44th annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show

MAY 6 and 7, 2023
10:00 AM to 4:00PM

Each year, the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) partners with Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to showcase some of the best rhodie specimens on the west coast. The 44th annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show will be held at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7. The juried show is quite possibly the largest in California with a typical show displaying more than 800 entries and filling the big tent with cascades of color and fragrance.

The Rhododendron Show is free to attend and open to the public from 10:00am to 4:00pm 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.

Regular admission rates apply to visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens during the show, get tickets online. 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!

ENTER THE SHOW
Everyone is welcome to enter their best rhododendrons and azaleas for judging. Judging will take place on Friday, May 5 from 9am to 12pm. Please visit www.noyochapterars.org for more information on entry rules and procedures.

2022 Rhododendron Show Results

TROPHY WINNERS

Best of Show - Kirk Norton for an R. occidentale spray

Best Noyo Chief - Tom & Kathe Charters

Best White Rhododendron - David & Rhoda Ward Trophy - Dennis & Valerie McKiver

Best Pink Rhododendron - Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Trophy - Dennis & Valerie McKiver

Best Lavender Rhododendron - John & Gail Vollmer Trophy - Phil & Lucy Johnson

Best Red Rhododendron - Celeri & Son Nursery Trophy - Phil & Lucy Johnson

Best Yakushimanum Hybrid Truss - Bill & Lorraine Fee Trophy - Dennis & Valerie McKiver

Best New Seedling - Peter Schick Memorial Trophy - Ken Jones

Best Evergreen Azalea Spray - Philip B. Cornell Memorial Award - Tom & Kathe Charters

Best Evergreen Azalea Truss - Noyo Chapter Trophy - Dennis & Valerie McKiver

Best Deciduous Azalea Spray - Rose Turner Award - Carla Sarvis

Best Deciduous Azalea Truss - Lloyd G. Turner Memorial Award - Phil & Lucy Johnson

Best R. occidentale - Rosalie Stanley Memorial Trophy - Kirk Norton

Best Small Species Rhododendron - The Philp Family Trophy - Pam Rivette

Best Large Hybrid Spray - Bluewater Trophy - Phil & Lucy Johnson

Sweepstakes Trophy - Awarded according to the highest accumulated score - Dennis & Valerie McKiver

Peoples Choice Award - Ken Jones for ‘Peach Charm’ truss

CLICK HERE to view the rest of the judging results!

ABOUT THE NOYO ARS

The Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society is a local non-profit organization. For over 45 years their stated mission has been to promote the study and culture of rhododendrons and to stimulate interest in rhododendrons by any appropriate means, including the holding of frequent meetings of members and education of the public with Rhododendron shows. Our locale is also of utmost importance in preserving the rhododendron species. Although these plants grow in few places worldwide, they thrive in the favorable climate of the Mendocino Coast. The area spanning Eureka to Fort Bragg is the largest production center of hybrid rhododendrons in California. 

Learn more and become a member: www.noyochapterars.org