The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society is hosting the DeBurlo Lecture, featuring speaker Donald Hyatt, in the Hunnewell Building at Elm Bank on Sunday, March 20, beginning at 1:30 pm.  The lecture will last roughly one hour, with ARS providing time for questions and refreshments.  This event is free to MHS members.

Although professionally a mathematics and computer science teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia for 33 years, Donald Hyatt has always maintained a strong interest in plants. He lives in the family home his late parents built in 1950, and maintains a lovely mature garden that he started when he was only 3 years old.

Don’s educational background includes a Bachelors degree in Horticulture with double major in Biochemistry, but he also earned a Masters degree in Computer Science. He served as the Computer Systems Lab Director at the highest ranked school in the US, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, VA, from the time school opened in 1985 until he retired in 2002. During his teaching career, Don received a number of tributes as an educator. A team of students he coached won a million dollar supercomputer for their school, and numerous other students won national and international awards in various science and Internet competitions. Don was personally honored as a Teacher of the Year finalist in Fairfax County.

After retiring, Don has focused his efforts on varied horticulture interests including the documentation and preservation of rare native azalea populations in the Southern Appalachians. Don has served on the national boards of the ASA (Azalea Society of America) and the ARS (American Rhododendron Society). He has received national awards from both organizations including the Distinguished Service Award from the ASA, and both Bronze and Silver Medals from the ARS. He is a frequent speaker at national and international plant conferences, has authored a number of articles on azaleas and rhododendrons, and is recognized as an accomplished botanical illustrator and photographer.

Recently, Don has been championing the local opposition to what many see as an ill-conceived decision by certain administrators at the U.S. National Arboretum who plan to destroy the magnificent azalea display (pictured below) on the historic Glenn Dale Hillside planted in 1947 by the Arboretum’s first Director, Benjamin Y. Morrison.  If you plan to attend, please rsvp to Susan Harding at dsh1965@comcast.net.