Mid-Atlantic Regional symposium - September 30, 2012 in Delaware

The first ever Mid-Atlantic Regional Gesneriad Show, Sale & Symposium will take place this weekend in Newark, Delaware.  On Sunday, September 30, 2012, the event is open to the public: entrance to the show and sale are free, but registration is required for the two lectures. 

The event is jointly sponsored by the Delaware African Violet and Gesneriad Society, the National Capital Area Chapter (that's us) and the Liberty Bell Chapter of The Gesneriad Society.  The official announcement and details are on the Delaware African Violet and Gesneriad Society's website.  We would like to thank the staff of the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens for their assistance in making this event possible.

Gesneriads Across the Globe: An International Family

When: open to the public on Sunday, September 30, 2012
(Show entries and judging take place on Saturday, September 29, 2012)
Location: Townsend Hall, 531 South College Avenue, University of Delaware
Newark, DE
Costs: 
Registration fee for symposium/lectures is $25.
Show and Sale are free.
Parking fee may apply.
(Exhibitors, volunteers, and judges: see the brochure for additional information. The entry form is here.)

Speakers

Featured Presentation (registration required): Searching for Gesneriads in Cuba
Sunday September 30, 2012, at 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
John L. Clark is an Associate Professor in The University of Alabama's Department of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on the diversification and taxonomy of the flower plant family Gesneriaceae in the New World Tropics. Since 2006, John has participated in eight expeditions to Cuba for ongoing research on the Flora of Cuba Project. His research has facilitated the rediscovery of plants that had not been documented since the 1800s, some of which have been recently introduced into the horticultural community. John will discuss recent taxonomic changes that affected the names of commonly grown Gesneriaceae from the Caribbean. Plan to attend his lecture to learn more about the natural history of Gesneriaceae and the ecosystems where they are native.

Featured Presentation (registration required): Rare and Unusual Gesneriads and How We Grow Them
Sunday September 30, 2012, at 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Bob and Dee Stewart live in Stowe, Massachusetts, where they maintain an extensive collection of exotic gesneriads in their greenhouse. Bob and Dee began growing gesneriads almost 25 years ago, starting on windows, moving to light, then to more elaborate lights, and then to the greenhouse. They grow a wide variety of species, including a lot of epiphytes and cool growers. Bob and Dee have won many awards for
their plants, and lectured on the greenhouse culture of gesneriads at the AGGS 1998 Convention. They have been members of AGGS (now The Gesneriad Society) for over 25 years. They recently constructed a new greenhouse. An informative article and photos of their project appeared in the February 2012 issue of Gleanings (direct link to PDF).


Schedule Details

Saturday, September 29, 2012 - Open to Exhibitors, Judges, Clerks and Volunteers Only
Location: Townsend Hall
8 a.m. - noon:  Entries
9 a.m. - 2 p.m:  Plants Accepted for Plant Sale
Noon - 1 p.m:  Judges/Clerks Luncheon/instructions
1 p.m. -  3 p.m:  Judging
3 p.m. - 5 p.m:  Sales and Shop Open to Exhibitors, Judges, Clerks and Volunteers
6:30 - 9:30 p.m:  Awards Dinner at Timothy’s of Newark

Sunday, September 30, 2012 - Open to the Public
Location: Townsend Hall
10 a.m. - 4 p.m:  Show and Sale open
Noon - 1 p.m:  Lunch for registrants
1 p.m. - 2 p.m:  Searching for Gesneriads in Cuba, a presentation by Dr. John L. Clark
2 - 2:30 p.m:  Break with Refreshments
2:30 - 3:30 p.m:  Rare and Unusual Gesneriads and How We Grow Them a presentation by Bob and Dee Stewart
4-5:30 p.m:  Dismantle Show

For more information, directions, registration form, etc., check out the brochure on the DAVS website.