About
the Society
The Mount Arrowsmith Rhododendron
Society (MARS) is a chapter of the American Rhododendron Society,
an international organization of rhododendron enthusiasts.
Our Society provides members with an opportunity to learn
about rhododendrons and companion plants, but most importantly,
it allows members to socialize with other gardeners and meet
new people with similar interests.
Rhdodendron
'Sunspray'
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Our
regular monthly meetings include a short educational
session, often on a seasonally relevant topic, followed
by a guest speaker who typically gives a slide show
on some aspect of gardening. Educationals explain how
and when to fertilize, how to prune and prepare flower
trusses for shows, how to take cuttings, graft and start
seeds, and how to grow rhododendrons successfully
in our climate. Every meeting includes a door prize,
a rhododendron raffle, a coffee/tea/cookie break where
members can socialize, and usually a dollar table where
members can purchase donated rooted cuttings and small
plants.
While our meetings are
held in Qualicum Beach, our members come from all over
the central part of Vancouver Island, including Parksville,
Nanoose and Port Alberni.
In December and June, our
regular meetings are replaced by a Christmas dinner
party and a garden potluck dinner party, respectively.
There are no meetings in July and August.
In mid-April, the Society
organizes a Rhododendron Flower (Truss) Show and Plant
Sale, which features early-mid season blooming species.
In early May, we organize a Garden Tour of about a dozen
local gardens which best show the range of gardening
opportunities in our area.
The society has an extensive,
expanding library on a variety of garden plants with
emphasis, of course, on rhodos. |
Membership
Most society members
live between Nanoose Bay and Bowser on the eastern side of Vancouver
Island in the communities of Parksville and Qualicum Beach,
but active members come from as far away as Tofino, Courtenay
and Lake Cowichan.
Membership costs $30.00
per year for an individual or couple (dues must be paid by December
1 for the coming calendar year) and includes a monthly newsletter
from MARS and membership in the American Rhododendron Society
(ARS). ARS members receive the ARS quarterly journal and have
access to its seed exchange and regional meetings. MARS typically
organises a number of bus trips throughout the year to various
activities either on Vancouver Island, in the lower mainland
around Vancouver or in northwest Washington State, where we
visit particularly unique gardens, nurseries or attend plant
sales.
Meetings
are open to everyone and guests and non-members are always welcome
to visit.
About
the Area
The Parksville-Qualicum
Beach area is in the centre of the Georgia Depression Ecoprovince,
which lies between the Vancouver Island Mountains and the southern
Coast Mountains of the mainland. It is a large basin containing
the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia and Puget Sound in
Washington State. We are centred on the eastern side of Vancouver
Island in an area known as the Eastern Vancouver Island Ecoregion,
which is an area of reduced rainfall leeward of the Vancouver
Island mountain ranges. After moving over these ranges, surface
air flow is level or subsiding, creating clearer and drier conditions
than in coastal areas adjacent to the open Pacific Ocean.
We have the greatest
annual amount of sunshine in British Columbia, with temperatures
the mildest in Canada, being modified by the ocean. The climate
is similar to that found in the Mediterranean, with winters
at sea level usually only below freezing at most for a few weeks
each year. Snow does not fall every year at sea level, but because
of the great amount of snow which accumulates on the mountains,
Vancouver Island has the lowest treeline in the Province. As
in all mountainous areas, conditions vary greatly with altitude,
and with Mt. Arrowsmith’s peak (1816 m) only 18 km from
the coast, microclimate gardening conditions can vary greatly
over even short distances.

Gibsons' Garden (Painted
Mountain)
Tofino, Vancouver Island, BC
The incredible hillside
of rhododendrons on Fourth Street, Tofino, began in 1971 and
has since grown to include over 2000 plants (about 1000 varieties).
Referred to as Tofino's "painted mountain", it is best enjoyed
during April and May.
Photo Credit: Vancouver Island Postcards, Intermedia Press
Ltd.
Our Ecoprovince
supports the highest diversity of birds in British Columbia
- 90% of all species known to occur in the Province and 60%
of the species that breed in British Columbia. Vegetatively,
the biogeoclimatic zone near the coast is the Moist Maritime
Coastal Douglas-fir, and using the Sunset Western Garden Book,
we are located in Zone 4. This classification is not the same
as the US Dept. of Agriculture's, which is based on winter
minimum temperatures, but instead also includes summer high
temperatures, length of growing season, humidity and rainfall
patterns. Zone 4 is one of the smallest in the West, and is
jordangardiner@gmail.cominfluenced not only by the ocean but
also from the continental air mass. It differs from Zone 5
in that it has relatively extreme low winter temperatures
more frequently, a shorter growing season, and in some areas
(not ours!), more rainfall. No zone better grows perennials
and bulbs, and it is great for woodland and rock plants. Over
a 20-y period, winter lows ranged from -7 to -22 °C.

Rhdodendron
'Qualicum Pride'
|
Table
1: Average monthly temperature and rainfall in
Parksville, B.C.
| Month |
Avg.
Temperature (°C) |
Avg.
Rainfall (mm) |
| January |
4.7 |
147 |
| February |
7.7 |
97 |
| March |
9.7 |
83 |
| April |
13.2 |
51 |
| May |
17.4 |
40 |
| June |
20.3 |
38 |
| July |
23.5 |
23 |
| August |
23.0 |
47 |
| September |
19.5 |
45 |
| October |
13.8 |
98 |
| November |
8.2
|
132 |
| December |
5.8 |
166 |
|
Related Links of
Interest
American
Rhododendron Society (ARS) District 1 - the British Columbia
ARS District.
Hirsutum.info - the Hirsutum Project - thousands of rhododendron and azalea picutres.
Fraser
South Rhododendron Society; Fraser Valley Rhododendron
Society; Peace Arch Rhododendron Society;
Vancouver Rhododendron Society - other District 1 Rhodo
Societies, located on the mainland around Vancouver.
Nanaimo
Rhododendron Society; Victoria
Rhododendron Society; Cowichan Valley Rhododendron Society;
and North Island Rhododendron Society - sister societies on
Vancouver Island.
American
Rhododendron Society - the parent society for many associated
clubs and societies nationwide.
Meerkerk
Rhododendron Garden, Whidbey Island, Washington. Take
a tour of the gardens, viewing different sections with various
species. A scenic page with many photographs, interesting
commentary
All
about rhodos and azaleas by the Hennings: great place
for general information on these plants for the general or
novice gardener.
Rhododendron
Species Foundation, dedicated to conservation and
education with their garden. A plant distribution catalog,
and list of recommended books for all levels of rhodo growers.
Rhododendron
and Azalea News
Parksville
& Qualicum Beach Online http://www.zapbc.com
 |
Vireyas
-All about Vireyas (Semi-hardy rhododendrons from the
tropics) by Chris Callard. |
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