O.N.T. Newsletter for March 2007

Next Management meeting

Date:         20 March 2007

Time:        19h30

Venue:      Home of Marietjie and Emile Houghton

                  (Provisional)

Previous ONT Meeting

(13 February 2007)

The plant table

The plant table was again well represented this month with many magnificent plants on display. The judges, Pieter de Bruin and Christo Page  assisted by learner judges Nollie Cilliers and Claud Keytel dispatched a large amount of useful information and growing tips such as the fact that Polystachya is an African species  that grows better in a pot than mounted and that Stanhopea wardii have a chocolate Vanilla smell, and have flowers that are the heaviest Orchid flower in the world.

The winning plants were:

Best Hybrid:

BLC Bright Angel x LC Love Knot

Owner: Paola Copeman

Best Exotic Species

Stanhopea nigroviolacea

Owner: Plantae

Best Africa Species

Aerangis luteo alba var rhodostica

Owner: Christian Giesel

Judge’s Choice:

BLC Bright Angel x LC Love Knot

Owner: Paola Copeman

Bruinslich Trophy nomination:

(Best specimen plant)

Miltonia candida

Owner: Paola Copeman

Arrie Arnold Wissel Trophy nomination:

(Most awardable plant)

BLC Bright Angel x LC Love Knot

Owner: Paola Copeman

Congratulations to the winners!

Members are once again encouraged to bring their plants in for the discussion table, even if plants are not of awardable quality much can still be gained.

New members

Welcome to the following new members, we hope that you enjoy a fruitful relationship with the society:

Name tags

Please remember to wear your name tags at the monthly meetings and to hand them back afterwards.

Library

As mentioned in the last newsletter, this month sees the introduction of a book or journal review to help members wade through the large amount of information available. With the mention of the “Cultural guides” available from the SAOC in last months newsletter Pieter de Bruin and Christo Page where kind enough to provide a review of these for this months newsletter.

The Cultural guides produced by the Wellington Orchid Society are a useful group of books for both the novice and the judge. Although the books do not have many pictures they contain very good cultural and species information as well as breeding characteristics. Overall they provide a very user friendly and good reference.

Not bad from a society that is smaller than the ONT.

The five cultural guides are:

The cultural guide to Oncidiums

The cultural guide to Cattleyas

The cultural guide to Cymbidiums

The cultural guide to Lycaste

The cultural guide to Paphiopedilums

Gauteng Study group

The Gauteng Study Group will meet at Christo Page’s home at 606 Gerard Marais Street , Constantia Park on Sunday 11 March at 14h00 to discuss species identification. The judges’ business meeting will be held prior to the study group and judges are requested to be present from 13H30. The new Chairman, Vice Chairman and committee will be elected during this meeting.

ONT AGM Information

For those new and old members who would like a bit more information regarding the nominees for president, please find below a short summary:

Paola Copeman (nominated by Christo Page and seconded by Emile Houghton)

Dr Francois Booyse (Nominated by Herman Steyn and seconded by Malcolm Foster).

During the AGM the floor will be opened for the nomination of the new committee. There are six outgoing committee members.

Please note that only paid up members of the ONT are permitted to vote during the AGM.

The outgoing president Herman Steyn would like to thank the present committee for their hard work and dedication during the last year.

Shows and Symposiums

SAOC – Gardenx 2007 – 19-22 April 2007

WOS Show -  27 to 29 April 2007 at The Floreum, Johannesburg Botanic Gardens Emmarentia Dam.  Friday and Saturday 10am to 5 pm and Sunday

10am to 4pm.  Entrance fees Adults R10, Children under 16 R5.00 Senior Citizens free on Friday.

There will be Orchid displays, Icing Art Display, Orchid Plants and related items for sale.  Culture information and Raffle with Orchid Prize.

Die Vlakte Orchid Society – 11 - 12 May 2007 at Naboomspruit.

ONT Safari Garden Show – 25 – 27 May 2007

Magalies Orchid Society – Rustenburg Agricultural Showgrounds – 25 – 27 May 2007 

EROS Orchid Society – 9 and 10 June 2007

At the Edenvale Civic Centre

Cape Orchid Society 50^th Anniversary –

12- 16 September 2007

At the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Lectures,  floral displays featuring orchids in the kitchen, art and photographic exhibitions, floral art, cake decorating, craft displays, on site workshops and demonstrations, sales of plants and accessories.   Entry fee Expo only R50 for adults, children under 12 free. Visit website, www.capeorchidsociety.co.za for more information.

For those members interested in attending the show please here is some useful accommodation information circulated by Aletta Page:

If you are planning to attend the COS 50th Birthday Bash - the International Orchid Expo in September 2007 - just to let you know that we do have on offer a budget arrangement which you might find attractive for a small group of Society members who may wish to share 'digs'.     The one requirement would be that you would need transport as the facility is situated in Constantia which is approx 45 minutes drive from the CTICC, during peak hours.    However, once you are there you will not necessarily need to come back to your digs until the end of the day.    Details as follows :

DORMITORY  ACCOMMODATION   -   14 BEDS  -  1  HOUSE

SCHOENSTATT  TRAINING  AND  RETREAT  CENTRE,  PRICE DRIVE , CONSTANTIA, W.CAPE

     5 x DOUBLE ROOMS;     4 x SINGLE ROOMS

     3  x  SHOWERS;   1 x BATH ;   4  x  TOILETS;   1 x LARGE LOUNGE WITH TV

KITCHEN  -  CROCKERY, HOT WATER GAS CYLINDER,  URN.     IF POTS & PANS NEEDED

THESE CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE MAIN KITCHEN.    SELF-CATERING FACILITIES OR MEALS IN MAIN DINING ROOM

       RATES :     Single    .....    R170.00 + VAT p.p

                            Double   .....    R130.00 + VAT p.p. sharing

This accommodation comes highly recommended for hospitality, clean, basic and comfortable facilities in a house which has been recently refurbished.    The setting in the Constantia Valley is picturesque and peaceful and Schoenstatt is conveniently situated just off the Constantia Main Road , almost next door to the Groot Constantia Wine Estate.  There is a very convenient shopping centre just down the road which includes a Woolworths food store and several delightful restaurants.   The large Constantia Shopping Mall is also just a few blocks away.   Hout Bay is just 20 minutes away over the Constantia Nek Drive .

For more information please contact me, Sylvia Byren at Tel/Fax 021-794-6439 or e-mail sylvia@viadata.co.za.

Should you require any alternative home or B&B accommodation please also contact me as there are still a few options available.

General

The ONT would like to encourage members to sell plant related items (paraphernalia associated with orchid growing only) at the monthly meetings. A 10% commission will be charged on all items sold.

Persons selling plants should:

§         Label all your plants with the plant’s name, your name and the price.

§         Bring plants for sale no later than 30 minutes before the start of the meeting.

Advertisements

Members are encouraged to advertise their orchid-related items for sale in the newsletter.  This service is offered at a nominal fee.

Plant rescue missions

The next collection will be held on the 14 April 2007 at Annerley Mine.

Persons interested in participating in this worthwhile endeavour should contact Stan Dawson (012) 361 2724 (H)

dawsons@absamail.co.za

ONT AGM

NORTHERN TRANSVAAL ORCHID SOCIETY

ORGIDEEVEREENIGING VAN NOORD-TRANSVAAL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE NORTHERN TRANSVAAL ORCHID SOCIETY WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, 13^TH MARCH, 2007 IN THE NG CHURCH HALL, CORNER OF DICKENSON AND TRUMPER STREETS, WAVERLEY PRETORIA AT 19H00

A G E N D A

1.                  WELCOME

2.                  MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS A.G.M. HELD ON 14^TH MARCH 2006

3.                  PRESIDENT’S REPORT

4.                  TREASURER’S REPORT

5.                  BUDGET FOR 2007 FINANCIAL YEAR

6.                  PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES

7.                  ELECTION OF PRESIDENT – Nominees Dr Francois Booyse and Paola Copeman.

8.                  ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS – 6 VACANCIES

9.                  GENERAL

10.              CLOSURE                                                        

PAOLA COPEMAN

SECRETARY

Please Note: The opinions & recommendations made in articles that  appear on this website, are those of the individual authors, and not those of the Orchid Society of Northern Transvaal (ONT). The ONT neither adopts nor endorses such opinions & recommendations and disclaims all responsibility for them. This includes products advertised on this website.