Blog 2010 August thru December
Ann Marie Keane is bracing herself for a home delivery!!!!
Today was the Illinois AVS Fall-Get Together in Wilmette, IL. Most all of the rrington Bloomers members were there (we missed you Richard!). The day started out early at 9:00 with entries for the violet dog show and plant sales.
After that IAVS members Gary Mikita, owner of Out of Africa, in foreground and Morgan Simmons in the background answered members questions on all aspects of violet care and gave specific advice to several members that brought along a few plants with issues.
IAVS President, Tom Moore, encourages members to participate in the silent auction before everyone walked across the hall for lunch together.
After lunch members were treated to the main event! IAVS member and AVSA Senior Judge Annie Rieck led an extensive workshop in growing to show following her big success at the IAVS show last June.
Annie gave credit for much of her success to her early teachers in Southern California. She spoke about learning from folks such as Darryl Hoover, Floyd Lawson, Jean Shipley, Leonard Re, and Dorothy Kosowsky. She spoke to the group about remembering the "10 Propers".
She emphasized the need to identify varieties that grw well in your specific cultural conditions. She encouraged members to resisit the temptation of growing too many violets that it became an overwhelming chore. She advised selecting approx. 10 plants to grow on for the show and underscored the need for consistent and daily care.
Annie encouraged the members to read the handbook for growers, exhibitors, and judges from AVSA. She suggested that members consider growing plants that were hybridized and developed in a similar climate to their own. She mentioned her great success growing the Stork's hybrids in her Illinois home. She strongly urged members to discard those plants that fail to perform in your plant room.
Fox Valley AVS has their show in Naperville, IL next Saturday. Show Chairman, Andrea Worrell has recently added a new blog to her site at The Franklinhouse. (see links tab)
Check it out!
September 22, 2010
Wow! I didn't realize that it had been 10 days since I last posted to the blog! Sorry :(
I've been busy working on opening a new flower shop and that has been consuming my world. I'll announce more about that when it all gets closer to opening.
You can tell that the fall show season is almost here, because the plant room is bursting out in bloom. Hopefully everything isn't opening too early!
I can't ever seem to get this Jolly Mischief to crown out in bloom on schedule. At the state show in June, my plant was finished two weeks too soon. Hopefully my other plants of Mischief will cooperate better.
I'm hoping I might have 50+ plants for the Fox Valley AVS show on October 9th in Naperville, IL. Not sure what that will leave available for the Missouri Valley Council show in Joplin, MO the following weekend?
September 12, 2010
Today several of the members of the Barrington Bloomers AVS and the Fox Valley AVS made the trip up to Glencoe, IL to the Chicago Botanic Garden for the Lake Shore AVS Fall show and sale. They're a great group of folks that we don't get to see very often so even without all the violets it would have been a fun afternoon.
This year's big winner was our good friend Harold Appleton (also a member of the Barrington Bloomers). Harold won Best in Show, Best Standard, Best Trailer, Best Vintage, Best Semiminiature, and Horticulture Sweepstakes. Don't let these photos fool you, Harold doesn't usually seem so serious!!! :))
'Sweet Amy Sue' Best Trailer and Best in Show
'Wrangler's Boot Stompin'' Best Standard
'Marian Star' Best Vintage, has interesting bustled foliage shown in the detail photo below.
Below are a few of the many plants that won Harold the
Horticulture Sweepstakes Award!
Other club members like Patsy Harms (see photo on the home page), Lana Grenady, and Charles Snyder also walked away with their own stash of ribbons and rosettes. Lana walked away again with the Design Sweepstakes in addition to the Best other Gesneriad with her episcia. Charles won Best AVSA Standard Collection, and Patsy won Best Semi/Mini AVSA Collection and Best Miniature.
Charles Snyder shown above with his Best AVSA Standard Collection. Individual plants shown below.
Patsy Harms stands next to her Best Semi/Mini AVSA Collection.
Great plants Patsy!
Another win for Patsy! Best Miniature
The always lovely Ms. Lana, (also a Barrington Bloomers member) shown here with her episcia, also scooped up the big awards in the design division!!!!
The theme was Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road. Way to go Lana!!!!
Some plants surprised me at the show. Some surprised me on judging, others on the part of the exhibitors.
I'd love to hear back from some of you with your thoughts!
Is this plant over-sized for a semi?
(dollar placed for size reference)
This plant had the comment from judges that the blooms for OBM should be all white. I think they meant all soft pink. Is this plant most likely Orchard's Wonder Twin?
How would you score this plant?
Would you enter this plant in addition to the questionable name 'Neyerfloris'? Exhibitor thought it was an Optimara that someone gave her.
There were many BEAUTIFUL plants in the show, but not a day in the plant room goes by that I don't hear the words of my mentor telling me
"FOCUS ON FOLIAGE FIRST!"
A pronounced culture break could perhaps still make the plant useable in design, but otherwise it might enjoy a relaxing day at home.
I've come to believe that showing african violets is as much a sport as a science. Somedays you're invincable, other days it's a learning experience.
