rhododendron Species Foundation. |