In recent years, Warrnambool & District  SGAP’s Annual Flower Show has become a great social occasion whereby people from many similar conservation type organisations come together on the day to not only enjoy what the show has to offer, but to meet up with friends and acquaintances perhaps not seen since last years show. This year was no different in this respect with many familiar faces coming along to check out the display and maybe purchase the odd plant or three.

This years theme of “Local Plants for Your Garden” proved to be a real winner with lots of people bringing along their copy of “Plants of the Great South West”  trying to find some of those species that they might have had trouble purchasing elsewhere.  Lorraine Deppeler and Ken & Gwen both brought along lots of local species for sale and these were easily distinguished as local plants using my suggestion of putting red dots both on the labels and the specimens on display. Also added to this was the static corner display simulating a local beach sand dune set up by Joyce and I in which all specimens were labeled with botanical and common names. Thank you to Pam Brebner for the brilliant backdrop scene that she especially painted for the display and to Michael and Dorothy, Bev and Suzanne for their assistance. Already ideas have surfaced for next year, what about a simulated forest scene or maybe a grassland scene or even a wetland!!  There are lots of ideas that we can put into practice that promote the use of our very own local species, many are just as colorful and useful but simply don’t get the opportunity to perform.

Our ‘Flower Show Weekend’ began on the Friday before, where I took the day off work so as to be ready in time for the show, many things to prepare, displays to think about, signs to do on the computer and of course the entire box of plant name labels have to be up to date and in alphabetical order. In the morning, with Michael not feeling well, Joyce and I raced out to Mick O’Brien’s garden in his place to beat the impending rainstorm and picked a selection of plant specimens, of course Mick did not let us down, we returned home loaded with flowers which had to be then placed in water. In between showers in the afternoon we also collected specimens of coastal plants and other material for the beach scene before it was time to meet at Greg and Gail’s to help in the transporting and setting up of the show equipment.

Saturday was more of the same this time from our garden and the Swan Reserve garden, but after heavy rain during the night we arrived at the Showgrounds drenched from head to foot but fully loaded with much needed floral specimens. A return trip home and quick change of clothes and it was back on deck to help in the arduous setting up of the displays.

Then of course it was the day of the show itself, Sunday where all hands were on deck to man the various tables, plant sales and cut flower sales etc. With the likelihood of us being short handed with a number of members away for various reasons, it was very pleasing to see that other members arrived to take their place and ensure the smooth running of the show. It was great to see Greg Lemmens back helping out again after a number of years away being involved with football umpiring.  Now if we can only get you along to member’s nights again, Greg!  

Cherree Densley was missed, we were saddened to hear of the passing of her mother just before the weekend, personally I have fond memories of visiting her with other group members at her home/museum quite a few years ago and marveling at her many and varied collectables.

We also missed seeing Joan and Jim Henderson for probably the first time ever at the flower show, I’m told Jim was admitted to hospital that weekend unexpectedly and we hope that both he and Joan are now feeling much better again.

Every year it is said but again Dorothy came up with a brilliantly decorated cake for the raffle, she must be starting to run out of ideas soon! 

A real feature of our shows in recent years has been the floral displays by Bev Bell, this year again they were outstanding, Bev spends many hours putting them together and as usual they showed a high degree of professionalism.

Coral did her usual quiet and superb job of bunching up and selling the cut flowers, the colored tissue paper was a great idea too; it seemed to make the bunches more desirable.

Thank you to all members who helped man the door, sell raffle tickets and plant books and provide information etc. , especially to Matthew Pritchard who was promoted from his usual job on the touch table.

Immediately after the show it is clean up time where everything that has been carted to the show grounds over many trips then has to be pulled down and taken away in one trip and put into storage again for next year. (I could not have possibly fitted anything else in; I think I know just how much you can squeeze in a Camry!!) Thank you to the many members who every year contribute to this, making the job so much easier for those of us who have had an enormously tiring weekend and who only want to get home and put their feet up. 

Finally each day the first people to arrive and the last ones to leave have been Michael and Dorothy and together they make an enormous contribution to the running of our flower show, so a special thank you must go out to them from all members.

Warrnambool & District Group Monthly NEWSLETTER
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