Rhododendron Tour, Mission, BC 2008
Marcellus Rhododendron Garden
Fraser River Heritage Park Mary St, Mission, BC
May 5, 2008
These rhododendrons are examples of many journeys which have begun in different parts of the world and have come together in Mission.
Hummingbird-Fortune Cross Rhododendron
This plant started its journey in Chenkiang in eastern China, at an elevation of 3000 feet. In 1843 a botanist named Robert Fortune came to China looking for new plants and took these large, pink, hardy shrubs back to the royal Botanical gardens in Edinburgh. Seventy-five years later, in the 1930’s, a retired doctor who lived on Sumas Mountain, just across the river from Mission, traded his collection of British Columbia alpines for cuttings from the Fortune Rhododendrons in Edinburg. Dr. McKee lived near the present location of the Ledgeview Golf Course, and some of these plants can be seen in that area today; others are in a Test Garden at UBC. Incidentally, Dr. McKee was distinguished for having been the first doctor to have introduced diphtheria immunization into British Columbia.
In 1953, Dr. Marcellus met Dr. McKee and bought many of his plants for his garden in Mission. Dr. Marcellus began to experiment with hybridization, and crossed the Fortune with a hybrid named Hummingbird (williamsianum x haematodes). The result was an exceptionally fine early large pink, often scented, with copper-coloured new growth and dense, attractive foliage. The plant blooms in April, at the same time as the stunning blue Augustini.
Williamsianum x haematodes
Blue Augustini Rhododendron:
This plant has small leaves and is sometimes confused with an azalea. It is a cross between Augustini which also came from eastern china and a brilliant blue hybrid named Blue Diamond. This cross won the prize for the best new hybrid in the Vancouver Rhododendron show of 1973.
Blue Diamond Rhododendron
Caitlin Rhododendron:
In 1998, one of the Hummingbird-Fortune crosses was registered with the Royal Horticultural society and given the name “Caitlin”. This plant was given to Dr. Trembath of Langley and is in her garden.
These crosses are seen in gardens all over Mission, particularly in the area surrounding Fraser River Heritage Park. They are also in the Medical Group garden adjacent to Mission Memorial Hospital and near the Anglican Church and can be spotted in many private gardens in the community. Sixty plants from this garden were donated to Fraser River Heritage Park in 1986. Some additional ones are located up at Westminster Abbey. Dr. Marcellus shared a horticultural interest with the gardeners at the Abbey.
The Story of the Azaleas
A fascinating illustration of the theme of the journeys of plants, their story began in 1690 when a sweet smelling species was imported into England from the American colonies. By the early nineteenth century England, Holland and Belgium had become the great gardening centres of Europe, and other azaleas were imported into northern Europe from China, Japan, Indonesia and the western USA. There were hundreds of important crosses developed from these exotic strains.
The most successful of all the crosses are these that come out of the Exbury Gardens in England. The gardens were developed in the 1930’s by Lionel de Rothschild and many of the crosses were made under his direction. Rothschild was the English member of the wealthy Jewish banking family whose passionate interest in gardens has been said to be a result of the Jews having been forbidden entrance to public parks in eighteenth century Europe. These plants were nearly lost during the war when Exbury was taken over by the British Navy, but enough survived that during the fifties British nurseries were able to export them to the United States. These plants were brought into Mission in 1955 by Dr. Marcellus.
The Exbury crosses combine all the best features of their ancestors; they have large flowers, brilliant colours, hardiness, and, quite often, beautiful scent.
Fraser River Heritage Park Rhododendrons – a gift from Dr. & Mrs. Marcellus
The story of preparing the garden:
volunteers from FRHP and MIssion Heritage Association under Norma Kenney worked to clear the land and prepare the bed for the Rhododendrons. Cranes and flat bed trucks were required to move the 60 large , mature plants and we can now see them nestled in three distinct beds , south of the Historical cemetery and overlooking the Fraser River.
Written and compiled by Cathie Marcellus and Diana Muntigl for Mission’s Celebration of BC’s150th Anniversary.
TOUR:
BACKGROUND
HYBRIDIZATION
RHODODENDRON SOCIETY:
Royal Horticultural Society
Hummingbird-Fortune Cross Rhododendron
Williamsianum x haematodes
Blue Augustini Rhododendron:
Blue Diamond Rhododendron
Caitlin Rhododendron:
In 1998, one of the Hummingbird-Fortune crosses was registered with the Royal Horticultural society and given the name “Caitlin”.
Sixty plants from this garden were donated to Fraser River Heritage Park in 1986. Some additional ones are located up at Westminster Abbey. Dr. Marcellus shared a horticultural interest with the gardeners at the Abbey.
The Exbury crosses combine all the best features of their ancestors; they have large flowers, brilliant colours, hardiness, and, quite often, beautiful scent.
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