American Primrose Society - Spring 2001 1 American Primroses Presidents Message Primroses Primrose Society EDITOR/GRAPHIC DF5IGN It's springtime in Alaska! Of course we haven't had much Robert Tonkin winter, January average temperatures were 12 degrees above 3155 Pioneer Avc. Quarterly of the [uncau.AK 99801 normal with only three inches of snow. February brought us American Primrose Society (907} 463-1554 just enough snow at the right time to insulate some of the [email protected] early sprouting plants including primulas against some Volume 59, Number 2, Spring 2001 EDITORIAL COMMITTEE freezing weather. We got in a bit of cross country skiing Robot Tonkin Cheri Fluck too. We're really gaining daylight fast and are hoping for Edward Buyarski more sunshine this year than last. Unfortunately we are also EDITORIAL DEADLINES likely to have a bumper crop of slugs and other pests because 1 President's Message Winter issue - November 15 of the mild weather. 2 ARCS China 2000 Expedition Spring issue - February 15 Summer issue - May 1 5 Some fairly obvious changes are happening to the APS. by Ed Buyarski [•'all issue - August 15 We need to thank Candy Strickland for her Editorial efforts, 12 ARCS China 2000 Field Map PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS bringing the Quarterly back on time and keeping it going 16 ARCS China 2000 Field Notes All plimos are credited. this past year. Robert Tonkin will be the new Editor with 18 New England Memories I'rhumsts (ISSN 0162-6671} is pub- contributions of articles and photos from all of us! We will by Constance B. Hchn lished quarterly by the American Prim- ruse, Primula and Auricula Society, 19933 be doing all the computerized layout possible "in house" to 19 APS Quarterly Appeal Cohen Dr. Juneau, AK 99801. Member- ship in tin; Society includes a subscrip- reduce printing costs which have been the Society's major by Cheri Fluck tion to I'riwroses, Seed Exchange privi- expense. 22 Primula bractcosa leges, .Slide Library privileges and the op- portunity to join a Round Robin. Dues The Alaska Group has become the Juneau Chapter of APS by Derek Lockey for individual or household membership leaving room for other groups in Alaska to organize. Yes, it 23 Beautiful Polyanthus in the American Primrose Society, domes- DIRECTORS tic, and Canada are $25 per calendar year, took considerable discussion to satisfy that independently by Caroline Jensen Tlmnmli 2003 $70 lor three years or $350 for an indi- Terry Mitchell vidual life membership. Overseas rates are minded bunch to join the older Chapters to advance the cause. 26 APS Board Minutes October 2000 171:i::irnle\. $32 per annum, and $90 for 3 years. Sub- Ossetl. West Yorkshire WH5-9KI' I believe some clarification of Chapters' rights and 28 APS Board Minutes January 2000 England mit payment to the treasurer. Member- (144) 1924-261-698 ship renewals are due November 15 and responsibilities is necessary as we are having new groups terry @mitchell 1234.lVecserve.auik are delinquent at the first of the year. Pe- riodical postage paid at Juneau, AK. forming. The APS has nonprofit status that the Chapters can share. We have to report to the IRS every year about Postmaster: Please send address changes to APS Treasurer, Julia Haldorson, PO. our finances. None of us wants to be audited and that's Box 210913» Auke Bay, AK 99821. where the Chapters need to choose how independent they Manuscripts tor publication in the quar- want to be. They can apply for their own individual nonprofit terly are invited from members and other gardeners, although there is no payment. status but if they want a vote on the Board of Directors, they Please include black and white photo- should still be representing a bunch of APS members. graphs, slides or color prints it possible. Send articles directly to the Editor at the I agree with many of Dr. Roger Eichman's comments in addresses above or email articles and pic- tures to [email protected]. Please send his Winter article. Gaining more members starts with all of pictures scanned at 300 dpi. APS reserves us and our friends and neighbors. Now, I haven't been able the right to use submitted articles and pictures ror other official APS uses. to talk my sister into growing primroses but I have found others who have joined in the enjoyment of these plants. COVER PHOTO: Tiger Leaping Gorge Advertising rates per issue: full page, Jade Dragon Mountains, Yunnan, China $100; half page, $50; quarter page, $25; Can each of you say the same? More members reduces the eighth page and minimum, $12.50. Art- photo courtesy of Duma Reeck work for ads is the responsibility of the cost per member of the Quarterly. advertiser, and camera ready copy is ap- We do have politics within the society, they are difficult Collectors Nursery, Buttle Ground, WA preciated. Submit advertising to the Edi- tor. (Graphic artwork help is available.) to avoid once three or more people get together to meet and April Bivtlycr 244 WeMsiile H\vy. all have opinions. Treating each other with the courtesy, Inset: P. poisonii, photo Eil Kuvarski Vadc-r. WA 9SW I3WH 295-3114 respect and trust we all deserve can make a big difference in [email protected] Continued on page 33 1 2 American Primrose Society - Spring 2001 American Primrose Society - Spring 2001 3 ARCS China 2000 Expedition September 14 and arrived in Hong Kong to What better place you might ask; though we did NOT photograph. Walking from the Ed Buyarski tropical breezes and 80 degrees (27C). This we didn't feel that many of the palm trees plane in cool light rain felt just like home was my first trip out of the USA and it was and bananas were hardy enough for Alaska. but the sign on the terminal "Shangri La" Most of us grow plants in our gardens that starting well! I made it to the hotel where We did see some really impressive tiger told us otherwise. We were feeling the effects were brought back from far off lands 50- we were staying and crashed. Sleep, shower, striped spiders in huge colonial webs that of 10,500 feet (3200m) elevation just 100 or more years ago. In the spring of 1998, (luckily I don't believe in shaving), and up looked like they might snare small birds; this carrying our bags to the bus. After unloading a present day adventurer and plant hunter; for breakfast to meet the Team members, is where I also found that I had not loaded our gear in the hotel we headed out to find Dan Hinkley, of Heronswood Nursery, spoke along with Dan Hinkley and Bleddyn Wynn- my camera with the first roll of film. I made our first Primula of the trip. Yaks and pigs to several groups in Alaska. He showed Jones; a Welsh nurseryman and co- up for it using 25 rolls during the trip. They grazing in the fields of harvested barley and slides about his plant explorations around conspirator from previous trips. We all had some nice weeds, red and blue morning Tibetan style buildings emphasized a very the world and some of the new plants he has headed back to the airport for the flight to glories that we saw growing everywhere and different cultural area. The rainy season was introduced. Members of the Alaska Rock Kunming, in Yunnan Province where we we admired a very healthy stand of Cannahis ending and it did get drier as we traveled for Garden Society (ARCS), a chapter of would meet our Chinese hosts from the sativa. One shade house contained a the next few weeks. Our first stop in a grazed NARGS, asked how we could get involved Kunming Botanical Garden (KBG). gorgeous collection of Chinese Begonia meadow near a creek brought us brilliant with such an activity and gain new species Kunming, at 6150 feet (1875m) elevation, species and hybrids. There are 200+ species blue Gentianas, low growing Sausitrrea hardy for Alaska gardens. Dan offered to is called the City of Eternal Spring for its in the warmer areas of China! We were told sfclla and in the wetter areas Primula help set up an expedition using his contacts mild seasons through the year. It has around that a Japanese company had bought secundiflora (033) and few flowering P. in China and the Society began the planning 4 million people and we quickly learned the propagating rights to market some of the poisonii (037). Ahh, now I was earning my process. I was fortunate to be selected as a basics of Chinese traffic law; use your horn colorful varieties we saw. After lunch, we keep for all those APS people who had team member by the planning group who and go for it! Lanes were a rather flexible took a gondola ride up into the Western Hills bought seed shares. Iris collettii was a were looking for people with seed collecting concept. No stop signs but some traffic where we watched some colorful flowers challenging little plant to search out its seed skills, botanical knowledge, computer and people on the busiest intersections were pass just beneath our feet. Once on the pods at ground level. We were all busily photographic ability, good health and strong directing separate lanes of bicycles from ground, we were ready to get serious about collecting seeds, writing notes, taking photos stomachs. Luckily my computer skills were trucks, buses, and a few private cars. Only a this seed collecting stuff as we were above and then the horn was blown, time to get not needed by the Team.