17 replies to this topic

[John Jearrard]

The open weekend in the South West is going ahead again this year and it will be wonderful to see anybody who can get to any or all of the meetings.

Derek Clavell-Bate is open on Saturday 2nd June 2012 from 2.00 - 5.00 pm near Launceston in Cornwall. Details in the CPS newsletter, on last years thread (on this forum), or I expect Derek will post them here later.

Dennis Balsdon is opening the next day, Sunday 3rd June 2012 from 10.00am to 5.00 pm in Paingnton. Details in last years thread, but I expect Dennis will post them here as well shortly.

In between, I am again holding a barbeque on saturday evening from 6.00 pm. All welcome. It makes it slightly easier for catering if you can let me know if you are coming but don't worry if you don't manage it, just turn up!


Last week I wasn't sure there was going to be anything to see, but things are beginning to move.

Sarracenia alata in bud. If we are lucky the flowers will be perfect on the day!


Sarracenia oreophila pitchers coming up.


In the last few days the first seed has started to germinate.


Last years seedlings starting to move. The older ones are starting to look a bit more interesting.

The collection here is mostly Sarracenia. A few Pinguicula flowering at the moment, but I think they will be over by June. One or two sundews, a Drosophilum and a dead Heliamphora.
If you can't get here, or want to get a look at the collection in advance it is mostly on the website.

I'm a bit more organised this year and have split some of the plants, so there will be a few for sale. Anybody who wants to bring plants to sell is very welcome, it all adds to the fun.

Look forward to seeing you!

Edited by John Jearrard, 03 June 2012 - 18:59 PM.

[Ian Salter]

Thanks for posting John.
Guys, this is the weekend of all weekends for the sheer volume of plants you will see.
Make the effort and prepare to be amazed.

[bazgoodman]

Yes I agree with Ian, I'm looking forward to it!
Will definitely be a Derek's and John's and will try to get to Dennis's
Cheers
Baz

[dennisB]

Hi John

I'll be there and hopefully bringing a few more with me.

cheers

Dennis

Edited by dennisB, 14 May 2012 - 09:48 AM.

[Amar]

Sure wish I could be there...one day..

[TommyTopTraps]

Should be able to make it to Derek's and hopefully the BBQ, will confirm about the BBQ midweek.

Looking forwards  to it,

Tom

[TommyTopTraps]

Ian Salter, on 13 May 2012 - 07:31 AM, said:

Thanks for posting John.
Guys, this is the weekend of all weekends for the sheer volume of plants you will see.
Make the effort and prepare to be amazed.

Nice - Would not like to be a fly on the wall in there.

PS. Is that an old one?
Must be...

Tom

[Ian Salter]

TommyTopTraps, on 25 May 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

Nice - Would not like to be a fly on the wall in there.

PS. Is that an old one?
Must be...

Tom

An old what Tom?

[TommyTopTraps]

Ian Salter, on 25 May 2012 - 15:03 PM, said:

An old what Tom?

An old (and bad) joke,

[John Jearrard]

Looking forward to seeing everybody on Saturday. It's looking like the weather will be fine and a week of warmth has helped the plants along. I wasn't sure there were going to be many pitchers but it is starting to look good.

Darlingtonia looking better in full sun than the plants in shade.

Sarracenia alata. Flowers are just opening today, so I hope they will be at a peak over the weekend.

Sarracenia flava pitchering well.

Sarracenia leucophylla flowers developing rapidly now they have some sunshine.

Sarracenia oreophila in full growth, the flowers are just starting to open.

Great to see anybody who can make it on saturday, from 6.00pm. I'll be firing up the barbeque around then, and hopefully we will have as good an evening as last year.

Edited by John Jearrard, 03 June 2012 - 19:00 PM.

[Richard Bunn]

My info request is how/where do you cultivate your Darlingtonia. I'm bloody jealous.

[John Jearrard]

Hi Richard,
the Darlingtonia grows outside, sheltered a bit from the wind by the side of the greenhouse. It is in full sun through the morning, but in light shade from trees through the afternoon. This one is flowering better this year than the others, which grow on the north side of the greenhouse and rarely get full sun exposure.
It grows in a mix of peat and perlite in a shallow bowl and always stands in 3 or 4 inches of water.

[dennisB]

Hi

anyone going to Derek's open day specifically to see his national collection of nepenthes should be aware that the collection has been transferred to Chester Zoo who are building new facilities to house it.

Derek's large heliamphora collection remains and does his immense sarracenia collection.  As Derek is disposing of his collections this will be an opportunity to acquire those rare plants you have been looking for.

Cheers

Dennis

[John Jearrard]

It is currently looking as though we may have a little drop of rain for the barbeque so I have set up inside the big greenhouse where it will be reasonably dry!
Still hoping it will blow over before the evening and we can sit on the grass in the beautiful evening sunshine (but it's not loooking likely).

Derek's collection is entirely under cover in a big poly-tunnel (and the afternoon is looking dry anyway), and Saturday is looking like reasonable weather to visit Dennis B.
See you all soon.

[John Jearrard]

Thanks to everybody who came, especially those who drove through difficult traffic.
The weather behaved itself reasonably well for Dereks open day. A lot of people went away with excellent plants at a good price, and the collection was looking magnificent.
Thanks to Derek for his hospitality (and Amelia's baking).


Light drizzle for the barbeque, but we held it in the greenhouse anyway, so it didn't matter.

And then on to Dennis on Sunday. His plants are a long way in advance of mine and we had a fair bit of sunshine to enjoy them in. Lovely to see everybody again and thanks to Dennis and Carol for their welcome and catering,

[Richard Bunn]

Is that first picture of the Redruth collection? If so it's the best thing to ever come out of that town.  WOW.

[Ian Salter]

I'm glad we saved this text as it did not get through when the site went down.

A big thank you to Derek for allowing us to look around your collection and for your hospitality and for being so generous and helpful.  Thank you to Amelia for the WONDERFUL cakes and cookies.  We came away with full bellies and a very full van.  Thanks also for stopping by so that we could collect the CPS promotional stuff that we ooopppsss! left behind and the friendly cuppa that was a welcome break from all our driving and for the extra plants that we ended up getting.

Dianne and I wish you all the very best for your future ventures and would love to come for a visit when it comes to fruition, whatever you decide to do, don't lose momentum, you have some great ideas!


Thank you to John for the lovely BBQ and sincere hospitality.  Personally I think your a cleptomaniac, but the most friendly and knowledable cleptomaniac I know.  You have an outstanding collection of Carnivorous plants and any other plant that you can collect.  Thank you so much for allowing us to camp in your drive and for the cuppa and offer of breakfast in the morning before we set off for Dennis's.  Again we left with a few more plants to add to our collection for the mere token price of what they were worth.  Thank you once again and we look forward to seeing your collection next year.  


And lastly thank you to Dennis and Carol for the wonderful hospitality, gorgeous food and another look at your collection.  The ping collection is increasing again and is looking good, the Sarracenia collection is better than ever.  Dianne is thrilled with the new ping's she has manage to pick up from you and I found a few more gems again in your cloches again, always little gems popping up in the well managed collection.  


We are both looking forward to visiting your collections again next year.

For those of you who were not able to attend this weekend I have to repeat that (and we do appreciate the latest silly prices in fuel and nagging spouses) you have really missed out with any of these events over the weekend, always bargains or plants you will not get in the main stream and even some rarities you will not find on any auction sites not to mention the knowledge of these well renowned collectors/ growers that have been around since the dina..... what's the word? uummm? Dinner time that's it (laughing arses off.)

Thanks to all of you guys for a very big weekend and we are all very greatful.
And one for next year is a guy called Ian McKay about 10 Mins away from Dennis B. Myself Dianne and Mike popped off to check out his collection and were faced with a tropical grotto of Nepenthes, tropical plants and Stick Insects (that Dianne actually and surprisingly found cute) buggering about on his plants, we then went through another doorway to find Sarracenia and another section for lowland Nepenthes. We were there very breifly but were informed of a enthusiastic snake interest that we did not have time to see but I am sure Ian will add some details.
We would like to  see this added to an early part of the day before Dennis's main open day to add an extra bonus and incentive (as if you need one) to the day or indeed weekend.
Yes it takes time, money and no doubt some nagging from/ to the spouses but it workes out very much worthwhile getting to these open days and possibly for less than you may have spent on that auction site that rhymes with Ebay.
Then again, the less of you that turn up then the more things we get lucky with.
Cheers all.
Thanks to all who organised and got involved.
Ian.

[Sue]

I would like to add my thanks to Derek and Dennis for all their hard work and hospitality, also to everyone who attended and made us feel so welcome. These were our first visits to open days but they will definitely not be our last. Thank you to all.