Laurelwood Arboretum is the home of 20 rhododendrons hybridized by Allan and Shirley Anderson, a retired chemist and science teacher respectively, who gardened and raised rhododendrons at their home in Franklin Lakes for over 40 years. We were invited to remove rhododendrons growing in their garden before the home was sold and the property redeveloped. Laurelwood staff and volunteers removed the hybrid rhododendrons and replanted them in the arboretum in several clusters along Brook Road.
As lifelong rhododendron enthusiasts, Shirley and Allan together designed and executed an ambitious hybridization program that resulted in over 20 registered crosses. They were presented with the 2012 Silver Medal Award by the American Rhododendron Society in recognition of their contributions to the society, which included their willingness to hold office, donate plants and seeds, lecture, publish articles and open their beautiful garden to tours.
During a trip to an American Rhododendron Society convention on the west coast, they were inspired by the yellow and warm-colored trusses with large flowers. They decided to focus on developing similar plants that would grow and thrive in the much colder northeast climate.
The Andersons made over 1,200 hand-pollinated crosses and grew more than 20,000 seedlings. The first hybrids were from a cross made in 1976 and named ‘Amanda Joan Young’ and ‘Kelsey Lynn Young’ after their grandchildren. They were registered in the International Rhododendron Registry maintained by the Royal Horticultural Society. Both hybrids are now growing at Laurelwood.
They also produced several hybrids with large yellow flowers. They used R. ‘Amanda Joan Young’ as a seed parent in many early crosses, particularly those with yellow flowered pollen parents. Their cross with R. ‘Golden Star’ was made in 1983. They selected one out of about 40 seedlings to name and register R. ‘Sea Gold,’ which now grows on Brook Road in the arboretum.
Thanks to Laurelwood Arboretum volunteer Warren Phillips for making the arrangements with Susan Anderson for us to remove the rhododendrons from her parents’ property.