President
Dr Sue Davies FRSNZ, FISHS
‘I have loved Rhododendrons since I was a teenager in my mother’s garden at ‘Woodchester’ and attended NZRA conferences with her for a very long time. Now my husband and I have our own garden, ‘Omahuri’.
Ph +64 6 357 0159
E-mail: [email protected]
Immediate Past President
Joy O'Keefe
“Because of my intense interest in rhododendrons I felt I could contribute to the organization and continue to learn. 17 years on Council, serving as Newsletter Editor and President.”
Phone: +64 3 692 2864
Vice President North Island
Paul Shaw
E-mail: [email protected]
Vice President South Island
Position Vacant
Secretary
Treasurer and Membership Secretary
Other Council Members
Northern (Ward 1)
Mrs Robyn Bridgman QSM
Ph +64 9 524 0241
I have lived in Auckland all my life apart from my OE to Britain in the 1950’s. Before being married in 1960 I was a shorthand typist until I married and after marriage have always been on community committees starting with Plunket Mothers, and now various church committees. At present a gardener, volunteering at the Anglican Trust for Women & children; occasionally the Roses at Symonds Street cemetery; the St. Stephen’s Church yard garden; the Nancy Steen garden within the Dove Meyer garden at Parnell Rose Gardens; and my own church of St. Aidan’s Remuera. I belong to several garden clubs and thoroughly enjoy visiting gardens both in Auckland and in the wider countryside. I have been on our own Rhododendron Auckland committee, becoming President in 2011. At each AGM I always ask if someone else would like to take up this position, but so far no one is keen, but the committee is wonderful and I do enjoy our meetings. But I have not given up hope yet. While currently on the Council of Rhododendron NZ I can only stay year by year as I shall be 89 before Christmas. I just love going to Conference each year and really have enormous pleasure visiting the beautiful country gardens and parks we visit. I greatly enjoy the company of the present Council and have learnt a lot from listening to the much more learned and qualified persons on the Council. And it is one of the most special groups to which I belong.
I was awarded a 1990 Medal and in 1997 a Queens Service Medal.
Western (Ward 2)
Position Vacant
Bay of Plenty (Ward 3)
Paul Shaw
Ph +64 7 332 3733
East Coast (Ward 4)
Position Vacant
Central (Ward 5)
Dr Sue Davies FRSNZ, FISHS
‘I have loved Rhododendrons since I was a teenager in my mother’s garden at ‘Woodchester’ and attended NZRA conferences with her for a very long time. Now my husband and I have our own garden, ‘Omahuri’.
Ph +64 6 357 0159
Wellington Region (Ward 6)
Richard Nanson MNZM
Ph +64 4 385 8586
Cell +64 27 477 4074
Hurunui, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland (Ward 7)
Steve Richards
Ph +64 03 318 6815
Selwyn, Christchurch, Waimakariri (Ward 8)
Lisa Williams
I have always been passionate about horticulture and with the purchase of RhodoDirect my focus has been on developing my expertise in rhododendrons which I propagate and grow on-site. As a member of local rhododendron and gardening groups and as a councilor for the New Zealand Rhododendron Association representing Canterbury, I am dedicated to sharing our knowledge and expertise with others.
Ph +64 21 746 368
South Canterbury-North Otago-Mid Canterbury (Ward 9)
Joy O'Keefe
Ph +64 3 692 2864
It was while Bernie was Principal of a small rural school in the Waimate area that my interest in rhododendrons was born. Three years later we bought a farm on the West Coast. It was here we started propagating rhododendrons as a hobby. Ron Coker, Bert Bevin were great mentors when starting out, later on Tom Garbutt. After 15 years on The Coast, we moved back to Woodbury, South Canterbury. It was here propagating rhododendrons started in earnest and a nursery and large garden were established. Because of my intense interest in rhododendrons I felt I could contribute to the organization and continue to learn. I have been 17 years on Council, serving as Newsletter Editor and President.
Dunedin-Clutha (Ward 10)
Doug Logan
Ph +64
Hi! I'm Doug Logan.
Soutland-Wakatipu (Ward 11)
Laura Thompson
Ph +64
Pukeiti Representative
Marion McKay
“Marion is a scientist at Massey University in New Zealand and has been involved with Rhododendron research for about 15 years. She is on the Trust Board of Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust and is project leader for the New Zealand ex situ conservation project. Internationally she is involved with the Global Conservation Consortium for Rhododendron and was the author (along with others) of the 2018 global conservation update. “
Ph +64 3 528 8497
NZ Rhododendron Registrar
Brian Coker,
'Stoneycrop'
ph. 027 434 8383
Brian, together with wife Helen, have had an interest in rhododendrons spanning more than 40 years. Brian's uncle and aunt, Ron and Mollie Coker were early members of NZRA and through them they passed on a love for the genus. Both Brian and Helen have dabbled in hybridising and propagation over the years with R. 'Jonathan Coker' registered for their son. Following the Christchurch earthquake in 2011, in which Brian lost both legs, they built a new home at West Melton near Christchurch and established a new garden on a flat 3600m2 with more room for rhododendrons and a varied selection of other plants, particularly acers, cornus, viburnums, peonies, hostas and lilies as well as a growing collection of bulbs, alpines and perennials.
Brian has been the New Zealand Rhododendron Registrar for nearly 20 years and in that role assists and facilitates the registration of new cultivars and selected forms of species with the Royal Horticultural Society.
Patron
Mr Denis Hughes
Associate of Honour, NZIH
Honorary Life Members
Mrs K. Millar,
Mr D. Hughes, Associate of Honour, NZIH
Mr J Howard
Mrs J Yeates
Past Presidents
Joy O'Keefe, Dr T. Fitchett,
Mr G. Bailey,Mr R. Nanson MNZM,
Dr. S. Davies FRSNZ, FISHS, Mrs K. Millar
Mrs P Turnbull, Mr A Trott QSM
NZ Rhododendron Registrar
Brian Coker,
'Stoneycrop'
ph. 027 434 8383
Web Manager
Lisa Williams
ph. 021 746 368
Archivist
Brian Coker
West Melton
Newsletter Editor
Chris Wilson
e-mail: [email protected]
ph: 027 345 1878
Website