drawing of Columbine flower
Home
Activities
Articles
Business
Members
Calendar
Join
Links

Salem Hardy Plant Society
Activities

Policy on use of Personal Names
Names and telephone numbers of SHPS Members will be not be listed on the SHPS WEB pages.

MONTHLY PROGRAMS -- Illustrated lectures on various subjects and demonstrations by experts form the basis of the monthly meetings held on the first Tuesday of every month from October through May. Informal discussions cover a wide range of topics from rare plant cultivars to schemes to deter predators such as deer and slugs. Time is provided for refreshments and conversations between gardeners. A plant raffle or auction is a highlight of the meetings.

SUMMER PICNICS -- Potluck picnics are held at members' gardens from June through September; these are times to enjoy the gardens as well as share ideas and experiences with other members.
NEWSLETTER -- A monthly newsletter keeps members informed about the activities of the Society. Members are encouraged to contribute information, news and articles.
NURSERY VISITS -- Visits to specialist nurseries and unique gardens in the area or further afield are arranged several times a year.
ANNUAL PLANT SALE -- A plant sale each September provides an opportunity to find unusual plants. The plant sales include specialist nursery vendors.
PLANT EXCHANGE & SEED EXCHANGE -- Members share with each other when they have extras. They also help each other by providing information about sources for plants and seeds.
OPEN GARDENS -- From April through September informal visits are scheduled at members' gardens and other private gardens in the greater Salem area.
Members will sometimes open their gardens for non-scheduled visits; you MUST make arrangements before going. A sample guideline for visits adapted from the Handbook of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society, NARGS, is reprinted here:
  • Never arrive unannounced - this is the one inflexible rule.
  • No matter how gracious the garden host, never overstay your welcome; garden visits take time away from gardening.
  • Offer favorable comments when merited, and advice when asked. If you do indeed possess the secret to growing a difficult species, share it, but "It's a weed for me" is neither complimentary to your host nor very enlightening.
  • In the matter of gifts for the garden host, if you wish to avoid bringing coals to Newcastle, or the very plant that was just edited out of the garden, consider home-made edibles.
  • Never remove anything without asking. What may seem a weed to you, may be your host's intentional choice, or insects may be a part of your host's overall garden management plan. However, seeds or cuttings may be shared by the host at your request.
  • A thank-you note after the visit is always appreciated.

Hardy Plant Society History

In 1956 the Hardy Plant Society of Great Britain was formed in recognition of the need for a society devoted to the study, conservation and promotion of hardy herbaceous plants. A principal objective of the Society was and continues to be to ensure that the older, rarer and lesser-known hardy plants are conserved and made available to gardeners. Gardeners in the Pacific Northwest joined the British Hardy Plant Society but recognized the need for a local organization. With help and encouragement from members of the British Hardy Plant Society, study weekends were held in 1982 in Edmonds, Washington and in 1984 in Portland; the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon was thus formed in 1987.

In response to a growing interest by Salem members of the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon and their desire to have meetings and activities "closer to home" the Salem Hardy Plant Society was formed in 1997. Although the Salem Hardy Plant Society has roots in the other hardy plant societies and has similar objectives, it is a separate organization.

Return to top.
Copyright © 1998-2007 SHPS.
For more information, e-mail: info@SalemHardyPlant.org
This page was last updated
Friday, 27-July-2007