The New Zealand Rhododendron Association Inc. or
NZRA was formed in 1944 The Association was incorporated in August
1945. The objects of the new Association were:-
Milestones |
|
1940s (early) | Sir Geoffrey Peren, Principal of Massey Agricultural
College suggests to the College Arboretum Committee that a
Rhododendron Association be formed. Members were Prof. Peren, Dame
Elizabeth Knox-Gilmour, Mr WD Cook, Mr VC Davies, and Dr JS Yeates. |
10/8/1944 | Professor Peren called a special meeting at which
the motion 'that a New Zealand Rhododendron Association be formed by
those present' was passed unanimously. Provisional officers were WD
Cook as Chairman & JS Yeates as secretary/treasurer. |
6/9/1944 | Letter sent out to prospective
members |
4/10/1944 | First Annual General Meeting. Mr Edgar Stead elected first
President, Prof. GS Peren Chairman and Dr JS Yeates
Secretary/Treasurer. Adoption of first rules. JS Edmonstone offered
to attend to drafting rules, pre-incorporation. |
4/8/1945 | Certificate of Incorporation |
1947 | Post war food parcels sent to RHS staff |
1948 | The Botanical Department of Massey College undertook to grow
(on it's own grounds) plants for distribution to members which was a
major NZRA function for nearly thirty years. Sources were Edgar
Stead's collection, seed imported from RBGE, United Kingdom garden
collections, Pacific Northwest of America, and southern areas of NZ,
and later the (NZRA supported) expeditions of Kingdon-Ward. |
1949 | Donation to Kingdon-Ward plant hunting Expedition to the
Himalayas. |
1950 | WD Cook offers land at Pukeiti to the NZRA Council who were
unable to accept, but many NZRA members were involved in the future
Pukeiti Trust. |
1951 | WD Cook of Eastwoodhill, Gisborne,
purchases 60 acres at Pukeiti, Taranaki. Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust
established. (Click here to go to links page) |
1952 | Rules amended. Plant distribution commences, some with K-W numbers |
1958 | International Rhododendron Register established |
1964 | Rhododendron Species Foundation formed USA seed exchange-first list published |
1967 | First women on NZRA Council (elected 1966) Tour of Pacific Northwest Lease of one acre at Kimbolton |
1970 | Purchase of land at Haggerty Street, Kimbolton. |
1971 | NZRA donations over five years to further Rhododendron Species
Foundation (USA). Chalet built at Kimbolton |
1972 | Tour to the United Kingdom via
USA. |
1973 | Additional land purchased at
Kimbolton. |
1975 | New Zealand Rhododendron Register
established. Philipsons publish Revision of Lapponicum Rhododendrons. Shade House built at Kimbolton. |
1982 | Award of Merit Scheme developed
during period 1982-86 |
1984 | Equality of election - men & women
to the NZRA Council. |
1986 | Certificate of Affiliation to the
RHS. |
1988 | Calendar produced featuring
rhododendrons. |
1992 | NZRA Council receives advice from
the Ministry of Ag & Fish diagnostic station that a consignment of
cuttings ex Scotland had been destroyed because of the presence of a
powdery mildew fungus unknown to NZ. |
1994 | Notecards produced featuring NZ
bred AM rhododendrons. Dame Catherine Tizard opens new gates at Kimbolton Garden. Hilary Commission ceases funding for Bulletin. |
1997 | Affiliation of Regional
Rhododendron Groups (RHS model). Association ceased employment of professional secretary/treasurer. |
1998 | 'Crossing the Rubicon', a handbook
of NZ raised rhododendrons published by Canterbury Rhododendron
Society. |
1999 | Kimbolton Garden receives official
name. 'Heritage Park, Kimbolton, the National Garden of the New
Zealand Rhododendron Association'. Second series of Notecards published. |
2002 | Logo adopted. NZRA Strategic Plan published |
2004 | New Zealand Rhododendron
Association 60th Jubilee. New Zealand Rhododendron Association website set up. (www.rhododendron.org.nz) |
2005 | Referendum of membership in favour
of setting up Heritage Park as an independent trust. New Zealand Rhododendron Association rewritten rules adopted at AGM |
2006 | Heritage Park set up as an
independent trust. |
2008 | NZRA registered as a Charitable
Organisation |
2011 | Frank Kingdon-Ward letters
archived with the Hocken Library, University of Otago |
2013 | Joint annual publication of The
Rhododendron with Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust |
2014 | NZRA website redesigned. |
2014 | International
Rhododendron Conference held in Dunedin - NZRA's 70th Jubilee. |
2016 | Major progress on the Species
Conservation project. Cuttings obtained from a Dunedin garden. |
2016 | Transition
from trial based NZ hybrid project to the conservation of endangered
and little known NZ hybrids. |
2017 | Promotional brochure
distributed to nurseries |
2017 | NZRA
Facebook page set up. |
2018 | NZRA managed the sale of the
Ken Cox book 'Woodland Gardening' |
2018 | NZ now part of the
International Rhododendron Conservation Consortium. |
2019 | Laptops purchased for NZRA
Treasurer and Secretary. |
2019 | Two vireya species confirmed in
Australia using DNA technology. NZRA helped with funding research. |
2019 | Rebranding - The term 'Conference' replaced with
'Rhodenza'. |
2020 | Planned Timaru Rhodenza cancelled due
to Covid pandemic. AGM held via email and mail. |
2020 | Council meetings changed from
teleconferencing to SKYPE. No face to face Council meeting. |
2021 | Rhodenza Taranaki cancelled at
the last minute due to Covid pandemic. No face to face Council meeting. |
2022 | Sue Gardiner's role on the Pukeiti Trust now includes NZRA liaison person with Pukeiti |
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