An Outstanding Rhododendron Garden Tour | Aptos

Submitted by the Event Organizer

On Sunday, April 8, 2018 at 1 PM, the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will feature a tour of the Monte Toyon Garden of Maury and Fran Sumner, that is located at the Monte Toyon Camp and Conference Center, 220 Cloister Lane, Aptos.

From the parking lot located in the area of 36°59’46.7″N 121°53’51.5″W, please walk up the trail to the Observation Platform of the Rhododendron Garden, which is located at the top of the hill.
The tour will be led by Mike McCullough, who knew the Sumners from 1975 until they died.
The Sumners lived in San Francisco, but in order to test and display their hybrids such as the Maddenii Series rhododendrons My Lady, My Guy, Mi Amor, Saffron Prince, Martha Wright and Owen Pierce; and to grow other rhododendrons, in the 1950s they established the three acre Monte Toyon Rhododendron Garden in Aptos.

Information on the rhododendrons of Maurie and Fran Sumner can be found here:
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v47n4/v47n4-morebeck.htm
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v53n4/v53n4-steinbruner.htm
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v20n3/v20n3-californiashow.htm
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v22n3/v22n3-osborn.htm

Sumner Garden of Rhododendrons

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Affair-Fran-Maurie/dp/0881971006

Information on what the tour would be like can be found here: http://www.imagesforrenewal.com/weekly-image/ravishing-rhododendrons/
Hopefully the early blooming Sumner hybrids My Lady, Fran Sumner, Saffron Prince, Martha Wright, and Owen Pierce, shall be in bloom; as well as rhododendrons such as the Maddenii Series species Rhododendron cubittii, the Maddenii series hybrid Else Frye and several Grande Series rhododendrons, such as Rhododendron grande, Rhododendron macabeanum, and Rhododendron magnificum.
Grande series species are noted for their large leaves.
http://www.hirsutum.info/rhododendron/species/detail.php?id=464&start=G&show=partial
http://www.hirsutum.info/rhododendron/species/detail.php?id=466&start=M&show=partial
http://www.hirsutum.info/rhododendron/species/detail.php?id=467&start=M&show=partial
Some of the, Grande series and other species were grown from seed from England and other areas.
There is no charge for admission.

Information on the Monterey Bay Chapter, and the rest of the American Rhododendron Society can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/MontBayARS/
https://www.rhododendron.org
https://www.rhododendron.org/membership.htm

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.