Rock Garden Quarterly

New stuff?  That's exciting!  And I'm looking forward to it, whatever it might be.

Proofs are signed off now with Allen Press and I hope that members will start receiving the Quarterly in the first week in October!

malcolm

Quarterly is now printed and is being posted out from Allen Press in Kansas so you should be getting it pretty soon. I've had an advance copy and there are no obvious disasters so I'm much relieved! 

Malcolm

I got my copy today!

Congratulation, Malcolm, with a very fine magazine. I like the new format, especially with more pictures accompanying the articles.

A very fine edition.  The format provides a less "academic" feel.  I think it will be especially well received by newer members.  I remember when I first joined:  Dianthus deltoides (for example) didn't mean a thing to me.  Having a picture right there with an article sure makes the pros a lot more inviting to read.  And color throughout the Quarterly makes you want to peak at what all else is there!

Bravo!

Really good that many people have now got the Quarterly and the responses have been very positive. Glad you like the use of pictures and what Rick says is exactly what I was trying to do so that is really good. I want to give the Quarterly a friendly feel which makes beginners feel comfortable and at the same time manage to include properly sophisticated articles.

Thanks to Trond and Rick for posting their congrats and to everyone else who has been in touch - do feel free - I will try and respond to ideas that are offered.

Oh that we could get ours as quickly on this side of the pond?  :D  I can't wait!

That's one of the things I'm really keen to monitor Cliff so that I know just how long it takes to get to people in different places. Hope it arrives soon.

It's not just the pond Cliff, it's also the mountains and rivers.  No sign of the Quarterly yet here in Western Canada.  Mind you, once Canada Post takes on its part of the delivery chain, canoes do sometimes sink in the rapids.

No sign of the quarterly here either, although I was at a Berkshire Chapter NARGS meeting today, and a number of other NARGS members in Massachusetts got their copies.  I still have my NARGS renewal invoice to pay, it's been here for a few weeks, maybe that is holding things up?  Although I've been a member for almost 40 years, so hopefully the issue is just slowness with the mail.

I shouldn't think it is that your membership has lapsed (altho you could check with Bobby Ward) since the order that people receive the Quarterly seems pretty random. I'm going to enquire of Allen Press sometime about the dispatch process to try and find out why there are such discrepancies.

Hi Malcolm,
I'll try to remember to let you know when it turns up down here!
cheers
fermi

That would be good fermi - and I haven't received my normal membership copy yet either.

Still haven't gotten mine :(

Mine arrived today, only had a chance to quickly flip though it; I like the fresh new look inside.  Will give it a proper read through tonight.

The new Quarterly arrived in Lancashire this morning, a super read Malcolm, hearty congratulations.

Got mine today!  The  new look is very nice... will start reading soon!

The RGQ has finally made it west of the Canadian Rockies.  It was entrusted to Canada Post in Niagara Falls; probably trucked there from the US to avoid international postal costs.

The layout is excellent and I like the emphasis on actual rock gardening which gives the RGQ a distinctive flavour.  Great job Malcolm.  :D  I suspect plaudits are also due to the NARGS Board for approving the additional printing costs with the use of colour throughout.

It arrived yesterday!
Looks excellent and worth the wait! I'll be reading it while on holiday!
cheers
fermi

I want to start by thanking all those who've posted such positive comments about the way the Quarterly looks and the range of content - more updates for the next issue which I'm deep into now - since the weather here has turned into winter - cold, wet hail this morning and this evening I'm driving a 90 miles across the North Yorkshire Moors to do a presentation - working on the new issue is a really good indoor activity.

The other main run of comments is about delivery time - seems that it takes about three weeks for it to progress from Lawrence, Kansas, to the furthest corners of the US - real snail mail! And to most of Canada and Europe (UK at least) much the same. Canadians copies I understand to be freighted to Canada in a batch before being individually dispatched on. So far Fermi, you hold the record with a five-and-a-half week delivery but then at least it feels like it's a good long distance delivery, and we all envy you being well on into spring. I do know that Todd (October 12th) finally got his copy (and a personal contributor's copy) just before he set off to South Africa. Anyway Membership Secretary Bobby Ward and I are keeping in touch with Allen Press about the process. Their statement to us was that 15 working days should see all US copies delivered. My objective is to have each issue ready for dispatch two months after the deadline date, so for the next issue, deadline was November 1st, and dispatch should be by January 1st. If its ready early that's a bonus but that is my target date.

One last thing to ckarify - going back to a comment by David Sellars (Oct 20th) the Fall issue was managed to come in at the same cost as the average of the previous four issues - 80 pages made up of 32+32+16 being a very cost-efficient form. But with the donations from last year toward more color and pages in the Quarterly it gives me the financial space to make some more changes which will be obvious with the Winter issue - then the only problem is to keep it up !

I finished reading the Quarterly on the plane back from India.
An excellent issue and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next!
I think the personal stories about using the Seedex were exactly what would encourage others to participate.
cheers
fermi

PLeased you liked the Seedex article - I thought it came out well - hope it does have that effect!

The new issue is now in the post and people should start receiving it pretty soon now - before New Year I anticipate. It seems to take about three weeks from the first person tot he last person in the US, Canada only seems to be a few days behind that.

The printer is very efficient at getting things from me signing the issue off (when I finally say it's ready to print) and actually getting it into the post - no more than ten days. Apart from actually editing the articles, and doing the photo layouts (much of which obviously is well under way before the deadline) the most time-consuming (and unnerving) thing is color-balancing the photos for printing. The nature of the process always makes this a problem stage but I'm not unhappy with what has come through the process. And some of the photographs sent to me are so good that they deserve the very best its possible to give them.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - we've now had snow on the ground since 25th November with only about two days when we saw that the was grass and other things under the snow! Just hope the airports are open in Manchester, Chicago and DC so we can get to Washington for our New Year visit to our elder son and family. Last year it was Christmas when we came over and all three airports we used had been closed by snow two or three days before we travelled but had re-opened, do we're keeping our fingers crossed.

First couple of messages from people that they have now received the Quarterly - Phyllis Gustafson in southern Oregon and Mark McDonough in Massachusetts.  Its rather like waiting for your seeds to germinate - but at least you know that it should be in the next couple of weeks.

Happy New Year

Got my RGQ yesterday. The whole thing is just beautiful.
I have one small complaint, though. Photographs of rosulate violas awaken my otherwise dormant acquisitive instinct, and perhaps next time an article like this is published, a small packet (say 1Kg) of seed could accompany the quarterly? You wouldn't have to send seed out to every NARGS member, just one.

Bob

Beautiful!! I've already read it twice, and I'm still not satiated. Many thanks to our new editor for his exemplary product. We now have one very substantial reason to join NARGS. 4 issues like this one are worth the price of admission all by themselves. Thank you.

I got my Q yesterday and have inhaled every word! Well done!! Love the photos throughout and the articles are so interesting & well written. Keep up the good work!

Hasn't arrived in SE Pennsylvania yet but then it takes two weeks for something from Denver to get here so we shall be patient!!!

Got my RGQ today here in Minnesota.  Now I see what all the hubbub is about!

Most Excellent!  I haven't actually read anything yet, but it is so enticing....
I want to read it during my hour lunches at work, but I don't know if I can wait that long!

Great to know the Quarterly is spreading out - heard from Sue Olsen in Bellevue, WA, that its got to her, so its getting around. And its really nice that people like the new format. Hope its going to start arriving in Europe in the next week.

I just received my NARGS journal last week and have to say all the changes have made for an awesome read.  Absolutely nothing to dislike.

Great work to everyone involved.
Norm

Hi Norm:  As a rather old "newbie", welcome.  Guess, since you have already received the Quarterly, mine shouldn't be long in coming either.  I too like the new format - the old one was great as well but sometimes  a change is refreshing, both for editors and recipients.  Am amazed at all the volunteer work that goes into these things.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

Hello Norm,
Glad to see you here as well.
Hope you find the forum as informative as I do!

Just curious if anybody on the East Coast has received a copy yet.  I was hoping to get it before we get snowed in and the USPS decides to not run!

Mary Ann, I just got mine towards end of last week.  Yours must be on the way.

Not arrived in northern England yet Malcolm.

My own copy hasn't arrived this side of the Pennines either, Cliff - but now I'm starting to expect it any day !

And for Mary Ann and Chuck - on the East Coast of US Bill Brown on Long Island has got it a couple of days ago  -and he's often a late arrival. So it can't be long.

I haven't got mine either. Have been looking for it the last weeks!

I finally got mine on Jan. 13 - lots of interesting reading!  I like the new format - very fresh and colourful, and it is especially nice to have photos within the articles.

Good to know its got to you Lori. And that you liked it.

Still no sign that it has arrived in Europe (including UK) - you're not the only one Trond - hope its close.

My copy arrived last Friday (14th) and it's been a great weekend read! I find the new format with pictures throughout very reader friendly. Thanks for all the hard work!

Hasn't made it to Australia yet (at least not to Central Victoria)
cheers
fermi

Hi Malcolm,
No sign of my Quarterly yet, but I have been informed that a member just north of me received hers two days ago.

My personal copy has arrived this morning so yours should be there any time. Copies left Allen Press on December 17th (for everywhere) so we are obviously all at the whim of US and international postal services. I always used to reckon that it took up to six weeks for my copy to arrive in England after the nominal publication date. Doesn't seem to be quite that long - and this was a difficult issue to judge by because of Christmas and New Year. Apparently foreign copies go to Chicago where they are sent overseas in country batches (perhaps only twice a week) and only then split up and sent on individually.

Got it ;D  Marvellous, the magazine I mean.

It arrived today Malcolm ... I couldn't possibly comment on the contents.  ;D ;D ;D

Booker wrote:

It arrived today Malcolm ... I couldn't possibly comment on the contents.   ;D ;D ;D

Well, I can Cliff! Now that I have had time to take a look.
Congratulation with your pictures. But I have to say: That was no big surprise :o :D

Many thanks Trond ... much appreciated.

My copy arrived on Monday 24th January - I like the new look and the content is great!
A friend in Melbourne (Cynthia Sladen) received her copy on Tuesday - usually the post to us is a day behind.
cheers
fermi

Just a thought folks ... why are there no references to, or PDF samples of, the Rock Garden Quarterly on the NARGS main website?
Surely these splendid journals are one of the prime incentives for joining our wonderful society and yet they barely merit a mention on the current site.
Specimen back copies should be downloadable and sample pages of the latest Quarterly should be featured prominently on their own page.

Just got back last night from family visiting so it's not that I've been ignoring comments - just away.

Really pleased that it's got to you Fermi - and that you liked it so much - it only seems to take about a week longer to get to Australia than the UK which is quite encouraging. And I hope that the next one will get from dispatch to members rather quicker since Christmas won't be a factor.

I quite agree Cliff about posting some pages etc from the Quarterly but I've been waiting for members to get their copies first - I wanted people to see it first when it arrived through their letter boxes rather than on the website. Hope to get some of that posting done this week. As far as downloadable back issues NARGS is looking to digitize past issues and that's a whole different job. But some pdfs of this last issue will be appearing. And then after each issue I'll post some elements once it has reached members.

Many thanks Malcolm.  My comments weren't in any way a criticism, more a stimulus to promote these wonderful journals.

... and I took it that way Cliff - sorry if it sounded like anything else !!

Just to let people know that I haven't forgotten that I said I'd put up some parts of the Quarterly on the website for those who aren't members. Took a little while to get permission from AdCom and now I'm knee-deep in the spring issue but I will get to it - promise.

Haven't managed to get parts of the winter issue posted on the site yet (but new webmaster Chris and I have started discussing it). But if I haven't managed that I have just managed to get the proofs finalized with Allen Press - so the spring issue should be dispatched on or before March 25th if no unexpected problems crop up.

Allen Press have now dispatched copies of the Spring issue of the Quarterly so it is even now winging or crawling its way across North America and the rest of the world. I reckon it looks pretty good and the only mistake I've noticed is an error in my own email address which is correct in my profile here and was correct in the previous issue. Had to revise the page (back of Contents page) to meet up with USPS regulations and have obviously managed to create the error then.

Anyway - it's in the post!

Rather staggered to hear that Len Lehman in Pennsylvania had his copy at the end of last week (less than a week from dispatch in Kansas). Maybe post is quicker this time since we're not up against Christmas this time.

McGregor wrote:

Rather staggered to hear that Len Lehman in Pennsylvania had his copy at the end of last week (less than a week from dispatch in Kansas). Maybe post is quicker this time since we're not up against Christmas this time.

Panayoti mentioned to me that he got his yesterday; haven't seen my copy yet but I patiently await its arrival.

Mark

As a contributor you have some extra copies coming your way from Bobby Ward as well as your own member's copy. Interesting to know which arrive first.

Got mine today.

McGregor wrote:

Mark

As a contributor you have some extra copies coming your way from Bobby Ward as well as your own member's copy. Interesting to know which arrive first.

I received my "extra copies" package today with 4 extra copies; I read all four ;D  Haven't received the member's copy yet.  The quarterly looks great; I really like the unlikely image you selected for the cover, the verticality of the selected Allium species works particularly well with the layout, all personal bias aside ;)  I've only had a chance to skim so far, but want to dig into the article on "Papercrete" troughs.

Glad the cover appeals - its always good to have an image that works (thank you for that) and that's relevant to one of the main articles inside.

Got mine today!

Seems to be as pleasant as the last one!
I am looking forward to read about your beloved onions, Mark! - and a nice photo on the front cover ;D

You did really well Trond - I don't know who has yet got it in the UK. But it got to you really quickly which is great.

Mine arrived also a couple of days ago, but got added to my growing pile of "no time to read" magazines - glad I read this (as an Allium fan) - have to retrieve it now...

S.

Not yet arrived in North East Scotland but I know how long the SRGC journal can take to travel over the pond in the other direction so patience is needed! :)

Not reached rural Lancashire yet either ... but the Pony Express use three-legged yaks here!  :D

Booker wrote:

Not reached rural Lancashire yet either ... but the Pony Express use three-legged yaks here!   :D

I'm a little hard of hearing, Do you say tree-legged, isn't that an improvement?

Arrived here at the bottom of civilization a day or two ago...... :D

Cheers Dave.

Looks like UK and Australia to go - yours did really well Dave. Hope to get down to your area this next January - maybe we can meet up.

And I'm glad the Allium article grabbed you Stephen - every time I edit an article about an article from a real enthusiast about almost any group of plants I want to grow them. So I got more Allium seed from the Surplus Seed distribution (as well as rosulate viola seed which I'm trying to germinate after the article about them) .... and anyway, I'm fascinated by what an extreme salad is .... and what's your avatar/picture?

As far as UK is concerned - it seems to take about 3 weeks away from Christmas - so you might just get it before the International Ian & Maggi, and Cliff.

McGregor wrote:

Looks like UK and Australia to go - yours did really well Dave. Hope to get down to your area this next January - maybe we can meet up.

That would be really great Malcolm.

Please let me know closer to the time of your plans.

Cheers Dave.

The RGQ arrived on the west coast of Canada today.  Beautiful layout and photos making it very attractive to pick up and dip into.

Got  mine today too.  Another very compelling issue!  Great job to all involved!

Hurray... it is just past eleven o'clock in the morning and the Rock Garden Quarterly has just dropped on the mat in Aberdeen, north East Scotland.... perfect timing...Ian is out giving a talk so no competition for the magazine... off to rip open the envelope and enjoy  browsing it with my coffee  ;D :)

Looks like north-east Scotland is ahead of England for deliveries!

It turned up in my post shortly after posting the last comment - of course!

McGregor wrote:

It turned up in my post shortly after posting the last comment - of course!

We must have the same postman, Malcolm ...  :D

Sorry not to have been in touch with people here - but along with Cliff and Fermi and quite a few others we were meeting up at the 8th International Rock Garden Conference in Nottingham, UK. Great sweep of lectures by a swathe of world experts. Lots of NARGS members were there so I'm sure the news about the event will filter through to people in a whole host of ways.

Anyway I'm now working on the next issue although the deadline for stuff is not quite yet as I'm traveling a bit in May and then over to the Annual in NH in June - really looking forward to meeting up with everyone. Don't think people will quite have the Quarterly before the Annual but it should be with them pretty quickly after they get back.

Just home from the Alpines 2011 Conference in Nottingham and we were delighted to meet so many new North American friends there, including the charming NARGS Vice President, Maria Galletti and "astragalus" Anne Spiegl- what a great time we had.

..... and Ian gave a great presentation based on his garden and the growing principles behind it - enthusiasm radiated from the stage !

McGregor wrote:

..... and Ian gave a great presentation based on his garden and the growing principles behind it - enthusiasm radiated from the stage !

I would concur Malcolm ... a virtuoso performance that should have been videoed for posterity!  Many thanks Ian.

Just to keep people in touch with progress - the latest Quarterly is now at the printers being proofed and will finally be signed off immediately after the Annual so the new Officers and Board members elected will be listed. Should be in the post by July 6th.

We are now on our third account manager in four issues since I took over - not my fault honestly - but I'm hoping that we can get the sort of output we are looking for.

As anticipated the Fall issue of the Quarterly went into the post in Kansas yesterday (July 6th) - it's always good to know that it is on it's way to people just as I'm starting to work on the next issue. In response to feedback I have tried with the printer to address the problem of rather low key color and density. Hope the results please you. I'm pretty happy with it.

I'll keep an eye out for it over the next few weeks! ;D
We only just received the latest UK Journal (AGS Bulletin - The Alpine Gardener) which had arrived in the UK at least a week ago.
cheers
fermi

I just received my copy of the Quarterly. I've gone through it quickly, but it is obviously the best one in years. The photographic quality is excellent, the articles are interesting and varied, and it appears to have something for everyone. I would like to continue having at least one article specifically for beginners, featuring plants that can be grown in rock gardens, but which are both easy and 'safe.' Safe, by the way, means 'non-invasive,' a category which often is overlooked by beginners, who seeking immediate success, often have to resort to the utilization of herbicide to remove the thug that has taken over their garden!

I'm pleased that we now have a Journal that can honestly be described as a BENEFIT of NARGS membership, and which by itself is worth the price a year's membership. Thank you, Malcolm, and continue to make it better!

McGregor wrote:

As anticipated the Fall issue of the Quarterly went into the post in Kansas yesterday (July 6th) - it's always good to know that it is on it's way to people just as I'm starting to work on the next issue. In response to feedback I have tried with the printer to address the problem of rather low key color and density. Hope the results please you. I'm pretty happy with it.

I don't know about the fall issue, but I did receive my advance copies of the Summer issue as a contributing author ;) and still waiting for my regular copy.  It is indeed a good issue; love the cover, and a well balanced range of articles inside (not that I'm the slightest bit biased :P ;)).

While the photo taken by Kurt Vickery of Allium atrosanguineum used in my article shows a lovely meadow of this allium in a tall form intermixed with choice company, I must point out a couple fantastic photographs of Allium atrosanguineum in a compact floriferous form taken in Kazakhstan by Oron Peri, shown on the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum, see it the following links.  Also shown is the bright yellow form A. atrosanguineum var. fedtschenkoanum.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7511.0
...direct photo links:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7511.0;attach...
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7511.0;attach...

Well spotted Mark - now the summer issue is in the post I'm starting work on the fall issue - sorry about that.

NARGS Journal just arrived here in North East Scotland.
A super issue with all sorts of goodies... well done Malcolm and all the authors.  8)

And my own copy has now arrived in the post with all the extras for the seed exchange. This year I'm going to make every effort not to lose the forms that are needed - already collected some seed and will make the effort to package it up properly and post it off in good time with all the paperwork.

Looking at the latest copy after a couple of weeks break it really does look like we are starting to get somewhere with the reproduction of photographs - this time both color and the density of the pictures seem to be what I've been aiming for. And with the quality of the pictures that people submit I feel that high-quality printing is vital. This time there were some great pictures from Yoko Arakawa that really needed the improved quality to show just how good they were, a range of pictures for the Allium article and thanks to all the photographers, and I was really happy with the way that Lori Chips's drawings came out, and the pics in Marilyn Farr's article on the Picos de Europa.

Now all we have to do is try and maintain the same high standard for the Fall issue - among other things there will be the second part of Stephanie Ferguson's article focussing on some of the stunning plants she's growing.

It's not here yet!  What sense does that make?  Perhaps it is backlogged by the recent though very brief postal strike.

Sorry for that Lori. Not sure what the normal time is for it to get to Calgary but it was posted out on the 6th and usually most people have it inside three weeks. So I'd expect it to arrive in the next few days.

Our copy arrived yesterday - Yay!
Another interesting read awits!
cheers
fermi

The fall issue of the Quarterly is now in the post (well done again to Allen Press) - so members should be receiving it over the next three weeks. Nice to get it out by the end of September which is on target. And we have a few days of heatwave - hotter than it has been all summer!

As always there are some great pictures in the Quarterly - Stephanie Ferguson gives us the second part of her account of her magnificent crevice garden with pictures of some stunning plants. And among other nice contributions: Rock Gardening from Scratch is about planting containers, David Sellars writes about building a tufa cliff, and Doris Taggart discusses some of the plants that can be seen in the Columbia River Gorge in March (just in time for the Annual Meeting in WA).

Pretty cover as well!

Enjoy
- Malcolm

And for those who wonder what I do the rest of the time - I've been getting my adult students started on their literature course over the last three weeks, and preparing presentations for the Mason-Dixon Chapter on October 15th and two presentations for the New York tri-state meeting on October 16th. Hope to meet up with many of you at one or other of those events.

M

McGregor wrote:

...and Doris Taggart discusses some of the plants that can be seen in the Columbia River Gorge in March (just in time for the Annual Meeting in WA).

Thanks Malcolm for your continued Herculean efforts!

Now I'm anxious to see if the very rare Allium robinsonii will be among those plants featured from the Columbia River Gorge.
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?ID=2438 
http://web.ewu.edu/ewflora/Liliaceae/Allium%20robinsonii.html
...this image show the habitat, growing in pure sand, amongst scattered rocks of black basalt:
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/imagelarge...

Back in the 1980s I spent a lot of time looking for this rarity, and found it growing among "sand benches", low flat areas just above the high water mark, sharing company with Salvia dorrii
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?ID=2372
...and delightful Erigeron poliospermus:
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?ID=444
http://www.wnps.org/plants/erigeron_poliospermus.html

Magnificent scenery and plants in Columbia River Gorge :D

Links above have been fixed! - MMcD

We may not always say it Malcolm, but yours (and everyone else's) integral involvement in NARGS never goes unnoticed!

Thank you!

Sorry Mark - those aren't mentioned (and your links are all identical which makes life more difficult) but if you fancy writing a note on them for the Quarterly as an addition to the piece by Doris please feel free. I'm looking forward to seeing the spring flowers in the CRG - only been there much later.

And thanks Rick & Mark - we all love hearing that people are happy with what we're doing.

McGregor wrote:

Sorry Mark - those aren't mentioned (and your links are all identical which makes life more difficult) but if you fancy writing a note on them for the Quarterly as an addition to the piece by Doris please feel free. I'm looking forward to seeing the spring flowers in the CRG - only been there much later.

Links in my response above have been fixed!  - Mark

Just been and looked at the links and Allium robinsonii looks great - unfortunately it's probably not going to be in flower in March but what a stunner!

McGregor wrote:

Just been and looked at the links and Allium robinsonii looks great - unfortunately it's probably not going to be in flower in March but what a stunner!

Back in the day, in the mid 1980s, I sent bulbs to Kew; I wonder if they still have it in their collection?

That sounds like you don't still have it.

Got my copy today :D Then I know what to do this weekend. . . .

Mine came in the mail yesterday.  Woo hoo!

RickR wrote:

Mine came in the mail yesterday.  Woo hoo!

No sign of mine yet!  Boo hoo!

Got mine a few days ago, read through the first evening.  One correction on the article about the Mt. Washington trip, Arthur Haines book is tittled Flora Novae angleae, not The Flora of New England , and is available now.

Quarterly arrived yesterday in North East Scotland -  don't know when we'll get the time to read it..... but it's here!

IMYoung wrote:

Quarterly arrived yesterday in North East Scotland -  don't know when we'll get the time to read it..... but it's here!

Do we have the same postman Maggi ... it must be quite a walk!!!  :D

I am really enjoying reading through the latest Rock Garden Quarterly. So many great plants and gardens. What a wonder to grow Eritrichium nanum in the garden for ten years!! The borages are a favourite family of mine (but so are quite a few others!) but I have never seen Cynoglossom magellense; it looks quite a plant. David Sellars 'Tufa Cliff' is especially appealing because a project like this has been on my mind for a long time. Many thanks.

Once again, I am still waiting to receive mine - odd that it should get to the UK from a mailing in the US before it gets to Alberta, but who knows how these things work?  ???  
It sounds like another great issue!

If it's any consolation Lori, I have received my copy yet either.

I received mine today, and I can see I'll be having a go at it as bedtime reading tonight.
It is a real treat!

The RGQ arrived yesterday in Central Victoria, Australia!
Looks like a cracker issue especially Stephanie's article on their new crevice garden!
cheers
fermi

I finally got my Rock Garden Quarterly, a truely inspiring edition!  I finally realized why mine was so late, my membership expired a couple months back, a mailed renewal notice was buried in a messy pile of bills, papers, notes, and correspondance that always get the better of me.  Thanks to Bobby Ward's reminder email messages, with instructions of paying/renewing online through the NARGS.ORG website, I easily renewed my membership.  But I thank whomever decided to send me my latest Rock Garden Quarterly in spite of my late and overdue renewal.

The winter issue of the Quarterly is now in the post from Allen Press in Kansas which means that at least a fair number of people will be receiving their copies between Christmas and New Year and the vast majority by the end of the first week in January. That said, last year things did not go so smoothly, whether because of seasonal delays or whatever I do not know. So bear with us - we're doing our best - a first reaction is "Great issue.  Great authors!".

IN the middle of all the woe (about the SeedEx) I'm happy to report that the QUarterly has started to arrive with the first report that's come my way being from Ohio. Hope so many more of you will have it by Christmas and again many many more before New Year.

I just got mine, too! Woo hoo! :D

And I've been meaning to post that mine came Monday (day before yesterday).

I have only been able to quickly page through the photos, and the article "A Prairie in Illinois" has a wad of most excellent pictures.  Just try to take good in situ photos showing off particular prairie species all among other plants, I dare you...

And I can hardly wait to see what "Seed Crimes" is all about...

Great job (as usual) to everyone involved!

Thanks Rick (and Saori) - it's always good to get to know that it's arriving and any compliments are always gratefully received.

Mine arrived today in northern New Mexico. I've only read the first couple articles, but it looks like an excellent issue!

So, have other Albertans received this issue by now?  Mine seems to have gone adrift somewhere.

Lori wrote:

So, have other Albertans received this issue by now?  Mine seems to have gone adrift somewhere.

Well, if it's any consolation, haven't received mine on the eastern side of North America either.

Haven't received mine either, didn't check the mailbox on Friday but tomorrow we'll see. Good old Canada Post, yes, I think they're still catching up with Christmas leftovers....

Well, that's good to hear...  I suppose.  
I always wonder, when things seem to go astray, whether they have been delivered to the wrong house.  Believe it or not, there are two other houses a few blocks down the street that have the same house number as ours - both of them are corner houses and they have their house numbers facing onto the avenue, rather than on to the street as they should be, so their addresses are often mistaken for ours.  
The regular postal carriers know the neighborhood, and are rarely fooled by this.  (Parcel delivery folks are often misled, though... the residents  at these addresses are very kind in bringing misdelivered parcels to us a few times a year... but it would be easier for them and us if they'd just move their damn house numbers to the street side of their houses!  >:()  

... And it hasn't crossed the Atlantic yet (although, upon reflection, it probably has and is now lying in the bottom of a sack in a remote sorting office in rural Wales)!  :D

I'm hoping (it's not a lot more than hoping tho) that people will get their Quarterly by January 7th. That was my target. Canada seems to be on a similar timescale to us in the UK - last time I think it appeared in Australia before it got here.

Hope you all don't have to wait too long and that you feel it's worth the wait when it does come.

Very best and Happy New Year to everyone

I just got mine today and I can hardly wait to dig in and enjoy it. 

Lori that has to be terribly annoying that the neighbours down the street don't have the house numbers where they should be.  Way too easy for mail to go astray.
Hope you get your Quarterly asap!
Faith

.... and it's got to England today as well ...

Have not got mine although earlier copies have arrived rather quickly here. But I am still waiting for some Christmas cards too.

I got mine on Vancouver Island yesterday - enjoying it a lot.  Lori hope you get yours soon - the island usually takes a lot longer to deliver than Calgary - island time and all that.

Got mine yesterday too, and have spent some very enjoyable time browsing through it.  The new layout is great - very bright and new!

Mine also arrived on Jan. 6......super layout!  Well done Malcolm!

Still waiting for mine  :(

So do I ???

RGQ arrived here in Aberdeen today.

But.... I haven't had time to read the last one properly yet..... :(

RGQ arrived in Central Victoria yesterday! Yay! (Cynthia in Melbourne told me her copy arrived the day before)
Excellent edition and I must see is Peter George has started a thread about his "We are Luddites" article!
cheers
fermi

Am enjoying the latest Quarterly - notably Lori Chips article on 'Seed Crimes' and Bobby Ward's 'Bookshelf'. I like Lori's comment about 'chipping' legume seed and keeping small seed in the packet; I've never thought of this! Large seed like Erythrina and Sophora secundiflora have the opposite problem, it takes half an hour to file through the seed coat! Bobby Ward's article was especially interesting because I know a little of nature writing from the States and such a subject rarely crops up in the AGS Bulletin. It provides a perspective on the plants we grow and our environment which I find very enlightening. I would love to hear more about figures like Claude Barr, Lincoln Foster and more recently Wayne Roderick.

I'm starting to worry that my NARGS Quarterly isn't going to show up.  For the last quarterly edition, my NARGS membership renewal was languishing in a heap of paperwork, probably why I hadn't received the quarterly at that time, but upon renewing membership online at the NARGS web site, my copy duly arrived. Any one else out there not received the latest NARGS Quarterly yet?

Me! I haven't got mine either - think I have remembered renewing my membership but now I wonder ??? ???
Stephen, have you gotten yours?

Mine hasn't arrived either yet. But it usually takes at least four weeks to get here .....

Mark, Trond, Jenny

You were all on the mailing list for the latest issue so your copy should be crawling towards you. I would like to say I understand why some people get their's quickly and others take so long but I can't. It baffles me why some people have to wait so long.

Very best

Malcolm

McGregor wrote:

Mark, Trond, Jenny

You were all on the mailing list for the latest issue so your copy should be crawling towards you. I would like to say I understand why some people get their's quickly and others take so long but I can't. It baffles me why some people have to wait so long.

Very best

Malcolm

Glad to hear I'm on the list! The previous issues have come rather quickly so it's therefore I am anxious :-\

Thanks for checking, Malcolm. January's always the time when I start to wonder if I've renewed my membership while waiting for the journal. Good to know that it's on the way!

Got it! Rather late but not less!

Hooray!!!!    :D :D :D

Wainwright wrote:

January's always the time when I start to wonder if I've renewed my membership while waiting for the journal.

Being forgetful of renewing was a big incentive in my taking out Life membership :rolleyes:
Apart from the fact that I saw it as a nice "farewell" present to myself when I left the USA to return to live in Australia - on a much reduced wage ;D
cheers
fermi

That's a good suggestion, Fermi. If the Euro hasn't disappeared down the plug hole by the end of the year, perhaps I'll treat myself to life membership.

Hooray! My RGQ arrived today. Great layout and lots of interesting articles.

New issue of the Quarterly (Spring 2012) has been dispatched to members from Allen Press in Kansas. Managed to get the whole thing completed, layouts, proofreading, color proofing etc before we set off for the Annual Meeting in Everett - so it's on its way!!

We just got back to the UK on Saturday evening after the Annual Meeting and then another week with presentations in Vancouver and Calgary - thanks to all those involved with all of that - great fun. And if you're expecting a reply to an email all I can say is that I'm working my way through a stack - should be up to date by beginning of next week.

Deadline for next issue is May 1st but if you have to have something in it would be good if you get in touch before then.

Spring 2012 issue: I'd like to incorporate into Panayoti's 'Seven Axioms' these: 1: Defendable borders! -perhaps something Panayoti doesn't think too much about, entire yard up in rock gardens and all but for many of us its useful. A long rectangle is more difficult to defend against crawling weeds than is a circle. Make considered use of edging materials, walls, slabs, and stone mulch! 2: Permanence and stability! -don't be planting things that need constant division or other muddling. Things can take quickly in "new" -cultivated conditions but I find the best, eventually, for rock plants are settled conditions. Crevice gardeners heed especially! This is not unlike Panayoti's #6 and once it is undertaken one need never know where the bulbs are planted. In fact, they need not even be marked.

Hi Peden

You've obviously not only received but really got stuck into the Spring Quarterly - whereabouts are you? Nice to know where gets copies quickly.
And would you like to write up your comments for the next issue for me - maybe with a pic or two.

Malcolm

I received mine in Minnesota day before yesterday. 

Still not arrived in chilly Lancashire I'm afraid!  Has anyone in the UK received theirs yet please?

Not here yet  in N.E. Scotland, Cliff.

And East Yorkshire is no different.

Neither have I got it.

Got mine on April 4th... just in time for some long weekend reading!

Lori wrote:

Got mine on April 4th... just in time for some long weekend reading!

Dontcha just love it when a plan comes together?  8) 8)

Ah, yes, all the makings for the weekend of general sloth that I've been enjoying!  ;D

On past performance the Europeans (including English and Scots) seem to get their copies about three weeks (sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more) after dispatch from Allen Press (it's in Kansas, Toto!). Dispatch was around March 22nd so I'd be expecting it fairly soon. And ther's a hostage to fortune!

Collected mine from the Post Box last night! :D
Have only had time to read 2 articles so far but the quality is excellent!
cheers
fermi

Mine was in the mailbox yesterday - I only had time for a quick look on the way to town. Tonight I'm digging in!

Still no sign of delivery here in the UK.  :(

No nor in East Yorkshire - I have asked the printer to check what they can about the delivery. Keeping fingers crossed
for appearance soon.

Got mine yesterday when I was away (I mean, my wife got it ;) ). Haven't had time to look at it yet as I came home tonight. Something to look forward to for breakfast!

RGQ arrived here in North East Scotland today  8)

My RGQ also arrived a couple of days ago and I am enjoying it greatly. I would be extremely happy to have a rock garden like Panayoti's; I love the same plants but am only just mastering the axioms! Number 7 really chimes with me, and there is nothing more stimulating than growing plants from seed. I also found Tony Reznicek's article very helpful and clearly written, on what can seem a very complex subject. However, it is still hard to think of Dodecatheon as a Primula! I think gardeners and taxonomists will always be a little at odds.

Tim

I have to admit that captioning a picture of a shooting star as a Primula was my doing rather than Tony's but I hope it dramatized the bizarre changes that come along when we're not looking - fun isn't it. And thank goodness the Quarterly has finally got to UK members - apparently it landed in the UK on 4th April and has taken three weeks to get from there to individual members !!!!

McGregor wrote:

......thank goodness the Quarterly has finally got to UK members - apparently it landed in the UK on 4th April and has taken three weeks to get from there to individual members !!!!

I thought it seemed a little tired.... came out of the wrapper and demanded a long drink and a sleep!  ;) ;)

Still not arrived in Lancashire, Malcolm!

It should have Cliff - have you upset your postman? I am putting a copy in the post to you this morning from East Yorkshire - first class!!! You will probably get your normal copy now.

Ever so many thanks Malcolm ... much appreciated.

Your very kind copy arrived this morning, Malcolm - many thanks.  I will get the 'proper' copy back to you if and when it finally arrives.

The Quarterly arrived this morning, Malcolm ... a new record perhaps?
I will return the original ... many thanks.

Cliff

Think of someone who is susceptible to joining and give the extra copy to them as a sample - makes more sense - if of course you haven't posted it already - in which case thank you.

Malcolm

Will do, Malcolm ... excellent idea ... and thanks again.

Dear NARGS member,

LAUNCH of ROCK GARDEN QUARTERLY online

The world of publishing is undergoing the most dramatic changes since Gutenberg invented the printing press over 500 years ago. The Board of Directors of NARGS has recognized that we need to embrace this change, in line with our President's commitments at the last two Annual General Meetings.

The Rock Garden Quarterly is now into its 70th year and for all that time it's been changing to reflect the times, and to use new printing technology as it has become available.

So, now the Rock Garden Quarterly will be published in digital form as well as the traditional paper form--and members have access free. There will be an introduction to some of the features in the Summer issue of the Quarterly, but you can try the Spring issue right now on desktop, laptop, iPad, iPhone, etc: <http://www.nxtbook.com/allen/roga/70-2>

In the future, the digital edition will be available around the same date that members receive their mailed copy.

This is not a replacement for the printed Quarterly--this is a BONUS. From now on NARGS members will be able to access the Quarterly online and read it on their electronic device, as well as continuing to receive their printed issues as they do currently.

The launch of the Rock Garden Quarterly online is a great development for NARGS, and we really hope you'll enjoy it in this new extra format.

Remember the electronic version is a free extra to members - have your cake and eat it too!

And to give those who aren't members a view of what we're doing, the same link works for non-members too.

Very best wishes,
Malcolm McGregor
Editor, Rock Garden Quarterly

As an additional feature of hanging around on this Forum, you can access the online edition of our Quarterly Journal without being a NARGS member for at least the next month. So take advantage of the opportunity to see what NARGS membership can get you. Enjoy!

Wow, that is pretty exciting! Bravo!!!

Will these be available to members in pdf format for download?

Hi Rick

I've written a guide for the next issue of the Quarterly - but the answer is yes you can. USe the button at the top right with the downward arrow.

Malcolm

Exciting news about this advance - Well done to NARGS for grasping this opportunity.  8) 8) 8)

Hearty congratulations to NARGS on this wonderful innovation ... but please resist any temptation (much further down the line) to replace the splendid Quarterly with a solely electronic format - or not (at least) until I have departed to that great rock garden in the sky.  Polemonium heaven.

Great reception for the Digital Quarterly - the response has been unprecedented and all in favor but there have been various points in various emails and other contacts:

1. This will NOT replace the paper edition - it is a free bonus

2. Access is available to anyone at the moment and will be to the next edition (which is being worked on at the moment) after that you will have to be a NARGS member to get access.

3. NARGS members will have to register their email address with NARGS (email <[email][email protected][/email]> subject "NARGS email address") if they have not already - if you had an email notification of the new Digital edition of the Quarterly from us, then we do have your email.

As I say, I'm working on the next edition at the moment but have hit a holdup getting the proofs from our printer in Kansas. With Memorial Day last Monday and then the Queen's Jubilee holidays on Monday & Tuesday this week the proofs which would normally have been here last Friday did not make it and were delivered yesterday - unfortunately the Fedex driver managed to deliver them (and get them signed for) by someone unknown to us, and we don't know where (although we're hoping Fedex will be able to find out). So I'm currently waiting for Fedex to retrieve them and then try again.

Still hoping that we'll be able to finalize everything by the beginning of next week, uploading any revisions over the weekend. So still looking at a dispatch in the last week of June with the Digital edition online around July 1.

Fingers crossed...

Malcolm,
as much as I love to have the paper edition in hand, I really see the advantage of having the electronic version as well. For one thing, no more complaints of how long it takes to get to the other side of the world ;D
Perhaps more non-members who see the quality of the mag will opt in to become members once the "free veiwing" is over!
Keep up the great work,
cheers
fermi

NEWS

1. The launch of the digital Quarterly seems to have gone very successfully with great enthusiasm only tempered with the worry that there might be a move to stop issuing the paper version. As is made clear in the upcoming issue (Summer 2012) this is not the plan. The digital Quarterly has been initiated to offer members an extra format in an age when this is becoming much more popular. The hope is also, obviously, that we can attract new members.

2. The Summer 2012 issue of the Quarterly has been printed and is in the process of being dispatched. Lots of exciting stuff in this issue which has a one-off extra 32 pages - 128 in all

3. The digital version is scheduled for release on July 1. And having announced it I'm now going to be keeping my fingers crossed that we keep to schedule.

Very best to everyone

Malcolm

Having traveled with Kim Blaxland in China in 2007, I was very distressed to read of her death in the Spring Quarterly.  Kim was a great travel companion, thoughtful, upbeat, and generous with her knowledge.  She was also something of a pied piper -- by the end of the trip, my son and I were both spotting violas that we might have overlooked before we met Kim.  :-)

The tribute to her in the Summer Quarterly was a spirit lifter.  Thank you for it!

Summer Edition of DIGITAL QUARTERLY now online

www.nxtbook.com/allen/roga/70-3

Pleased to say we've met the deadline (which was pretty tight) and the new edition is now up and running - have fun - and do try the USER OPTIONS in the toolbox - you can turn sound and shadow on and off, and you'll also find the archive section (as yet of course with only two issues in there.)

Paper version of the Quarterly is here in Aberdeen as well, Thanks! Super issue and we love the chance to see it online as well.

So pleased your paper issue got through so quickly this time. Much quicker. I usually get my copy the same day as you but not this time.
Yes, I think the Digital Quarterly is really nice as an extra - in the long run all sorts of possibilities open up - extra pictures which space prohibits in the printed version, extended articles with extra material and so on.

The paper version is yet to reach here so it's great to get a look at it on-line
cheers
fermi

McGregor wrote:

Summer Edition of DIGITAL QUARTERLY now online

www.nxtbook.com/allen/roga/70-3

Pleased to say we've met the deadline (which was pretty tight) and the new edition is now up and running - have fun - and do try the USER OPTIONS in the toolbox - you can turn sound and shadow on and off, and you'll also find the archive section (as yet of course with only two issues in there.)

I was anticipating some response to this announcement, regarding how the digital version of the NARGS Rock Garden Quartery represents a major milestone for the society, but allow me to jump right in and offer my thoughts.  A sincere Thank You to all involved for making this development a reality.  My first take on the online version, hosted by nxbook.com and Allen Press, is the right venue has been selected; it is an excellent, intuitive interface that makes reading the NARGS Quarterly digitally a true pleasure.

I'm critical of poorly implemented software (don't get me started on Facebook ;) ), so it is a real pleasure to see something so well implemented as the hosting site for digital NARGS Quarterlies.  When first reaching the site for the latest Summer 2012 edition, I find the viewing and navigation tools very easy to use and logically presented.  The first thing that catches my attention, is that all of the web addresses, mail addresses, and article pages, are hot-linked; just click on them and they go to that page or activity.  When "mousing" over items that are hot-linked, such as an article page in the Table of Contents, or the website for a plant nursery advertiser, it highlights in yellow and provides "tool tips" right at the mouse cursor.

Not only is there the conventional Table of Contents which is clickable to jump to any article or page, but there is a special "extended" Contents view, done graphically, interactively allowing selecting an article or page to jump to.  Cool.

When viewing/reading the journal, there are simple interface tools to use; a "zoom slider bar" for sizing the content to what fits best on the page and reaches best legibility.  I use the "zoom slider bar" at the top and set it to 2-pages with medium level zoom, to see and read 2 pages at once.  The cursor is also interactive, showing icon tips, such as the 4-way arrow icon to indicate one can click and drag the screen to "pan" or move the view to read more.  There are dog-eared page-turning links at the corner of each page, to turn pages back or forward, complete with a fun page-turning sound if wanted (I'm easily amused by such features).  There are many other additional book-reading controls for you to try.

I was surprised by one feature, with the fact all of the advertiser web pages are hot-linked, I found myself actually clicking on those links and investigating the advertiser's wares.  In the hard-copy of the NARGS Quarterly, I see the advertiser's ads, I often think I should go and look them up, but then never actually go to the trouble to do so, yet in the digital version of the journal the advertiser's links are just a single click away, and I visited each. The direct hot-link connectivity of the digital version is a huge plus.

Last, it should be noted that all links are live, so mail addresses and links to specific sections of NARGS web page activities are all live and instantaneous. Need to send an email to a NARGS Chapter head, or to our illustrious NARGS President, the link is live and right there to click on ;)

Last but not least, I must say this latest edition of the NARGS Quarterly (Summer 2012) is the finest in recent memory, something for everyone, from David Sellers remarkably beautiful phoptos in his article on "Photographing Alpine Plants", to a memorable focus on the genus Viola and work of Kim Blaxand, western Phlox, and so much more.  Thank you to all who have contributed to this edition, and of course a special thanks to the leadership of NARGS Quarterly editor, Malcolm McGregor, and to our NARGS President's (Peter George) vision to improve the quality, value, and accessibility of NARGS member resources.

I would thoroughly agree with Mark's scholarly overview. Not being so IT savvy i haven't discovered many of the features of the on-line Quarterly but can see how well it has been thought out - so thanks to everyone involved! It is a great issue, beautifully put together and must have been very satisfying to have produced. With the Quarterly on-line and the SRGC IRG it makes you really feel alpine gardening is going somewhere!

The FALL ISSUE of the Quarterly is now at the printers and our expectation is that it will be dispatched by them sometime next week.

The DIGITAL QUARTERLY will then be posted around October 1. The only way to view this issue will be through the website link - click through from the Digital Quarterly image on the homepage (or follow the RGQ Online link) and then clicking on the cover. You will be asked for

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
YOUR MEMBERSHIP NUMBER

THIS MEMBERSHIP NUMBER WILL BE ON THE WRAPPER OF THE QUARTERLY just above your address.
The Spring and Summer issues will remain open to non-members so that non-members can see what they are missing but, in line with the President's letter in the last issue, new issues will only be accessible to members.

FALL ISSUE of the Quarterly is now in the post.

DON'T FORGET TO MAKE A NOTE OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP NUMBER ON THE WRAPPER

Just had some feedback from a couple of people that the despite all Bobby Ward's efforts (and mine) with the printer the labels may have your membership number printed on the label to the left (rather than to the right) of your membership expiration date. Not had mine (nor has Bobby had his) so can't confirm - anyway, one of the numbers above your name and address is a date - the OTHER ONE is your MEMBERSHIP NUMBER

Sorry about that!

New digital Quarterly is now online.

Received mine in the mail Friday, Sept 28. Yet another really great issue!  Something for everyone from the beginner to the expert.  And congratulations John W. for both the front and back cover photos!  Now I must get to reading...

And thanks, too, Malcom, for keeping the pdf format available.  This computer still runs on Windows 2000, and it doesn't support adobe air. :)

Just received the "hard Copy" this week - haven't had a chance to check out the on-line version, but I have kept the wrapper! ;D
cheers
fermi

Looks like everyone is pretty happy with the way the digital edition is operating given how few people have raised any problems.

Deadline for submissions for the next issue is November 1. This next issue will contain full profiles of all election candidates - the slate which you can view elsewhere on the website http://nargs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=284&Itemid... and any other candidates who are nominated prior to November 1 to Lola Horwitz  <[email protected]>, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee.

WINTER QUARTERLY

This issue is now being proofread and is on target for dispatch by Christmas with the online edition being posted by Jan 1st.

Malcolm

... and initial pages have been uploaded to Allen Press for color proofing so things are moving forward.

The initial color proofs have arrived from Kansas and tomorrow I'll look at them in natural light as well as artificial light trying to get the best balance, then work through adjusting any pictures which seem like they might need it.

In the meantime corrections from proofreaders are now back with me and are being worked through.

There are periods of desperation mixed with frustration in assembling and negotiating things with contributors at times, but it's immensely satisfying when an issue starts to appear out of the cyber mists, crystallizing out into a complete edition. Things are complicated now by the parallel life of the digital edition which will be a much more significant beast with extra pages.

So much of this (and other NARGS projects) goes on without the rest of us even realizing all the effort that is required. 

We do appreciate EVERY bit!

Seconded!

Thanks guys !

And a picture just to let you know I have got away from the computer for a bit - Saxifraga fortunei with Rhodoendron luteum leaves and rosehip from Rosa moyesii.

Now back to the keyboard !

The winter issue is now signed off with Allen Press so next up for them is printing and distribution which should be accomplished before Christmas (with receipt starting between Christmas and New Year and probably not until second or third week in January some places) and the production and uploading of the Digital Quarterly which should be accessible by January 1st.

I'll keep you posted.

Everything is on track for the paper Quarterly to be in the post in the next few days.

The digital Quarterly is also on track - just had to sort out a couple of issues with some of the extra pages that I'd managed to mis-number.

Festive greetings in this run up to Christmas - the winter issue of the Quarterly is in the post to you all - posted from Kansas on the 17th.

Have fun and very best wishes to everyone.

[glow=red,2,300]WINTER ISSUE of the QUARTERLY is ONLINE TODAY[/glow] [move] [glow=red,2,300] - with 36 extra pages and added snowflakes on the homepage link !!![/glow][/move]
And with our great online seedex - NARGS is ONLINE !!!

(Moderator: here's the direct link, Mark McD)
http://nargs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=279&Itemid...

[font=Verdana][glow=red,2,300]... and now with added PDFs of volume 69 (2011) issues

CHECK IT OUT NOW![/glow]

Latest Quarterly just arrived in Aberdeen today- Thanks!

IMYoung wrote:

Latest Quarterly just arrived in Aberdeen today- Thanks!

And in Central Victoria yesterday! Excellent edition unless you dislike rosulate violets :o ;D
cheers
fermi

Just received the Quarterly in Kent, UK (and had a look at the extended pages on the website). Very exciting stuff! And I do like rosulate violas even if they are next to impossible to tame.

Glad you like the extras on the digital edition - and the third (and final) part of the rosulate viola cycle of articles deals with the annual species. That might seem irrelevant but I have managed to germinate, grow and flower two of these while never getting beyond a couple of germinations of the perennial species. And they are intriguing. I'm hoping that with images of their habitats and John Watson's discussion of these different species that we might gain more insight into what might be done to tame at least one or two of them.

I got my copy yesterday - and I remembered to keep the envelope!
Wonderful edition!

You are doing so much better than me Trond . I always forget about the envelope . However , there is always next time

Steve - I had to retrieve the the wrapper from the bin! Once you have your number there is a useful place to write inside the Quarterly for future reference. Someone has thought all this out!

Tim wrote:

Steve - I had to retrieve the the wrapper from the bin! Once you have your number there is a useful place to write inside the Quarterly for future reference. Someone has thought all this out!

In fact I had to retrieve it from the bin too ;) But I got the idea to write the number inside the Quarterly myself without asking anybody ;D
When I think of it I have to write it down another place to in case of I don't find the Quarterly in the heap of old magazines of different kinds :o

The paper copy arrived here on Vancouver Island today.

I have been marking it up with the extras that are available in the online version. 

For example, at the bottom of page 44 I have written:
online 44a/b  V cotyledon photo, V aizoon photo, V bangii & pygmaea
could be intermediate links.

I realize how much jiggling needs to be done to fit everything onto a printed
page, but would it be possible to fit in something similar so that readers of
the print version know what they are missing?

Thanks for the comment. It is interesting in how you are using the digital and paper editions. I'll look at what it would mean in terms of editing. I'm not sure I had everything finalized for the digital extras by the time I finished the paper edition so it would have been difficult but it was the first issue where this was done on such a major basis. The main thing I was aiming for was that both editions should appear complete and seamless with, so to speak, no ragged edges.

And I do have to say that above all I was just relieved to manage this first edition with everything coming out in the right place in both editions (with both making sense) with no screw-ups !!

SPRING QUARTERLY NEWS

You can probably tell that I have had my head down working since I've not been on here for a time.

Just got the Spring edition of the Quarterly proofed and approved - many thanks to all those involved contributors, proofreaders, advertising manager, Allen Press staff Justin and Bill etc etc. We are anticipating dispatch from Kansas around March 21st with the Digital Quarterly (with an extended Photo Contest section of an extra 36 pages showing all the entries selected by the judges in each class: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and commended) being posted online within a day or so of that.

More news when I have it.

Malcolm

Everything is gong fine for the new issue. I expect printed copies to be dispatched from the printer on 20th and the digital edition to be up on the same day with a whole range of extra photo contest entries - winners, 2nd and 3rd placed, and commended entries. Some fabulous photographs!

Will our member number be on the address sticker again? I hope so as I threw away the last one too quickly, before I remember I need it! DOH!!  :P

Should be - but I've also sent you yours in an email.

Malcolm

McGregor wrote:

Should be - but I've also sent you yours in an email.

Malcolm

thanks Malcolm....I got it!

And the new issue of the Quarterly has been dispatched by post .... and is now available online !!!!

Do let me know whether you like the way the online Quarterly functions, whether the extras are worth the effort, and so on. I think it's pretty neat but would welcome views from members.

And for information there have been 4000 page views of the spring issue online in just 4 days since it was posted.

Happy Easter, for those who are into such things. Some of you should have received the Quarterly by now but if not you'll have to enjoy it online for a bit longer!

McGregor wrote:

Do let me know whether you like the way the online Quarterly functions, whether the extras are worth the effort, and so on. I think it's pretty neat but would welcome views from members.

Malcolm, I'm surprised no one has chimed in yet.  I said it before, and I'll say it again, the online Quarterly experience and functionality is AWESOME. I'm an outspoken critic of poorly designed software, but I can say unequivocally that the NARGS/NXTBOOK.COM implementation of online books is superb, so easy, intuitive and highly functional; I have no complaints whatsoever. In fact, the online experience is preferred (by me) for a number of reasons; I can set full page view, then a single click to zoom in to see enlarged photos (larger & sharper than printed version) or much larger text (better for these aging eyes), pan and zoom at will, another click to return to normal full page view, easily jump to another article or page, peruse the NARGS Advertisers where the links to each advertisers are live! Many other online book reading, bookmarking, and searching features, make the experience superior to the physical publication, I would gladly opt for receiving the quarterly publication online-only, if such an option existed.

And, what's not to like about extra content; great to see the additional Photo Contest entries, memorable plant and scenery portraits that deserve viewing! The Chaetanthera spathulifolia photo-scene is spectacular, would've been my first choice pick; but then contrasted with a vastly different location, the austere setting of coastal New Foundland capturing Rhodiola rosea, the impression is equally compelling.  I could rattle on about all the runner-up photos, but you all will just have to view these online yourselves.

And then there's the Rock Garden Quarterly itself; quarterly after quarterly the quality and interest of artcles and photos continues to impress.  As a huge fan of rosulate violets (who doesn't marvel at these extreme and remarkable manefestations derived from common pedestrian violets known to all gardeners), this edition offered up a double-header, a fascinating account of finding the connection between rosulate violets and regular violets (the rosulate-transitional species rarely if ever depicted), and an account of new species Viola beckeriana, allied to V. dasyphylla, two outstanding beauties.  The balance between many other topics is quite welcome and refreshing.  I read with some interest on Penstemon haydeni, the very rare "blowout penstemon", a species that I actually received seed of back in the 1980s (when I lived in Seattle, WA area for 4 years) as part of an effort to get this rare species in the hands of growers.  I found the species very easy to grow and flower in sand beds, and that it rooted easily too.  Too bad efforts to re-establish the plant in the wild have not met with success; ironic too, that seed of the species is not allowed to be distributed in a seed exchange even if garden grown.  Wish I still had the plant, but most all plant possessions at the time were given up to nurseries when I moved residence a couple times (moving back to New England). But I digress, it is this type of diverse NARGS Quarterly information that resonates with its readers, it certainly does for me.

Well done Malcolm, and everyone connected with producing the NARGS Rock Garden Quarterly! :o :o :o

... And hearty congratulations to Mark for putting many of my thoughts and opinions onto paper (and without me having to twitch a solitary muscle).  Both the physical Quarterly and the online version are way ahead of their time and everyone involved should be congratulated and thanked in equal measures.  Excellent in every way.

As it turns out, the utility of having online versions of Rock Garden Quarterlies (RGQ) available, was recently emphasized.  I was in hospital for two days after prostate surgery (attention rock gardeners: I'm talking about prostate, not prostrate ;)).  When my wife visited, she brought me the newly arrived Spring 2013 RGQ, how thoughtful!  However, my real focus was on having adequate morphine and sleeping, so I barely looked at the journal ;).  Packing up to go home, using a large plastic bag to hold one's clothing and belongings, my wife put the Quarterly inside, as well as a nifty water/drinking jug and other sundries.  The jug was not empty and leaked, the quarterly is now badly warped and crinkled.  

But that's ok, I actually prefer reading the journal online better.  It has been interesting having both physical copies and access to online versions, with which to compare. I've seen enough of both, and convinced I don't need to receive physical copies any more.

Some (many?) NARGS Members might fall into the category of being Luddites (one who fears technology), thus probably not making good use of this superb technological advance and benefit of NARGS membership.  And it probably wont improve unless the situation is incentivised (Peter, are you reading this, I know you've probably already kicked around the following idea).  Why not develop two levels of NARGS Membership, offering a discount to those who agree NOT to receive physical RGQ.  Heck, I would opt out of physical copies even without a discount, but we hear so often that the small annual dues (dirt cheap in my opinion) is too high and unaffordable, then for those folks, maybe pealing back the membership cost by several dollars will be enough.

I don't know about you, but I well imagine most of you reading this have overflowing bookcases and wall to ceiling shelves with decades of plant society publications.  I'm at a point in my life, where I want to reduce the clutter, and as well, gain easier access to the information contained in these small publications.  The trajectory that NARGS is on to make scanned digital versions of journals, both past and present, searchable content, complete indices of articles, authors and keywords, etc., is the way to go.  A number of times I've tried going back to old journals, whether they be ARGS/NARGS, AGS, SRGC, ARS, and a litany of others, and it is truly difficult finding the odd bits of information one searches for, embracing technology is the way to go.

In the SRGC we are about to introduce an "online" membership subscription, just as Mark suggests, where members will be able to opt for a reduced cost electronic sub. where the Journal is only available online, no postal implication to this subscription at all.

IMYoung wrote:

In the SRGC we are about to introduce an "online" membership subscription, just as Mark suggests, where members will be able to opt for a reduced cost electronic sub. where the Journal is only available online, no postal implication to this subscription at all.

Excellent.  What % savings is realized by opting for digital-only subscription?

Electronic sub. will be introduced at a £10 flat rate, Mark.
E-members will  eligible for the seed ex. but will  only pay for that at the time.

Thanks Maggi, I envision the £10 flat rate as being very popular.  My goodness joining these fine plant organizations is a bargain!

Trying to get a handle on percentage reduction in sub cost, I see from SRGC.NET current Subscription Rates for single member £16 UK / £22 Overseas.  I'm assuming since electronic subscription "levels the playing field, so to speak", eliminating associated printing/mailing costs, the organization has come up with a the flat rate whether UK or Overseas, is my assumption correct?  Also if I may ask, do the original £16 / £22 subs include seed ex., or do those subs also charge separately for that benefit?

Whew, change is in the air! I agree very much about being able to view the Quarterly online and those extra photos are really nice to see. But I wouldn't be without my paper copies of the Quarterly, the AGS Journal or SRGC, even though my bookshelves are groaning. There is still something about reading paper copy and having accumulated this over time. I wouldn't agree with Mark about the difficulty searching for what you are looking for - the AGS Index for example is pretty good and I use it to trigger interest in plants and people I already know quite a bit about, but this a more historical perspective. I am probably not disciplined enough when it comes to online research. To what extent does an online publication encourage members to write for it? Perhaps more would do so, but also more and more people have their own blogs and websites and so don't contribute to plant societies as they might have done previously.

The articles by John Watson and Anita Flores are simply wonderful and to have someone write for the Quarterly like this, like Mark says, gives a great balance - like a really good book you save up the time to read properly and enjoy.

McDonough wrote:

Thanks Maggi, I envision the £10 flat rate as being very popular.  My goodness joining these fine plant organizations is a bargain!

Trying to get a handle on percentage reduction in sub cost, I see from SRGC.NET current Subscription Rates for single member £16 UK / £22 Overseas.  I'm assuming since electronic subscription "levels the playing field, so to speak", eliminating associated printing/mailing costs, the organization has come up with a the flat rate whether UK or Overseas, is my assumption correct?  Also if I may ask, do the original £16 / £22 subs include seed ex., or do those subs also charge separately for that benefit?

Meantime the UK payment is excluding the cost of the the seed ex and the overseas rate includes the seed ex.

Tim wrote:

To what extent does an online publication encourage members to write for it? Perhaps more would do so, but also more and more people have their own blogs and websites and so don't contribute to plant societies as they might have done previously.

Some folk may be less inclined to write for ANY journal if they are "blogging" but I am not aware that people are intrinsically less inclined  or need more persuasion to write for an online publication.

We in the SRGC, as with NARGS, have no wish to cease the paper publication of our quality journal.
I would hope that the chance to have one's work read by a possible audience of many tens of thousands rather than the restricted number of a paper journal, would be enticement enough.
(edit to clarify:  initially the most recent online journals will be restricted to subscribers but  n turn they will be posted to the open section of the website, where there are already Nos 1 to 125 of the SRGC journal available to download. A full index is there too. This is all part of the SRGC commitment to share information, as per our stated charitable aims)  

What is the print run of the AGS bulletin, for instance? The claim is for the largest alpine society and the number is probably around 5000, given the subscription income listed -  these are numbers that pale into insignificance for  open access online publications.  The "traffic" generated by the Bulb Log and the IRG  on the SRGC site is tremendous - this achieves our aim of communicating with as  many people as possible about these fascinating plants- and we hope with an electronic subscription that we can provide an option to support the club and access the "paper" journals to a much wider audience.

MY

Exciting developments, Ian. Obviously SRGC is moving the same way as NARGS with latest journals online but restricted to members and older ones open. It can only make sense. Good to hear.

As far as internet-only subscriptions there are cost implications which are obviously the only problem. Its OK if only a few of the current membership swap, and great if lots of new people enroll. The snag comes if lots of current members switch. That means the costs of producing a paper journal for the remainder becomes much more expensive per head since the cost overheads are still there however few copies you produce.

Don't think that's a problem when you start out, but it could easily become a problem at some point.

Maggi here, actually, Malcolm.....

Yes, we began some time ago by publishing issues 1 to 113 online and have continued to add more.

As printing and postal costs are rising all the time, it may well happen that the case for paper publishing becomes unsustainable without major changes, if at all. That is a bridge that will have to be crossed but such changes as we are working on now will, we hope, at least mean that there is a way to provide the membership with the services they wish for and expect and also aid in the provision of the wider dissemination of knowledge and information that our constitution calls for.

I did wonder if it was you Maggi but didn't like to presume.

You're quite right that costs rise although the cost of printing journals has not risen any faster than inflation for the last 7 or 8 years. That's largely because of improvements in technology which have meant above all that the editor/designer of magazines is doing more work pn such things as layout rather than paying the printer to do it.

I reckon the big issue is that many of the current membership of organizations like ours are older than the average in the general population. They tend, still, to like the printed copies of magazines. But new members, often much younger, are much more inclined to want an online version, either as an extra or, in some cases, instead. It's really a matter of time and serving the particular membership we already have as well as the one we want for the future.

We live in interesting times.

I think you are right Maggi, I am being a Luddite. That incredible resource of having all the Journals online and available for research, and particularly your comment about Charitable aims, certainly ties in with everything I think such specialised plant Societies should be, and I would be really interested to know the readership of the AGS Website/Forum, especially given the great energy put in by a relatively few who contribute to them. I would also agree very much that ongoing practical information and aspects of growing is important, which presumably is why good blogs generate such committed followings. But I do love the Alpine Journals coming through the door and you can leaf through old copies in a way that isn't quite the same on a computer screen.(And having spent a great deal on both the AGS Encyclopaedia and a back run of the AGS Bulletin, I do use them both a lot).

Tim wrote:

I think you are right Maggi, I am being a Luddite. That incredible resource of having all the Journals online and available for research, and particularly your comment about Charitable aims, certainly ties in with everything I think such specialised plant Societies should be, and I would be really interested to know the readership of the AGS Website/Forum, especially given the great energy put in by a relatively few who contribute to them. I would also agree very much that ongoing practical information and aspects of growing is important, which presumably is why good blogs generate such committed followings. But I do love the Alpine Journals coming through the door and you can leaf through old copies in a way that isn't quite the same on a computer screen.(And having spent a great deal on both the AGS Encyclopaedia and a back run of the AGS Bulletin, I do use them both a lot).

I spent money on the AGS encyclopaedia as well- though I seldom use it. The very first thing I looked up when I got it had only the plant name with the instruction "see xxxxx" - so I turned to "xxxxx"  only to find the instruction reversed,sending me back to my original  query. It wasn't a good star and I find it full of gaps.
We have a full paper run of both SRGC and AGS journals and they have their uses, of course.
But my eyes have really been opened by seeing  journals,  the IRG and Bulb Log displayed on an i-pad  - the capacity to enlarge text, photos etc is a real boon and what's more,  I have been shown by Ian's example that it is possible to have not one journal, but the whole run of journals, on that reader to take wherever one wishes. Now THAT is something that you'd never manage with the paper versions!  ;)

... and that's why we digitized them!!!

Good innit

McGregor wrote:

... and that's why we digitized them!!!

Good innit

Good? It's flippin' fantastic! ;) ;D

I shall ask my daughter to buy me an ipad for my birthday - I'm pretty much converted!

Tim wrote:

I shall ask my daughter to buy me an ipad for my birthday - I'm pretty much converted!

:D  Good luck Tim - such requests are usually made the other way round are they not?

Tim wrote:

Whew, change is in the air! I agree very much about being able to view the Quarterly online and those extra photos are really nice to see. But I wouldn't be without my paper copies of the Quarterly, the AGS Journal or SRGC, even though my bookshelves are groaning.

Understandable to be sure, didn't mean to imply I'm for the wholesale digitization of my prized botanical reference collection, but I would gladly move lots of it into a digital format if given the chance.  I too have all kinds of old out-of-print publications that I cherish.  And I do have a fairly extensive run of ARGS/NARGS journals, RHS, AGS, SRGC and a couple dozen others. Even if NARGS goes totally digital on all the past journals, I would probably keep my quarterly publications, as I've gone through the decades with them, they have considerable nostalgic value, including having provided the cover drawings for a couple of them and some articles inside.  I always like getting an extra "author's copy" of the journals, so that I can give one to my Mom (so she can brag about me to her friends) :-[, she's 83 but still does that ;)  But I foresee reducing my burden on my groaning shelves by 25% or more.

The hardest thing to give up would be stacks of old garden catalogs.  My wife tried throwing them out a couple times, in fact, there's still a shopping bag full of them sitting in my basement from her last spring-cleaning as she reclaimed family ownership of one of the household bookshelves ;)  I value the catalogs, as it is often the only place where plant varieties and cultivars are described, and maybe a bit of anecdotal reference information can be gleaned, many of these catalogs predating the digital era.  So I understand first hand just how hard it is to let go, but I'm in a stage in my life where I want to reduce clutter and simplify, so NARGS going digital totally works for me.

By the way, been enjoying the rest of the discussion, thought I'd just jump in on the sentiments expressed above. By the way two, the new Garden Vision Epimediums 2013 catalog arrived today, I still have every GVE catalog since I became hooked on these plants, in fact I keep them on my night table; NOT to be thrown out!

Just thought I would post the fact that my personal copy arrived here in East Yorkshire today which usually means that most people, in most places, will have received their copies.

Very best to all our readers, as they say!

Ditto! Our copy  has also arrived today here  in N. E. Scotland  8)

... And here in Ye Olde Whitworth-by-the-Sea!!!

Booker wrote:

... And here in Ye Olde Whitworth-by-the-Sea!!!

  Crikey - the flooding after the snow must be worse than I thought........  :o ;)

;D ;D ;D

IMYoung wrote:

Booker wrote:

... And here in Ye Olde Whitworth-by-the-Sea!!!

  Crikey - the flooding after the snow must be worse than I thought........  :o ;)

That's good Cliff - you usually seem to be a day or so after me so good to know you've got yours.

Have still not got mine :-\

Hope it arrives soon. At least you can look at it online int he meantime.

Yes, I do hope so too! But I have enjoyed the online version a lot although I haven't told you! It is a marvellous product!

The paper version arrived at the Post Box either yesterday or the day before but I only collected it yesterday.
cheers
fermi

Good news from down there!

Got mine yesterday! (The last of all?)
Although the online version is great and the pictures much better, it is something special with a "book" that electronics can't compete with.

Seems a bit mean to say that I do hope you are the last !!
But then someone has to be - I just hope it is not always you.

;) No, I'm not always the last one! And it is OK as I know I'll get it ;D

SUMMER ISSUE 

Dispatching from Allen Press on June 21st - should be with people over the next 2 to 3 weeks (I know some poeple get it earlier and some people seem to wait a long time - sorry). The online edition should be hooked up next week to view through the website.

To get at MEMBER-ONLY editions (such as this new one and the other BrightCopy editions) you need to login, older editions are freely available for download. They are a really great resource. It took an extra couple of years more than I had hoped to achieve the complete digitization of the Quarterly archive but it's good to see it available now the new website is up and running. It will take a while before all the covers are posted but they will be over time.

SUMMER ISSUE

Online edition is up and running. 

Printed edition arrived here in New Zealand July 2nd

That's great to NZ, and mine arrived here in UK yesterday as well which is pretty good as well. Obviously the postal system is functioning pretty well.

Most of the gremlins in the Quarterly online are being driven out although if you are having problems please bear with us. The problems are being eliminated as they show themselves. The end result will be a great archive freely available with the last three years restricted to members - this seems like a good level of reward for joining NARGS.

UPDATE

All issues are now available to members - either as BrightCopy files for the most recent issues or PDF files for older ones.

Not sure where to post this but did anyone else get the following message purportedly from Malcolm? It went to undisclosed recipients.  

I am in Limassol, South Cyprus for  a conference at the moment and I
just had my bag stolen from me with my passport and personal effects
therein. I am trying to sort things out with the necessary
authorities, I need your financial assistance, I will pay you back as
soon as I return. Let me know if you can be of any help

Best Regards
Malcolm

This looks like a phishing expedition from someone who hacked his account.

Jan

Jan, what you received is indeed a spam, it suggests that Malcolm may have been fooled by a phishing message.

Earlier this year this happened to Panayoti Kelaidis; apparently falling for one of those phony phishing emails that pretend to come from your Internet Provider, or any other service, informing you your account is at risk and needs to be validated (I get about 20 such phony emails a week that purport to be from AOL saying I need to validate my account, LOL). If one falls for this gimmick and provides account credentials, you've been had and the spammer will access your account and send a version of this message to everyone in your address book. For Panayoti, the event played out on Facebook, for a most amusing thread of comments.

Yes, I got it . just ignored it.

Yes, I guess we all got it then.  Hadn't even noticed it was "from Malcom" before I deleted it..

Hi people - sorry about all that - i discovered I had received this same message from someone I know but it had been put straight in my spam folder so I did not know.

For information they had set up a dummy email account in my name with Yahoo and were getting all my email sent there before apparently filtering it and sending me back all the stuff they weren't interested in. 

Change of passwords and deletion of links to dummy account have been carried out and you should not suffer any more from such messages from me.

On other things, the latest Quarterly is under way with much of the editing complete - on schedule for late September dispatch.

The Fall issue of the Quarterly is now signed off at the printer and should be ready for dispatch on October 1st.

A series of small delays (mainly late submission of Bulletin Board items) added up to mean that the issue is about a week to ten days late but everything is now happily complete. The online edition should be available on the same day. 

I'm told that the fall issue is now in the post and the online edition should be live tomorrow or Wednesday.

We've just been enjoying the return of Malcolm (this time with  Monica)  at the SRGC Discussion Weekend in the highlands of Scotland - great Talk from Malcolm as usual.  A  great get-together!

Three lovely Canadians at the event from over the ocean in North America - how good it was to see them!

My Quarterly came yesterday, another splendid issue!

Totally agree Mark. All articles are wonderfully written, but the ones on Moraea sp. ( great article, loved reading and learning from it, although I'll probably never grow them, )  and Iranian  Monocots are particularly interesting for me.

Until now I have requested a 'hard' copy, but the quality of the 'on line' version has made me think twice !! . Just need to reject the possessive instinct and acknowledge that each issue will be available to me whenever I need it 

Just received the paper copy!

Using the iPad to read the electronic version was a bit slow but that's more likely because of our download speeds here in the boondocks!

I do still like having the paper copy

cheers

fermi

WINTER ISSUE of the QUARTERLY

So it's been heads down for the last month getting the Quarterly put together. The proofs are now signed off with the printer and we're scheduled for dispatch on Dec 19/20 with the online edition  pencilled in for the same date. Deadlines are always tight for this issue and with a clear intention to get it out before the Christmas holidays. 

Best wishes to all

Malcolm

WINTER ISSUE is being dispatched today I understand, and the online version is up on the webiste for members to view (and download if you want).

Happy holiday!!!

Thanks Malcolm

I'm just about to go and have a read..

PS a big thank you to Ben Burr on his quick response to a little technical difficulty I had a few minutes ago.

Merry Xmas to all.

CUMULATIVE INDEX online today

I have posted the Cumulative Index to volumes 1 to 71 online this morning. It is on the RGQ ONLINE page at the end of volume 71 (i.e. before the current issue in the list). It is a PDF file of approx. 1.5 Mb so is not too large.

Together with the complete archive of issues I think this is a tremendous resource.

Happy New Year

An excellent addition to make the  NARGS resource even better, Malcolm.

Yes indeed, thank you Malcolm for posting this invaluable resource.

Thank you to whoever, and all, who where involved in putting this together. I've today used it to find a most illuminating article from 1969 ! The index has opened up a whole 'new' resource, 

A whole "new" resource.....

You got that right.  These articles are timeless!

Thank You!!!

[quote=mcgregor]

WINTER ISSUE is being dispatched today I understand, and the online version is up on the webiste for members to view (and download if you want).

Happy holiday!!!

[/quote]

I was grateful for the on-line version as the paper copy only arrived yesterday! Another great issue, Malcolm!

cheers

fermi

Just got the winter issue  and another gem - great mix of articles and I especially enjoyed Elin's "Our" Mountains and Trond's sojourn 'Among Giants'. Thanks to all.

Pleased to say that the latest issue of the Quarterly went up online early this morning.

Apologies are due for the delay in its appearance - it was originally scheduled for March 20 - 24 but illness resulted in the delay. The printed issue is due to be posted today.

Just reading through the summer issue - another great read! Really liked Dave's look around his Southland home and Loren's "Play Pen"

cheers

fermi

Fall Issue of Quarterly online today

Sorry I've not been posting lately. Attending the meeting on Santa Fe plus a couple of extra weeks over in the US kept me busy. Anyway the fall issue of the Quarterly is posted online today and the paper copies are in the process of being dispatched so should start arriving with people in a few days ... or weeks if like me you live a long way from Kansas (where our printer is and from where the issues are dispatched).

A lightning response from one online reader has pointed out (because they thought it was a great-looking plant) that the caption relating to the picture on the back cover of the issue is incorrect. In fact, the magnificent close-up is by Dave Toole of Aciphylla spedeni. Sorry about that.

WINTER QUARTERLY DISPATCHED AND ONLINE FOR MEMBERS

For a whole lot of reasons I've not been posting lately but the Quarterly was on time with dispatch from Kansas on December 20 and the issue online at the same time. As you'll see there's been a redesign of the cover and one or two mastheads.

This issue is a Great Lakes Special looking forward to the Annual Meeting in Ann Arbor and there's also an article remembering a trip that Barry Starling took with Boyd Kline a good few years ago.

Best Wishes for Christmas or your seasonal holiday.

Malcolm

SPRING ISSUE OF THE QUARTERLY

Despite being completely wiped out (with pneumonia) for the whole of January, the Quarterly is on track for dispatch from the printer on or around March 20 which means that many, if not most, North American members will receive it by Easter and the rest of us should get it pretty soon after. 

The proofreaders enjoyed it which is always a good sign!

I have to say, I don't think I could muster that kind of dedication, Malcolm.

  We are so fortunate to have people like yourself in the Society!

Impressive "stickability", Malcolm.  Well done.

We're very sorry to hear you have been so poorly and hope you are now feeling very much better.

I and M.

Sorry to hear about your ill health, Malcolm, and I join others in thanking you for your dedication in spite of it all!  Hope you will be back to full health soon.

Malcolm,

Looking forward to the paper issue. Although an online version is very useful and has more options, I do like a something to touch with my hands! (But not the space it takes when filing it...)

Hope you are fit again now.  Pneumonia is not something to take lightly.

I came here specifically to mention how wonderful the current Quarterly is. You had me at Bhutan.

To everyone who has wished me well - so many thanks. I've not been checking the forum as I have been busy working on my presentation for the Ann Arbor meeting (and trying not to overdo it at the same time). Finally making sense of the thread I'm trying to weave through the whole thing - that's when it gets to be fun.

I'm really starting to look forward to it.

This saxifrage from last week as a little thank you !

Very best - Malcolm