The Azalea roller coaster The AZALEAS are SAVED! or ARE THEY?
Ever watch a cheesy horror movie where the killer keeps coming back, despite having been killed, almost for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time? Just when the pretty girl (it's ALWAYS a pretty girl, by this time with her shoulders bare) sits down for a well deserved rest, there's the killer again!
Well that's Arb management!
Insert Scary music here...
"We also identify the need--regardless of our future budget
situation--to de-accession portions of the extensive Glenn Dale Hillside
azalea collection. Though among the most popular seasonal attractions
at the National Arboretum, these azaleas are for the most part
undocumented plant material for which we as principally a scientific
organization cannot justify long-term maintenance with public funds and
limited private support. According to the long range plan, the azaleas
of unknown pedigree (about 25 percent of the collection) would be
removed--with some germplasm preserved and distributed- and the space they occupied replanted with documented azaleas. If funding or
assistance does not become available, native trees or meadow plants will
be planted to restore the area. As funding becomes available, we will
use this space to plant pedigreed Glenn Dale azaleas, organized in a way
that also will be aesthetically pleasing and make the most use of the
(future) limited gardening staff availability. Most removals are
expected to take place no sooner than late summer or early fall of 2011."
I'd like to compliment Dr. Jordan from whose letter to Senator Warner this was taken, on the correct use of the word "regardless" - the use of "irregardless" is redundant in my opinion and poor grammar.
Basically he's saying we're killing 25% of collection even if we get massive DOD style funding.
Obviously, removing azaleas in the fall is the easy way to kill them, the public will not look at them until the spring. Of course , new plantings will not root, so there will be erosion questions during the winter season, and then the question of watering in the new azaleas, and dealing with the disappointed spring public. (the older, undocumented azaleas are the biggest and provide the best show, and require the least water)
Wrap that bloody t-shirt around yourself and let's drive a stake through the heart of this thing! Save the azaleas!