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Camellia Club of Mobile |
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Camellia
Club of Mobile Newsletter ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Volume
1 Issue 5______________________________________________________________________February
2005 Colonial Bel Air Mall sparkles with color
and crystal CAMELLIAS DAZZLE AT OUR 65th SHOW Our
Camellia Show at Colonial Bel Air Mall on January l5 & l6 celebrated our
sixty-five years of existence in superb fashion. Dozens of exhibitors brought almost l,500 beautiful blooms to
enter in our show, competing for a really beautiful array of crystal awards.
The Show was opened on Saturday by Alabama’s First Lady, Mrs. Patsy
Riley, appropriately and elegantly attired for the occasion in pale pink poncho
and shoes, with white slacks. Club
President Forrest Latta thanked Mrs. Riley, presenting her with a framed picture
of camellias. Hundreds
of named varieties were on exhibit, including some that have been grown since
the 1700’s and some that were just named last year. The most often-heard comment from the general public viewing
the Show was “Oooh, just look at that one!”. Jim Smelley’s specially grafted plants went like hot cakes,
as did the hand-painted camellia mugs - plants and mugs were sold out by 11 a.m.
The popular varieties of camellias that we obtained from Vernon Howell in
Mississippi were also all sold before dark on Saturday.
It would seem that all the TV publicity we had, showing gorgeous colorful
blooms, brought out the gardeners of the area to see the Show and once they’d
seen it, just had to have a camellia to take home, following Mrs. Riley’s wish
for “a camellia in every garden”. One
nice young man wanted a plant, but his wife was petrified she would kill it off,
not feeling she had even a hint of green in her fingers.
But we gave her literature on how to plant it, a calendar of camellia
care, a swift pep talk and a telephone number to call as “Camellia 911” just
in case she had any problems! They
left with him happily carrying his new plant and her slightly less worried about
her new charge. After visiting the
Show many people stopped by the Club’s table for information about camellias
and we signed up 40 new members. The
65th Camellia Show proved to be a resounding success, in no small part due to
the many members who pitched in to help with the many jobs that go into making a
smooth-running show. Each of you
should give yourself a pat on the back for a job well-done.
Our sincere thanks to all the judges who selected such a superb group of
award-winning camellias, and last, but by no means least, our grateful
appreciation to all who entered their blooms in the Show.
Without you we would have no Show! ____________________________________________________________________________________________ LEARN HOW TO GRAFT - FEBRUARY 13 MEETING Be
sure to attend the next Meeting of the Camellia Club on February 13 at
Bellingrath Gardens. We hope to
welcome all the new members who joined at the 65th Show. There will be a social half-hour starting at 2 p.m. with the
Meeting getting underway at 2:30 p.m. We
will be giving a seminar on how to graft camellias - a very inexpensive way to
increase your collection - and you will get hands-on instructions from our
experts, including Jim Smelley who is one of the best camellia propagators in
the South. Don’t miss this! ____________________________________________________________________________________________ CAMELLIA CHAT.... Looking
for more places to see camellias: Why
not try The Zoo at Gulf Breeze? They
have a lovely Camellia Walk in the center of the Zoo and it would seem most of
the plants have survived since you can see some brilliant spots of color as you
whizz by on Highway 98. Most of the plants are older varieties.
While in that part of Florida drive on to Fort Walton Beach where you
will find a delightful little camellia garden called the “Frances Brooks Pryor
Memorial Camellia Garden”. It is
on Brook Street, and can be found almost across the street from the Indian Mound
Museum. A
very pretty courtyard type garden. Closer
to home you might like to wander through the woods at the Baldwin County
Heritage Museum in Elberta. There
are many large specimens there, though some have probably gone back to root
stock blooms due to damage from Hurricane Frederick years ago.
The Museum is interesting, too. While
manning the Club’s table at the Camellia Show, past Club Presidents Jim Oates,
Walter Creighton and Very Curry were delighted to see the familiar face of
George Amrich, also a former President. George
has recently returned to the area (and his love of camellias) after some years
working in New York. He was pleased
to see the Club still thriving and we hope to see him at our meetings as soon as
he is settled back in the South. Terry
Kilpatrick of Almanack Press was at the Show selling his informative book
“Camellia Garden Field Guide” at a special price for Show visitors - he will
be at the meeting on February 13 with some more copies for those (like me) who
were too busy to stop and buy one. A
whisper reached us that contributors to this book include our President Forrest
Latta and Board Member Brenda Litchfield... It
was so nice to see so many old and new friends at the Show, including Julie Ryan
(long-time Club Secretary), also Imti and Jamima Husain who are just back from a
trip to Pakistan. A new friend that
we signed up is now our youngest member and she has a most appropriate
name: Camellia! Check out our website to see
pictures of the Club’s visit to Marguerite Miller’s garden, the Botanical
Gardens and Bobby Green’s Nursery and home garden.
All the trips were fun and informative - more details about them in the
next Newsletter with
where to find the plants we saw.
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