OUR SECOND GATHERING IN 2006!

The second Green Culture Singapore (GCS) gathering this year was held at the function room in Joseph's condominium - just two months after the previous one. This time round, we are honoured to have two of our overseas members joining us for this gathering - ladybird from Brunei and tropica from Taiwan.

Above: Members helping themselves to the potluck dinner.

The number of members attending this gathering was a whopping fifty this time and most was new members! Thankfully, the function room was able to house all of us.

We were especially touched by Ladybird who insisted in making her way to Singapore despite suffering from a slipped disc. She brought tonnes of African violet (AV) leaves which were carefully packed in Ziploc® to be share with our local AV growers. In addition, she also brought seeds of dinner plate Hibiscus, and Adenium.

Tropica contributed free tissue-cultured Cephalotus plantlets to the carnivorous plant (CP) lovers to grow them as a competition. Not surprisingly, the competition also attracted members from the other plant groups. Cindy who is one of our CP Forum Leaders, took the initiative to concoct the prescribed substrate mix as well as to pot up the babies overnight. Kudos Cindy! Tropica also contributed numerous professionally wrapped six inches tall baby Adenium plants and numerous Hoya lacunosa cuttings.

Above: Learning about the cultivation of tissue-cultured Cephalotus plantlets.

Our gesneraid forum leader, bluefly, set up a projector to show that African violets can be grown successfully even for people who do not have a super green thumb. It was noted that bluefly had made two trips to bring the equipment that was necessary for this slide show.

Left: Some of GCS members posing for a group picture. Right: Bluefly brought along a slide projector for an African violet slideshow.

As each member brought some food for potluck, it was not surprising that outsiders might think we were having some international food festival instead of a humble gardening gathering. A handful of members also brought along some Halal dishes which catered to our Muslim members. A couple of members also brought along some homemade food, which were very much welcomed by all.

Left: Wilson thanking our host, Joseph.

The aim of the lucky draw was to promote an interest in plants which were outside one's domain. We had members contributing prizes ranging from plants like a blooming Cattleya plant, African violets, Episcia, ferns, carnivorous plants to cuttings, seeds and gardenware. Our host, Joseph contributed a book by Kurata, entitled "Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu", which is priced at 250 Australian dollars, at the time of writing this article. He also contributed a beautiful Nepenthes hybrid which had caught the attention of all members, especially from the CP lovers.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Green Culture Singapore is grateful and would like to thank the following whose efforts have made this gathering a great success:

· GCS members for supporting this gathering, as well as, for the generous portions of food and numerous lucky draw prizes contributed.

· Joseph for helping to book the function room.

· tropica for initiating the Cephalotus growing competition.

· ladybird for coming down to Singapore to share with her seeds and leaves of her collection despite her condition.

· Bluefly for putting up the African violet slide show.

· Cindy for helping to pot up the Cephalotus plantlets for members participating in the competition.

· Velvetine for helping to print out the name tags and lucky draw lots.