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CAMELLIAS AUSTRALIA“S FLICKR CAMELLIA PHOTOS Www.flickr.com/photos/camelliasaustralia
Members are reminded to take another look at the camellia photos on Camellias Australia’s Flickr gallery. Lynette Gleeson, the National Image Librarian has been busy uploading new sets of camellia photos that include winning blooms at different branch locations around the country during the camellia show season. Also, if you have any photos of camellias of interest please forward them to Lynette and she’ll upload them to our gallery. Forward photos to Lynette’s email address at [email protected] John Hadlow
Camellia hybrid “Lady Gowrie”
NSW CAMELLIA NSW CAMELLIA NSW CAMELLIA
RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH
SOCIETY INC.SOCIETY INC.SOCIETY INC.
Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc.
www.camelliasnsw.orgwww.camelliasnsw.orgwww.camelliasnsw.org
NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER Issue No: 1Issue No: 1 February 2014February 2014 Price: $1.50Price: $1.50
ContentsContentsContents
From The President
Camellia Calendar
Photos From Our Annual Dinner
Cultural Notes for February 2014
Details of a New Camellia Species named after Rachel &
Geoffrey O’Conor
Country Corner features interesting News and Articles
First Meeting of 2014: Monday 17th February 2014 at 7.45pmFirst Meeting of 2014: Monday 17th February 2014 at 7.45pmFirst Meeting of 2014: Monday 17th February 2014 at 7.45pm
ProgramProgramProgram———See page 5 for full detailsSee page 5 for full detailsSee page 5 for full details
Opening Remarks by new President Richie Griffiths who will
also run a new quiz during the meeting;
There will be a Popular Vote Flower Competition;
Rachel O’Conor will talk about old camellias in Killara;
Experts will answer your camellia questions;
Donation Camellia Prize Draw; and
Supper
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Patron Her Excellency Marie Bashir AC CVO
President Richie Griffiths
39 Hazelmead Road Asquith 2077
9476 6325
Vice President Pam Watson
12 Knights Road Galston 2159
Email: [email protected]
9653 1036
Secretary Margaret Levick (Interim)
73 Roland Ave Wahroonga 2076
Email: [email protected]
9489 4482
Treasurer Dale Andrews
3 Mckechnie St. Epping 2121
Email: [email protected]
0403 716914
(email preferred)
Public Officer Peter Levick
Membership Secretary Margaret Levick
Committee Peter Levick (Immediate Past President)
Richard Fischer
7/70 Albert St Hornsby 2077
Diana Herrald
6 Lisgar Road Hornsby 2077
Marion Moyes
3 Walpole Place Wahroonga 2076
Juliet Muras
11 Ackling Road Baulkham Hills 2153
Liz Navin
PO Box 2515 Bowral 2576
Email: [email protected]
9489 4482
9476 3141
9482 4487
9489 5363
9639 5445
4871 1146
Newsletter Editor and
Producer
John Hadlow
17 Tudor Place St Ives Chase 2075
9449 8989
National Councillors Richie Griffiths & Marion Moyes
Email Address [email protected]
NSW CNSW CNSW CAMELLIAAMELLIAAMELLIA RESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCH SOCIETYSOCIETYSOCIETY INCINCINC A.B.N. 16 873 158 367A.B.N. 16 873 158 367A.B.N. 16 873 158 367 Reg. No. Y17693Reg. No. Y17693Reg. No. Y17693---474747
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COUNTRY CORNER
We decided to move out of Sydney for a tree change and in March 2013 we did so to the Southern Highlands which is an hour and a half's drive south west of Sydney. We moved into a three bedroomed house with half an acre of garden at Burradoo, a change from a two bedroom unit on the lower north shore of Sydney. The previous owners had landscaped the garden in a cottage style with low stone walls as edging around part of the garden. We have a few natives as well. We have a Pittosptrom hedge down the western boundary which we have added a few more: a smaller Photinia hedge on the eastern side and our street boundary has Lylandeii species with Pittosptroms alternately planted. We inherited nineteen camellia plants which had to be identified as they came into flower plus six camellias that were in pots in Sydney. The first to flower was C.S. Pure Silk x 3, which flowered from April to early June, then C.S. Navajo x 3, C.J. Fuji-No-mine x 1, C.S. Gay x 4, C.S. Tanya x 2, then C.J. Polar Bear x 2, C.J. Man Size x 1, C.J. Dahlonega x 1 (Nuccio’s Golden Anniversary), then two hybrids E.G. Waterhouse x 1 and Debbie x 1. The six camellias that I had in pots were C.S. Paradise Barbara, C.S. Candy Ball, C.J. Buttons and Bows, Hybrid Sweet Jane and Happy Higo. We had eight inches of rain in June but very little since, but as I am writing this article, we have had just under two inches of rain. We are enjoying the new garden but looking at what the season’s bring to see if we will make any changes.
Simon and Angela Coventry
You can see photos of some of Simon and Angela’s camellias in their Burradoo garden on page: 7. We also heard from Dennis Bainbridge of Glenbrook, NSW 2773 who mentions that the hot weather in October last year damaged many of his camellias while he was overseas. Shade is at a premium in his garden and he lost two Nuccio’s which may not have been strong varieties; others are still green underneath so Dennis is hopeful they will reshoot. David Maher of Tamworth also wrote that his camellias are all in good condition and says that surprises are part of the enjoyment and mystery of gardening. His Elegans Champagne, now 24 years’ old, flowered on one branch only producing great flowers. Brian Kerr of Yellow Rock experienced extensive burn damage to his garden during the bushfires and will write further on this for our members to read in another newsletter. It would be great to hear from more members of their experiences, particularly during the bushfires and how their gardens and plants have survived. John Hadlow
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Vale Nancy Churchland
Farewell Nancy.
Nancy Marion Churchland 1920-2014
Nancy passed away quietly on 1st January 2014.
She had been a member of the NSW Camellia Society
since 1962 with her husband Harry.
Nancy was a product of her times, a devoted wife, mother, home maker,
bookkeeper, excellent cook. One of her specialties was her Belgian Cake
which she was always pleased to make for any function, including afternoon
teas at Eryldene. She was a background person and always there to support
Harry in his many roles in the camellia world and to help others.
She was a quiet, kind and positive lady with a keen sense of humour. Nancy
and Harry recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, which is quite a
milestone.
Nancy with Harry enjoyed overseas travel attending International Camellia
Society congresses, Australian Camellia Society and private functions. She
and Harry entertained many local members and others from around the world
in their comfortable home.
Gentle Nancy will be missed by dear Harry. We share our memories with him
and all their family.
Nancy’s Belgian Cake
¼ lb. butter nutmeg Raspberry Jam 2 heaped tbsp. plain flour 3 tbsp. sugar 1 heaped tbsp. self raising flour Blanched almonds, halved salt 1 tsp. baking powder (heaped) 1 egg Cream butter and sugar, add egg, flours, salt. Grease 8”sandwick tin, line
bottom with baking paper. Halve mixture, press into tin, spread with raspberry
jam, put other half on top. Place almonds on top and sprinkle with white sugar
and nutmeg in between almonds. Cook at 180c for 30 minutes.
Note. This is a soft mixture so it is advisable to flour hands when pressing
mixture into tin. Mixture can be doubled to make 3 cakes.
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From the President
Fellow Camellians, I extend my best wishes for the start of an exciting and challenging year. Already, the weather seems to have thrown down the gauntlet, particularly to those west of the Ranges and south eastern Australia. Watching the weather report on the evening news is anything but boring – a new record seems to be set each month. Good luck to those suffering the extremes.
For some, there is the opportunity to escape the heat by attending the ICS Congress in
Spain and Portugal in March. I am positive that it will be a little milder in Southern
Europe at this time of year. This Congress is a great opportunity to meet like-minded
people who share a common passion for our amazing genus, and see the European
slant on the culture and development of the Camellia. I only wish that I could be there
myself! Bon voyage to those attending, and, of course, only bring back photos and
memories!!
Closer to home, we have the National Congress to look forward to in the ACT in
September of this year. This should be a great conference and we wish all the best to
the Hume branch in delivering a successful conference. See you there.
Even closer to home, our monthly meetings kick off this month. Even though there are
no Camellia blooms to talk of, ‘The Quiz’ returns, “show and tell” of interesting items
and other activities, will no doubt spur on the enthusiasm for the coming year. More
details are contained in the newsletter. Some exiting presenters have been assembled
for our meetings, covering a diversity of topics, as well as the continuation of the
Bloom Competition. The trading table is back in operation, which relies upon the
support of those attending meetings - so please be there!
July marks the time for our Annual Show held at Ravenswood. The popularity of the
show is undisputed, with the number of exhibitors from sister organisations as well as
the strong public support we receive over the two days of the show exemplifying its
popularity. This year we hope that we can stage an even better show. As you would
appreciate, staging such a successful show requires much organising and ‘getting the
hands dirty’. The regular faces involved in organising the show would appreciate a few
new faces to lighten the load. A ‘call to arms’ will be put out closer to the event being
staged, and any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
The year ahead is provides both opportunities and challenges that the committee is
keen to engage head on. But more importantly, a vibrant engaged membership
provides the stimulus for continual improvement and helps the Society maintain
relevance in a fast changing world. Enough of the talk. On with the show!!!!
Richie Griffiths
The NSW Camellia Research Society meets on the third Monday of
every month February to November inclusive at the Baptist Church Hall,
corner of Park Avenue and Garden Square, Gordon at 7.45pm
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February 2014
17th February Monthly meeting at 7.45pm; Main speaker is
March 2014
11th - 16th March International Camellia Society (ICS) Congress held at Pontevedra Province in North-western Spain plus pre and post Congress tours in Portugal and Spain. Full itinerary available from ICS website: www.internationalcamellia.org
17th March Monthly Meeting
21st March - 8th June Wildwood Gardens Bilpin with 600 camellias; open Fridays - Mondays; tel: 4567-2194; www.wildwoodgarden.com.au
April 2014
21st April Monthly Meeting
May 2014
19th May Monthly Meeting
June 2014
16th June Monthly Meeting; National President, Jim Powell ,will give a demonstration on propagation by grafting camellia cuttings
July 2014
12th & 13th July Annual Camellia Show
21st July Monthly Meeting
August 2014
15th - 18th August Wildwood Gardens’ Camellia Show; 29 Powells Road, Bilpin; tel: 4567-2194; www.wildwoodgarden.com.au
18th August Monthly Meeting
September 2014
12-15th September * National Show & Camellia Congress, Canberra*
2014 Camellia Calendar
Membership Renewals for 2014Membership Renewals for 2014Membership Renewals for 2014
A quick reminder for members who have not yet renewed their membership to
please do so as soon as possible. If you have misplaced your renewal form simply
write your name, address and telephone number on a blank piece of paper and
forward it to Margaret Levick our Membership secretary with you payment.
Membership fees remain unchanged at $25 for a single membership and $30 for a
family membership - this continues to represent tremendous value!
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Cultural Notes for February 2014 Cultural Notes for February 2014 Cultural Notes for February 2014 (cont’d)(cont’d)(cont’d)
Try and use organic fertilisers. They are better for the soil and better soil means better plants. In pots, use a Premium Potting Mix then still use a thick layer of mulch kept away from the trunk and add extra wetting agents (Saturaid is one of the best on the markets) and water crystals in addition to what the potting mix contains.
When we do have some decent rain, go under your biggest, bushiest plant with the thickest canopy and have a scratch in the soil. If the soil is dryish, we have had less rain then you think and you may still have to keep watering at least some of your plants in the ground. No matter how much rain we have had or you may think we have had still check your potted plants. How much rain gets into pots and how much rain we get are very different things and assuming when it rains you don’t need to water your potted plants will see you lose some potted plants each time it rains!
Enjoy the rest of summer,
Richard Fischer
Camellia Named in Honour of Rachel & Geoffrey O’Conor
In November last year I received news from Tony Curry that he and George
Orel visited Rachel and Geoffrey O’Conor that month and informed them of the
publication of a new Camellia species in their honour: Camellia oconoriana
(Orel, Curry & Luu), published in the Edinburgh Journal of Botany, (Vol 70,
Issue 03, of November 2013, pp. 439-447)
George and Tony presented Rachel and Geoffrey with a copy of the
manuscript and framed images and line drawings of the flower and leaves.
The species name honours Rachel and Geoffrey, long time members of our
Society, as well as supporters and benefactors of scientific research in
Australia. On behalf of everybody at the Society I would like to extend our
congratulations to Rachel and Geoffrey.
A photo of a camellia oconoriana is shown on page 7 of this newsletter.
John Hadlow
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Cultural Notes for February 2014Cultural Notes for February 2014Cultural Notes for February 2014
Welcome to 2014 Camellia Season. I say this in the present tense as for at least a couple of weeks or so, Camellia sinensis (better consumed as Tea), both pink and white forms have been in flower, if not now full flower. Today on my way home whilst looking for seeds I found my first C. sasanqua flower opening, ‘Jennifer Susan’ I believe, partially from memory as this is a border planting I am quite familiar with and have used flowers from this group for topics and demonstration material in the past.
Flowers on any Camellia species/cultivar/variety both early in that Camellia’s season or later are often atypical to the normal, type, or standard flower of that particular Camellia, be it in shape, size, colour, numbers of petals or stamens and/or form completely irrelevant to climatic conditions, care and other growth and care factors. I have seen such characteristics repeatedly on many Camellias. In general, large to very large flowers are usually smaller, especially in C. japonicas and C. reticulata. Camellia sasanquas often have less petals, for example it isn’t unusual to find very, very small semi double to double varieties with as few as four petals. Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ is often pink for around the first month of flowering. Camellia japonica ‘Brushfields Yellow’ is also often flushed pink for at least the first few weeks of flowering.
Many new Camellia owners often complain to the place of purchase and insist they have been sold the wrong or a defective plant, this is especially the case with ‘Brushfields Yellow’ and is a problem further encouraged by uneducated (or unqualified) horticultural staff and people expecting to get what is in the pictures, whether that be on the label, a book or from the internet. Camellias do not come out of a factory, that is the domain of indoor plants and orchids! Changing flowers on Camellias throughout their season are an idiosyncrasy which should be viewed as one of many delights and interests that one comes across growing Camellias, not a ‘fault’.
From mid spring, up until now, mid summer has being very dry and warm. Watering less often for longer duration is better for your plants, rather than a few minutes each day. Younger plants with a less extensive root system will need watering more often however. Plants should have at least a four inch thick layer of mulch kept away a few inches away from the plants trunk. What mulch? If you feed your plants three to four times per year the type of mulch (as long as organic) doesn’t matter. It still reduces evaporation, keeps the roots and soil cool. By all means use peat or coco peat at planting, also at planting or after use water crystals and a wetting agent to help water penetrate the soil better, deeper and reduces run-off if we ever do get heavy rain in the not too distant future.
(cont’d next page)
5
First Monthly Meeting of 2014 will be held on Monday 17th February 2014 at 7.45pm at Baptist Church Hall, Park Avenue,
Gordon
Program
New President, Richie Griffiths, will set the scene for the evening’s agenda and will also run a fun quiz;
Rachel O’Conor will talk about old camellias seen in Killara;
As the Camellia Bloom competition begins in March we shall run a popular vote flower competition in the following categories:
A Vase of Flowers
A Basket of Flowers
A Floral Arrangement; and
Flowers in a Teacup.
Please bring along any flowers you have and enter into the
competition. There are no prizes - its just for fun and brightens up the
meeting hall!
Richie and Richard Fischer will be on hand to answer any camellia-
related questions you may have;
Donation prize for the meeting will be a camellia plant kindly donated
by Bill Parker of Parker Camellias (see back of newsletter for details).
Tickets for the donation prize are still $1 each or 3 for $2.
We end the evening with a light supper which gives you the
opportunity to catch up with friends and find out what’s been
happening during the holiday season; if you are coming please try
and bring along a plate of something to share.
The End of Year Dinner & Awards NightThe End of Year Dinner & Awards NightThe End of Year Dinner & Awards Night
Our Annual Dinner last November was again held at the Killara Golf Club and
it was a very enjoyable evening. Approximately twenty five members enjoyed
a fine a la carte dinner and desert with wine provided on the tables by the
Society.
My wife, Suzette and I thought it was a very satisfying evening and would like
to acknowledge the efforts of Rachel and Geoffrey O’Conor in arranging the
dinner. It was just a pity that Bill Fleming, our Open Champion for 2013, was
unable to attend and receive his trophy due to a medical matter.
John Hadlow
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Photos From Last Year’s Annual Dinner & Awards NightPhotos From Last Year’s Annual Dinner & Awards NightPhotos From Last Year’s Annual Dinner & Awards Night
Richie Griffiths receiving the Len Bray trophy for Reticulata
competition from National President Jim Powell
Juliet Muras receiving her
Novice Champion prize. Juliet
also collected the Open
Champion prize on behalf of
Bill Fleming
Rachel O’Conor being presented with the Open
Runner-up trophy. Rachel and husband Geoffrey also
won the Sasanquas competition
Society Members enjoying the Annual Dinner
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Photos from Annual Dinner and Other ArticlesPhotos from Annual Dinner and Other ArticlesPhotos from Annual Dinner and Other Articles
Tanya, Pure Silk, Polar Bear &
E.G. Waterhouse
Camellia oconoriana named after
Rachel & Geoffrey O’Conor
Simon & Angela Coventry’s Garden
at Burradoo New Camellia Species
More happy attendees
at the dinner
