Mendocino’s Blooming Gem: Attend California’s Largest Rhododendron Show on May 4-5

Press release from the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens:

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens [Anthony Wells, Mendocino Drone]

Each year, the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society partners with Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to showcase some of the best rhododendron specimens on the West Coast. The 45th annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show will be held at the Gardens on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. This juried show is the largest in California with a typical show displaying more than 800 entries, filling the exhibition tent with cascades of colors and fragrance.Everyone is welcome to enter their rhododendrons and azaleas in the show! You may have noticed that rhododendrons have a stunning growth habit featuring a cluster of flowers at the end of a branch, this bouquet-like gathering of flowers that is called a truss. WE WANT YOU to bring your best trusses to the big tent to the south end of the Gardens’ main parking lot on Thursday, May 2 between 3PM – 7PM and Friday, May 3, between 9AM – 12PM. Ribbons and trophies will be awarded to top entries in a wide range of categories. We are excited to announce that this year marks the inaugural year for two new trophies! Announcing the Noyo Chapter Youth Trophy for entrants ages 18 and under in hopes we can foster some young rhodie lovers. The Ted Steinhardt Memorial Trophy honors a beloved member of the Noyo ARS and gives you a chance to compete for “Best Foliage”. Check www.noyochapterars.org for more information on entering.

The Rhododendron Show is free to view and open to the public from 9AM to 5PM on Saturday and 10AM to 4PM on Sunday. A large selection of rhododendrons and other plants will be available for purchase. 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. 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!

Join us at the Gardens as we celebrate spring and the annual Rhododendron Show. Please visit  www.gardenbythesea.org for more information.