Re: Scott Aitken's Greetings

At 02:27 PM 3/27/96 MST, Diane Whitehead wrote:
>The North American Rock Garden Society's journal, Rock Garden Quarterly, 
>is an excellent model.  Each issue has a theme, and almost every article 
>is on the theme.  The articles are authoritative and interesting.  I 
>don't know how much arm-twisting Gwen Kelaidis, the editor, has to do,

She does do some, she has a modest stipend and some help...no one ever has
enough though! More thoughts below...
 
>but it is well worth it.  Each issue is a reference book.  There is no 
>club chat, no pictures of people or descriptions of what was served at 
>the potluck.  Thoroughly plant-oriented and professional.

The rock garden group has other forums to recognize people and their efforts
and to provide inspiration and encouragement to newcomers . The NARGS does
it in a separate publication "Bulletin Board" which comes with the journal.
This may save on printing costs. In addition to this, chapter newsletters
serve as a more personalized and localized forum. 

The two Iris affiliates, SIGNA and SPCNI that I am familiar with have very
substantive bulletins. The structure of the Rock garden and the Iris groups
is so different and the respective journals reflect this. The rock garden
group does not have all the "satellite" specialty groups that the AIS has.

As a relatively new rock garden chapter editor I have become familiar with
the divergent opinions as to what people expect from any periodical. My own
editorial philosophy is to strive for a balance and include things for and
by everyone from the beginner to the old pros. May I never become too jaded
to remember and enjoy all the exiting discoveries that beginners make. Most
of all I have noticed that people are hungry for authentic observations and
practical growing tips in their national and local periodicals. I believe
that this holds true in the AIS as well. 

I like some of the friendly touch that the AIS Bulletin has and would hate
to see all of the "personalia" dissappear. It would be great to belong to
ALL of the affiliates to get more plant information.  There are the Region
Newsletters as well. I think that it is fair comment to say that in a lot of
cases rock garden people are dealing with more obscure and "new" plants.
This is not to say that there aren't challenges in the Iris world however! 

As Harry Dewey says on Alpine-l "You have to play to win". If we want a
meatier AIS Bulletin than we must be willing to contribute and to Help Terry
to have the kind of international network that Gwen has had in the NARGS. We
need to encourage people to keep records, write, and share their
observations. Forgive me, I had to get up on the soapbox just a little, but
I think this is very important.

Scott, I am glad to hear that you are going to change the type size!
All the Best, Louise





Louise H. Parsons  <parsont@peak.org>
1915 SE Stone St.
Corvallis, OR 97333  USA
USDA zone 7 , Emerald NARGS, AIS, SIGNA, SPCNI, transplanted Oregrowian
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