Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 22:47:00 BST From: loyd.wix@talk21.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2433$foo@default> Subject: Bird catching Drosera and Chelsea
Dear all,
To follow on from Mike King's recent experience with a wren, one of
my Drosera succeeded in catching a sparrow. It was a Sunday morning
a week or two before the Chelsea flower show and I was expecting
Paul Mckeown who was rallying plants together for the UKCPS display
for Chelsea. Some how a young sparrow had got into my conservatory
and ended up getting the backs of its wings stuck to my big Drosera
regia. As with Mike's wren I managed to remove the sparrow and
released it back into the garden.
This all reminds me of something I should have posted about Chelsea
a few weeks back. As mentioned in earlier postings there were 3 CP
stands this year including the UKCPS -- this is a very important
date in the societies calendar for a number of reasons. It is
probably the best-known flower show in the world and provides a
venue to introduce CPs to a wider public. The society also sells
seed at Chelsea this is a significant source of revenue and has
allowed the society to financially support Sarracenia conservation
in the US.
All the CP stands did well - the Society stand and the long
established nursery Marston Exotics both took Silver Gilt -- it is
NOT easy to be awarded a medal at Chelsea! The CP star of the show
was however a new comer -- Hampshire Carnivorous Plants who managed
to get a much coveted Gold Medal in the very first year they have
exhibited at Chelsea. What is even more remarkable is that this is
only their second year of exhibiting! There is great competition
to exhibit at Chelsea and thus it is not easy to obtain a stand.
Hampshire CP were invited to Chelsea as a result of winning a
string of medals and awards at other RHS shows last year including
the best new exhibitor and best display under glass awards. Th! e
Hampshire CP stand appeared in the Channel 4 coverage of the show,
particularly in the 1hour long round up programme of the show.
What was nice for me was the presenter (Roy Lancaster) picked up on
the Utricularia for special attention (U.alpina, bisquamata,
pubescence and sandersonii if I remember correctly) where as many
presenters would have gone straight for the VFT's. Some of the
programme also looked at Hampshire CPs nursery where proprietor
Matthew Soper was able to show off a selection of the other CPs
growing in his greenhouses including some nice Nepenthes. Many
congratulations to Matthew - I'm sure we will be hearing more about
Hampshire CP in the future.
Cheers
Loyd
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