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Well, it was my first gessie convention and I had a wonderful time! I want to thank my friend Janice, with all my heart, for traveling with me to the convention. I would never have gone without her. I'm sad she lost so many plants from the heat while she was away, and I will be trying to make that up to her when our weather cools down in a couple months.
I seen so many people that I've only seen in magazines and online pictures. Also matched a face with names I've seen posting on internet forums. It was also wonderful to meet Kivit...too bad there just wasn't time to talk more. Conventions move very fast and there is always something next on the schedule. In the end it was all very tiring. Jan and I gave Thad Scaggs (the episcia guy) a ride from the airport to the hotel on Tue... then, we sat next to Dale Martins (the strep lady) during the petrocosmea seminar! Why aren't you bragging Jan!
The seminars were great, we actually had to miss a couple to have time to look at the flower show plants and visit the plant sales room. The convention schedule is set up for people staying at the hotel, for people there all day and into the night. Jan and I were staying somewhere else and were driving to and from the hotel, so we didn't have the after dinner time to go to those.
The plant sales room didn't open until Thurs night at 9pm. You got to enter the plant room by your registration number. Lucky, Jan and I had 14 and 20 !...which meant we had time to look around and pick up some plants before they let everyone else in. When everyone else was allowed to come in, it was chaotic and you could hardly move around without people bumping your plant box. But it was great fun to see what other growers were interested in and they redily answered questions. Everything was set up according to the type of plant, seeds in one place, chiritas on another table, sinningias on another...it was very well set up, made it so much easier to find what you were looking for. The prices were a little higher than I expected, but I didn't let it stop me from buying what I came for. I got a lot of achimenes, some xachimenantha, a lot of different kohleria, a couple chirita (I had almost everyone they had, thats sad I have so many already!, ha), a couple micro mini sinningia growing in deli containers - what a great way to sell them!., some petrocosmea, couple smithianthia and a couple companion plants, oh, and some seeds. I came home very very happy. I tried to stick with what grows good for me. No streps, although there were some pretty ones on the tables. Currently I'm having some problems growing my streps. They were big and beautiful and have been going, going, some are gone, so I don't want any more until I can figure out what I'm doing wrong and get them growing big and beautiful again. The sales room was awsome! I went back and purchased just a few more on Friday and again on Saturday. I was so bad.
You can see pictures of the show plants ...but seeing the plants in person is incredible. Also knowing these plants were brought from all over the country and Canada by air and car in the middle of the summer - full of bloom - and are still in condition to win awards is just unbelieveable. Those plants were all picture perfect. The colors, the textures, the delicate flowers, some heavy and waxy. There was a species sinningia ? at least 2 foot wide and full of bloom. An alsobia in a hanging basket probably 10 ft long or more!
I think Thursday really wore us both out. We had to get up early to avoid all the DC traffic to get to the hotel for a bus tour that was leaving at 9am. We went to the botanical garden, had lunch and then toured the arboratum. Both places very nice, so many beautiful plants. We went home after that to rest up a bit and be back before 9pm for the plant sales. Didn't leave until after 11pm. Friday morning we were ready for the convention to be over and we had 2 more days! We went to the Saturday luncheon, very nice meal! and when that was over they had the live auction. You wouldn't believe the bidding. I think because the money went to research, they didn't mind bidding high, but it was out of my league. Jan and I were in awe what some people would pay for just leaves and cuttings, there were also large tubers, plants, new hybrids, etc.
We had a really good time, but we were glad when Saturday afternoon come and we were leaving for the last time! Thank goodness Jan can parellel park! I don't need to visit Silver Spring again! I think we drove there 6 times? Talk about Road Trip. Then there was driving from GA to MD & MD to GA and Jan still had some more driving to get to her house. Next year is Vancouver, B.C. - way too far. { Besides: Next March will be the the southern states, Dixie African Violet Society convention in Athens Georgia. My two violet clubs (yea, two) are helping host it, so I will totally be resting for the rest of the summer to make up for all the volunteer work I'll have to do in Athens!}
I also came away knowing how to pronounce some of the names now!
tish - still tired!
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