Alert!   Registration Closed, Mar. 15
All Payments were Due Fri., Mar. 30

ARS 2018 Convention Overview and Registration - Fall 2017 JARS

Dutch Pre-Convention Tour - Summer 2017 JARS (Itinerary & Map)

German Pre-Convention Tour - Fall 2017 JARS (Itinerary & Map)

Danish & Swedish Pre-Convention Tour - Fall 2017 JARS (Itinerary & Map)

Convention Gardens Tours and Lectures - Fall 2017 JARS (Itinerary & Map)

Finnish Post-Convention Tour - Spring 2017 JARS (Itinerary & Map)

ARS 2018 Tour Gardens & Sights

The following charts describe the gardens that are on the various tours. Attendees are responsible to make their own way to the first hotel and to make their way home from the last hotel. If choices are not contiguous, you must arrange your own lodging the missing nights.  If you would like travel agent assistance arranging additional lodging or booking your flight, indicate under remarks. The Post-Tour includes one-way air travel from Hamburg to Helsinki. The organizers of the conference can not be held responsible for changes made necessary by events beyond their control. Travel insurance is recommended.


Gardens on Pre-Tour 1: Netherlands, Dutch Chapter ARS

Dutch Pre-Convention Tour JARS Article

Dutch Pre-Convention Tour Website by the Dutch Chapter of the ARS
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Zaanse Schans Village Zaanse Schans has a collection of well-preserved historic windmills and houses. It features a bakery museum, clog warehouse, cheese factory, and pewter foundry. Very photogenic. Website. [May 8]
Keukenhof Gardens Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is said to be the most beautiful spring garden in the world. More than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths fill over 32 ha (79 acres) with color and fragrance. Website. [May 8]
Esveld Nursery The enormous variety of plants available is what makes Esveld Nursery a highly unusual nursery. Nowhere else in Europe will you find as many different garden plants! Website. [May 9]
Arboretum Trompenburg Arboretum Trompenburg botanical garden hosts a large collection of woody as well as herbaceous plants. It is situated 13 feet below sea level, so a system of canals is used to drain the land. Its history dates back to the 19th century.  Website. [May 9]
Dr. Lou Traas' Garden Dr. Lou Traas' private garden in Balaricum. He is a past president of the Dutch Chapter of the ARS. Website. [May 10]

Utrecht Old City Center

Utrecht is one of the Netherlands' oldest cities, with a compact medieval center set out around canals. There's a lower level where warehouses were located in the 13th century, giving the canals a split-level character. Website. [May 10]
Utrecht Botanic Garden

The Utrecht Botanical Garden at Fort Hoofddijk provides an unparalleled collection of plants from all around the world. This unique natural treasure consisting of thousands of plant species. It is part of the Botanic Gardens of Utrecht University. Website.  [May 10]

Van Gimborn Arboretum Von Gimborn Arboretum holds many national plant collections including conifers (particularly Tsuga), Ericaceae (and Rhododendron in particular), Aceraceae, Euonymus, Magnolia and more. Website. [May 11]
Appeltern Gardens Appeltern Gardens provides a changing exhibition of garden design with over 150 model gardens. There is a large plant collection and examples of design by well known Dutch garden designers, landscape architects and authors. Website. [May 11]
Arboretum Belmonte Arboretum Belmonte is one of the largest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. It has 1,500 rhododendron species, the largest rhododendron collection in the Benelux region. Enjoy its view of the Lower Rhine river. Website. [May 11]
Palace Garden of Het Loo Het Loo is the former royal palace of the Netherlands. The gardens of Het Loo are fully restored and now even more look like the Baroque Dutch garden in the time of the first residents, King-Stadtholder Willem III and his wife Mary Stuart II. Website. [May 12]

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Gardens on Pre-Tour 2: Germany, DRG

German Pre-Convention Tour JARS Article
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Hobbie Rhododendron Park Hobbie Rhododendron Park is Germany's largest rhododendron park. More than 250 rhododendron species and several thousand varieties of rhododendrons are grown. The largest rhododendrons are over 30 ft. tall and over 85 years old. [May 13]
RHODO 2018 RHODO, Europe's largest rhododendron festival, transforms the cozy center of the town of Westerstede into a magnificent garden of rhododendrons and azaleas once every four years. See what is new from Germany's finest nurseries. [May 13]
Hachmann Nursery Hans Hachmann was the most important European hybridizer of Rhododendrons and Azaleas of the 20th century! Hans Hachmann passed away in 2004, his son Holger continues to offer 600 rhododendron varieties, 300 of which they hybridized. [May 14]

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Gardens on Pre-Tour 3: Denmark & Sweden
Danish and Swedish Chapters, ARS

Danish & Swedish Pre-Convention Tour JARS Article
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Jørgen Jørgensen garden Denmark: Danish Chapter ARS member Jørgen Jørgensen's private garden in the little town called Rens. [May 14]
Finn & Linda Bertelsen garden In Farsø, Denmark: the Ai Xin Garden, a very Chinese inspired garden with a lot of rare species. [May 15]
Maren & Søren Tang garden Denmark: Danish Chapter ARS member Maren & Søren's private garden where we will have lunch in their very large garden with lots of rhododendrons. [May 15]
Bangsbo Botanical Garden Denmark: Rhododendron valley was first planted in 1990. Established rhododendrons were moved to a place under a lime tree.  They began to thrive so well that there was a basis to expand with more plants of the same genus. We are going to have dinner at Møllehuset Restaurant. [May 15]
Gothenburg Botanic Garden Sweden: Established in 1919, the garden proper is about 100 acres and there are 16,000 different species. The Rock Garden has received two stars in the Michelin Green Guide. Other sights worth seeing are The Rhododendron Valley and Japanese Glade. We will enjoy lunch after visiting the Botanic Garden. [May 16]
Ulf Jönsson and Lisbeth Nilsson Garden This garden in Hulebäckserödsvägen is in the country side on top of a hill. It can have frost until midsummer.  They mainly collect "wild species," many from open pollinated seed.  The plants in the garden are compact due the wind and weather.  They also have trilliums, arisaema, and magnolias.  Being a former welder, Ulf has many art pieces in the garden. [May 16]
Torsten Nilsson garden In Mølle, Sweden: Torsten Nilsson's garden consists mostly of Rhododendron, with 80-year-old Rhododendron catawbiense and young plantations of hybrids and wild species, about 400 plants and 150 varieties. It also features fruit trees, hydrangeas, peonies, hosta, & euonymus. [May 16]
Sofiero Castle garden Sweden: "Europe’s most beautiful park", this is the place to enjoy the thousands of rhododendron plants. The castle is located above the rhododendron ravine, overlooking Öresund Sound and Denmark. Sofiero Castle is surrounded by dazzling flower beds. We will have lunch at the Sofiero Castle Cafeteria. [May 17]
Kronborg Castle Denmark: Kronborg is the castle Shakespeare made famous in Hamlet. The castle is situated on the extreme northeastern tip of the island of Zealand at the narrowest point of the Øresund, the sound between Denmark and Sweden where the sound is only 2 miles wide. Hof mesterinde Beate Bille to show us around and tell us how the king lived in 1600. [May 17]
Nivå gård Park Denmark: Nivå gård is a historic property in Nivå in the northern outskirts of CopenhagenDenmark. The original park was designed by Edvard Glæsel and laid out in 1901–02. Svend Hansen will show us the large rhododendron garden that was established in 2007. [May 17]
Kjelds Have Denmark: private garden of long time member of ARS Kjeld Didreksen and his wife and a lot of dogs. He has a big garden with about 180 rhododendrons, all cataloged. [May 18]
Zen Garden Denmark: this garden is based on Japanese Zen philosophy. Jørgen who made the garden traveled several times in Japan for plant hunting and the garden is a fine place. We are going to have lunch at Zen-garden and this will be a typical Danish lunch with open sandwiches and coffee and home-baked cake. http://www.rhododendron.dk/Zen-Garden.html [May 18]
Henning Andersen garden Denmark: Henning Andersen garden is a very large garden and nursery of a Danish Chapter ARS member. http://www.rhododendron.dk/HAndersen.html [May 18]
Mogens & Kristen Bendix garden Denmark: Mogens & Kristen Bendix private garden with a historical background as the garden is very close to an old fortress from 1920 for defending Copenhagen. [May 19]
Svend Hansen at Kernehuset garden Denmark: Svend will show us the park or garden with lots of rhododendron species. Svend and his wife Birgit will invite us to lunch and coffee and enjoy the garden. http://www.rhododendron.dk/SHHansen.html [May 19]
Lulu Tophøj garden Denmark: Danish Chapter ARS member Lulu Tophøj has a large private garden and will servecoffee. [May 19]
Jørgen Halse garden Denmark: private garden of Jøregn Halse who is a long time member of ARS and was one of the people who setup the Danish Chapter in 1973. He has a fine garden with lots of rhododendron species. http://www.rhododendron.dk/JHalse.html [May 20]
Asperup gård garden Denmark: Asperup courtyard garden and gallery is located on the Island of Fuenen, Denmark. It's a species garden with 400 rhododendrons, 250 different magnolias , more than 500 other trees and shrubs , roses, several alpine, and much more. [May 20]

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Gardens at ARS/DRG 2018 Convention

Convention Gardens Tours and Lectures JARS Articles
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Bremen Rhododendron-Park Bremen Rhododendron-Park began in 1933 at the initiative of the German Rhododendron Society. It is the world's 2nd largest collection of rhododendrons and azaleas with ca. 600 species and subspecies (including Vireyas) and more than 3,300 cultivars in a broad range of garden situations including a large conservatory. [May 23 or 24]
zu Jeddoloh Nursery zu Jeddoloh Nursery in Edewecht is a world-class container nurseries and old Ammerland garden. They cultivate deciduous trees, conifers, rhododendrons, roses, and perennials including their world-famous Endless Summer® hydrangeas. [May 23 or 24]
Park of the Gardens Park der Garten in Bad Zwischenahn has a collection of about 2,000 species and varieties of hybrid rhododendron in a flowering frenzy beneath the shade of giant trees. It is a dazzling array of botanical diversity with over 9,000 labeled plants. [May 23 or 24]
Van den Berk Nursery The Dutch nursery Van der Berk has a facility in Rastede, Germany, dedicated to the cultivation of rhododendron’s and azaleas on moorland. They produce over 180 species of large-flowered rhododendrons, Yakushimanum Hybrids and azaleas.  [May 23 or 24]
Schröder Nursery Schröder Rhododendrons in Wiefelstede has large flowered varieties, yakushimanum hybrids and deciduous azaleas. They have one of the largest Rhododendron collections in Europe with over 2,000 varieties and species. They sell 170 varieties. [May 26]
Bruns Rhododendron-Park Bruns Rhododendronpark in Gristede has more than 1,000 species and varieties of rhododendrons and outdoor azaleas under the protection of tall pines. The Bruns set up the collection in the 1950s to study the characteristics of individual varieties. [May 26]

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Gardens on Post-Tour: Finland, Finnish Chapter ARS

Finnish Post-Convention Tour JARS Articles
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Haaga Rhododendron Park Haaga Rhododendron Park in Helsinki was established in 1975 as an plant breeding experimental site. Now the park attracts visitors to admire thousands of huge rhododendrons and beautiful azaleas. [May 28]
Porvoo Old Town Founded in 1346, Porvoo is one of six medieval towns in the Finland. It is a colorful and charming city with narrow cobbled streets, wooden houses, and a riverfront setting. Porvoo is a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site. [May 28]
Arboretum Mustila Arboretum Mustila, Elimäki was founded in 1902 as a test site for both exotic and native trees. It is famous for its rhododendrons and azaleas, especially in the Rhododendron Valley with hundreds of different species and hybrids. [May 28]
Sapokka Water Garden The Sapokka Water Garden in Kotka offers many things to admire through every season of the year. In the spring, there are tens of thousands of bulb flowers, and in the early summer the rhododendrons and azaleas come into bloom. [May 28]
Fuksinpuisto Park Fuksinpuisto Park in Kotka was established in 1995 as a test planting area for azaleas from the Finnish azalea hybridizing program. Later the plantings were diversified with other plants. [May 28]
Ilola Arboretum The private Ilola Arboretum near Salo demonstrates a landscaping design that enhancing the diverse natural Finnish landscape in an arboretum including ponds, rock garden, exotic trees and bushes, and about 2000 rhododendrons & azaleas. [May 29]
Arboretum Apaskeri Osmo Jussila planted hundreds of rhododendrons, trees and shrubs in the forest and along the shores of his private Arboretum Apaskeri in the southwestern Finnish archipelago. The rhododendrons include many of Osmo’s own hybrids. [May 29]
Rhodogarden The private Rhodogarden is in Korppoo in the Turku Archipelago. The black peat soil is perfect for rhododendrons and R. tomentosum grows on the bogs. Kristian Theqvist has over 1000 rhododendrons & azaleas below a canopy of pines. [May 30]

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Last Updated: April 8, 2018