Early birds get rhodies

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 12, 2003

Meerkerk opens spring with sale

By SUSAN MADOR

Contributing writer

Whidbey Island gardeners can snap up some early spring deals this weekend, if they get up early and head for Greenbank.

Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens opens its nursery Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, for its annual spring opening plant sale. Late winter and early spring weather can be capricious, but gardeners need to start making up their beds.

“The gardens are starting to show color,” Meerkerk staffer Susie Reynolds said Saturday. “Early bloomers, like ‘February Gold’ narcissus and ‘Chief Sealth’ rhododendron, are already blooming. Everything here is starting to look lovely.”

Saturday, a work crew at Meerkerk was busy potting up seedlings, moving pots of shrubs into line and preparing piles of soil amendments.

Several hundred rhododendrons will be on sale in different sizes ranging from one-gallon pots to larger specimens for those seeking instant landscape impact. Companion flowers and shrubs will compete for placement in local gardens.

“We’ll have ‘Primrose,’ an unusual yellow lilac and a few very fragrant Korean spice bushes,” Reynolds said. People can fill in their gardens with primroses, foxgloves, columbine, pansies and hellebores.

While Meerkerk is known for its striking companion plants and drifts of bulbs, rhododendrons remain the garden’s focus. “Besides rhodie favorites ‘Loderi King George’ and ‘Meerkerk Magic,’ ” we have new releases,” Reynolds said. “ ‘Starbright Champagne’ is available for the first time. And we’ll have ‘Mindy’s Love’ which has hardy yellow flowers.”

Frank Fujioka, Meerkerk volunteer and rhodie hybridizer, created “Starbright Champagne” in his Freeland garden.

“This plant has very pointed star-shaped petals in colors that can be any shade from champagne to deep gold,” Fujioka said. Rhododendrons usually have rounded petals. Fujioka has been working on ‘Starlight’ hybrid for about 15 years; he’s been fascinated with rhododendrons for more than 30 years.

“People who make rhodie hybrids are obsessed,” he said. “We’re always trying to achieve the perfect hardy plant with perfect leaves and perfect flowers.” Fujioka says perfection eludes hybridizers. “We get wonderful leaves and so-so flowers or beautiful flowers on weak plants,” he said.

Fujioka strives for intriguing foliage in his hybrids. “I think we’ve produced enough new colors,” he said. “For years we couldn’t get good yellows. Now we can. I’m looking for something other than color — textured foliage,” Fujioka said.

Besides “Starbright Champagne,” Fujioka has coaxed along hybrids “Elsie Watson,” “Silver Skies,” “Cranberry Lace” and “Vibrant Violet.”

“For years, rhodie culture was centered in England. Now it’s here in the Pacific Northwest,” Fujioka said.

“Just drive around,” Reynolds said. “You can see a rhodie in every garden.”

If every garden has a rhododendron, what’s so special about rhodies?

“Rhododendrons are native species here,” Reynolds said. “ And ‘Rhododendron macrophyllum’ is our state flower,” she continued.

Species Rhododendrons will be on sale at Meerkerk this weekend so gardeners can select the best of old and new rhododendrons.

Spring for plants

Meerkerk Gardens spring plant sale is Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16. Both days; hours will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There is no admission fee these two days, however donations will be gratefully accepted.

In April tree form rhododendrons will be available. Peak bloom season is mid-April to mid-May,

Meerkerk is on Meerkerk Lane off Resort Road; call 678-1912.