Camellia Club of Mobile

 

Camellia Club of Mobile  Newsletter

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Volume IV  Issue 2                                                                                                                                                                                  ______November  2007   

YOU’RE INVITED TO A TEA PARTY....

On Sunday, November 11th, the Club will be hosting a Tea Party for members.  Our speaker at this month’s Meeting will be Donnie Barrett

who will tell us about growing tea (Camellia sinensis as we all know) and how to brew a perfect cup.  Donnie’s talk has been thoroughly

enjoyed by all who have heard him on other occasions, so don’t miss this.  Refreshments and tea will be served after  the program, with

a proper English tea  which includes scones with strawberry jam and cream, plus sandwiches, cookies and cake.  If you would like to bring

something to share, call our refreshments organizer Eileen Dwyer on 251-988-1405.  Meeting will be at the Mobile Botanical Gardens.

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Bonsai Lecture & Demonstration a success

Over sixty members were present for our October  Meeting  and we were treated to a most interesting talk and demonstration by two very

experienced members of the Azalea City Bonsai Society - what these two gentlemen didn’t know about bonsai wasn’t worth knowing!  Their

Society holds its meetings at the Mobile Botanical Gardens at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month,  and they will welcome any of our

members who are interested in the art of bonsai.  Becky Root gave a run-down on the work being done at Bellingrath Gardens by Club

members (Seth Allen was originally going to give this talk  but did not have a free weekend from his boarding school).  Vera Curry talked

about the spread of the camellia from the Far East to the rest of the world.  All in all, a very informative meeting.

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Garden Tours.....

As promised here is the information on the Garden Tours that Board Member Vickie Baugh has arranged for the coming camellia bloom season - mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on some really pleasant afternoons, all tours begin at 1:30 p.m.:

 

Sunday - 6 January 2008   Host:  Jim & Eileen Dwyer, 14040 Riverside Drive, Foley.  Tel: 251-988-1405.  This will be a most interesting

                                                tour, Jim collects a variety of camellia species and has a great selection of fragrant camellias.

 

Sunday - 27 January 2008  University of South Alabama campus. Brenda Litchfield will conduct a tour of the camellias on public display

                                                  at USA,  these plants were first established in the l960s and l970s.

 

Sunday - 24 February 2008  Host: Earl & Margaret Comstock, 23224 Miflin Road, Foley.  Tel: 251-943-5386.  There will be over 175

                                                   camellias on display, older plants and a lot of newer ones.  The emphasis will be on late blooming varieties.

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CAMELLIA CHAT

Many Club members were most upset to hear at our last Meeting that Margaret Comstock has yet again been attacked by cancer.  This

brave and cheerful lady has already successfully battled this frightening disease on several occasions.  She will  again be undergoing

chemotheraphy in Birmingham, but plans to attend our Tea Party this weekend.  Our thoughts, love and prayers are with you, Margaret.

 

Last month we noted that there are new organic pesticides on the market which do not contain petrochemicals.  A computer search on

www.organicpesticides.com gave the following information:  Oil-Pharm is an organic treatment for a variety of problems including scale.

It is made from certified organic soybean oil and certified organic soap (the last is to help the oil stick  to the foliage).  You can find

further information at www.pharmsolutionsinc.com.  If you don’t have a computer, go to your local library, the staff will be able to help

you find this information on their computers. Apparently Oil-Pharm does free shipping if you order online.

 

If you are a camellia lover, the International Camellia Society would be delighted to welcome you as a member.  They publish a very

interesting  and informative book each year.  The dues are $l7.00 single or $20.00 couple.  These can be sent to the ICS rep in the

USA,  Morris Waller, 417 Elkins Lake, Huntsville, TX  77430.   When you join, let Morris know you’re a member of the Camellia Club of

Mobile.  The ICS has a Camellia Congress each year, in 2008 it will be in the United Kingdom.

 

Copies of the latest Camellia Nomenclature Book ($12.00) and the Supplement ($5.00) have been ordered and should arrive shortly.

 

 

 

 

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