Camellia Club of Mobile Inc. Newsletter Issue 5  Vol. IX  -  February 2013

SUCCESSFUL BUT SOMBER CAMELLIA SHOW

Our 73^rd Camellia Show, presented at Bel Air Mall on January 19 & 20, was very well attended by exhibitors, judges, Club members and the general public.  Thanks to a tremendous job done by our Vice-President Larry Heard, our Show was publicized on three different TV channels, USA Today and the Mobile Press Register’s print and Internet editions!  No-one could say they hadn’t heard about the Show... Sadly our beloved perennial Board Member Elaine Smelley passed away just as the judging was completed on Saturday.  Elaine had organized the judges’ teams for many years, so we are very grateful to Vickie and Al Baugh for stepping in and taking over this most important task.  Jimmy Walker kindly took over the job of placement leader from Vickie. So many members came forward and worked at this Show, from helping the exhibitors with cups, cards and water, placement, clerking, carrying blooms to the Head Table, setting up the refreshment table, picking up camellia plants from Mississippi, buying the awards, setting up the awards table, selling camellia plants & mugs, signing up new members (34!!!),  giving out printed information, answering loads of questions and, finally, tearing down the Show at 4 p.m. on Sunday.  To all of you, our sincerely heartfelt thanks and a very special thank you to ALL who exhibited blooms and to the talented camellia enthusiasts who judged them.  We could not have had such a successful show without you.  There were a lot of tears and hugs, but the camellias still glowed through in silent tribute to one of their greatest fans, we will always miss you, Elaine.

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HOW TO PROPAGATE CAMELLIAS – FEBRUARY 10, 2013

Our February Meeting is always one of our most popular since members are shown how to increase their camellia collections in several different ways.  Demonstrations will take place showing how to graft, air-layer, root cuttings and plant seeds. The Club will have about 15 pots of root stock which will be available for grafting by our experts at this Meeting at a cost of $5.00 per pot.  Please note that new and newer members will be given priority in purchasing this root stock.  Scions of special camellia plants will be available for grafting on this root stock at $1.00 per scion.  Scions will be sold at the same price to any members who wish to do their grafting at their home place.  We will have a variety of excellent  scions from difficult to obtain varieties. Do try to attend this meeting, it is always very informative and very social with lots of great tips being exchanged on how to expand your camellia collection  - for those who are saying “but I don’t have a camellia collection” – just wait... you will!  Our brand new members especially are invited to join us at this very busy meeting.  See you at the Mobile Botanical Gardens at 2:00 p.m. for the social half-hour, then 2:30 p.m. for the demonstrations.

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Camellia Chat....

Have just found out in January that our Board Member Larry Bush’s home was one of the victims of that terrible tornado that ripped through Mobile on Christmas Day.  We hope that everything is getting back to normal and we all send the Bushes our sympathy on such a horrible event, especially at Christmas.

Those of us (and there were many) who attended Elaine Smelley’s visitation and service on January 22^nd, were moved by Col. Dick Hooten’s eulogy, in his tribute he described Elaine’s helpfulness to him, as a camellia newbie, in identifying his blooms.  So many of us have had the same experience with Elaine, always kind, helpful and patient with the beginner camellia growers.  Along with Jim, she was always very generous with her time, knowledge and energy.  Camellias were not Elaine’s only interest, if you ever had the privilege of visiting them at “the field” (as they called their Agricola greenhouses) during daylily season you would have been dazzled by the many varieties Elaine grew.  As a qualified National Flower Show judge, she could answer questions and solve problems on a myriad of plants.  She often judged the flower show at the Pensacola State Fair.

Everyone was delighted to see that Laura Barnard won an award for her gorgeous “Laura’s Beauty” bloom at the Show. Bet Barney had a big smile on his face while getting St. Peter to dig more holes for Heaven’s new camellia garden!