Expert Talk – Nature exploration: A peek at the treasure chest. (Louis Jordaan)

Date: Time: - Nature exploration: A peek at the treasure chest Expert Talk – Louis Jordaan Saturday 22 September – 13:00     This is a free event. No booking required. Louis Jordaan is the owner of “Minwater” (which means Little Water). It is a private nature reserve and is situated 24km southwest of the town of Oudtshoorn in the foothills of The Gamka Mountain, an isolated range in the malaria free Klein Karoo (Little Karoo), between the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains. It is a rough, mountainous region which includes high hills and a big plateau. From the high ground, one is rewarded with breathtaking views of the Eastern Klein Karoo and surrounding mountain ranges. Minwater is adjacent to the Gamka Mountain Nature Reserve. Louis has become a keen observer of flora and fauna on his farm and has counted more than 400 varieties of succulent plants there. His education on flora has extended beyond his local farm. His presentation is entitled Nature exploration: A peek at the treasure chest.

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Expert Talk – Exploration by Rubber Duck (Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld)

Date: Time: - Exploration by Rubber Duck Expert Talk – Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld Sunday 23 September – 11:00       This is a free event. No booking required. Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld has been interested in succulents since a young boy collecting and growing succulent plants. He has authored or co-authored more than one hundred succulent plant species. He is especially interested in the classification Gasteria and Aloe and other monocotyledonous succulents. His other interests include the Mesembryanthemaceae and Crassulaceae. He is a keen explorer regularly traveling to remote parts of South Africa, Angola and Namibia. Some of the expeditions include rubber canoe expeditions investigating remote river valleys. Ernst also regularly travels abroad and lectures on succulent plants. Ernst was a horticulturist at Kirstenbosch for more than 40 years. He built and curated the Botanical Society Conservatory. He was appointed extraordinary senior lecturer at the University of the Western Cape in 2012. He is the author of more than two hundred articles (popular, semi-scientific and scientific) and several books. He is a keen explorer and for his latest study (cliff dwelling succulent plants), has visited cliff habitats throughout southern Africa. Ernst has been at Babylonstoren since 2015 where he continues to build display gardens, green houses and educate the public about botanical things.  

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Rare Plant Auction

Date: Time: - Be sure to participate in this event which is unique to Calitzdorp. Plants, artwork and other special items will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Attendees will find the most beautiful and rare of succulent plants and art work. This is a special opportunity for succulent plant collectors to acquire mature and sometimes very rare plants. Items will be sold to the highest bidder with reserve on some. The vendors and artists at the Succulent Fees will contribute to the Rare Plant Auction. This event will be memorable in all respects. The auction will be held at 15:00 on Sunday, 23 September 2018. Attendance is free.

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Expert Talk – Introduction to Astroloba: A photographic guide to South Africa’s “Karoo Corals” (Steven Molteno)

Date: Time: - Introduction to Astroloba: A photographic guide to South Africa's "Karoo Corals" Expert Talk - Steven Molteno Sunday 23 September - 13:00   This is a free event. No booking required. Astroloba are a rather unknown, understudied group of succulents. These tiny alooids are unique to South Africa's Karoo regions, and they inhabit some of the most remote areas in the country. When we see them in habitat, they are often damaged, overgrazed and tatty - so we do not usually realise how beautiful they can be. Their tiny leaves can form intricate spirals and even their flowers are surprisingly diverse. This talk will use photographs and a range of other information to introduce the audience to South Africa's "starlobes". Steven Molteno has been a succulent plant enthusiast since he first started growing and collecting them on the farm where he grew up. Hobbies can get out of hand if you are not careful, and Steven happily admits that he has a bad case of this. He now researches and writes on succulent plants, publishing mainly in Bradleya, Haseltonia and Haworthiad. Although it is now a serious area of study for him, he insists that succulents still feel like a hobby. Maybe this is necessary, to stay passionate about a subject? For the last few years his focus has been on the smaller alooids such as Haworthia, Gasteria, but especially Tulista and Astroloba. At the moment he is finishing up a revision of the genus Astroloba, while collecting locality data to model their distribution as well as looking at patterns of rainfall, geology, soil types and any other habitat info that he can get his hands on. Astroloba has historically been a bit of a mystery, with very poorly defined species. They are also badly cultivated and conserved, so we are used to seeing the plants damaged and tatty. This is a shame. A healthy Astroloba's leaves weave a latticework of patterns around its stems. They can even look like chubby, colourful crystals! With his photos and other info, Steven tries to show that his "Karoo Corals" are not only interesting in many ways, but can also be extremely beautiful. Steven's interests cover all aspects of whatever plant he is studying - distribution, ecology, evolution, taxonomy, cultivation, conservation, etc. However, he gives a special emphasis to observation of the plants in nature, as a sort of foundation for any ideas. During the week, Steven works for an international organisation, based in Cape Town, that promotes local biodiversity and sustainable development projects. On weekends he takes any opportunity to drag his long-suffering wife out into the Karoo to explore remote areas. In the evenings he writes his snippets on whatever plants he is obsessing over at the time. When he's not botanising, he also enjoys gardening, Argentine tango, tortoises and learning foreign languages.

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Workshop – Succulent Plant Propagation

Date: Time: - Learn how to propagate succulent plants in this one-hour workshop conducted by Yvonne Hemenway. The workshop will be divided into 2 parts covering “Seed Growing” and “Vegetative Propagation” (approx. 30 minutes each). Each part will be covered in a way that is practical and easy to follow and attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to prepare for planting whether from seed or cuttings, how to plant and how to take care of the newly propagated plants. Attendees will each leave with the plants they propagated themselves. DURATION Workshop duration 1.5 hours. COST R50 per person BOOKING Spaces are limited to 20 persons per workshop and advance booking is essential. Book Now   ABOUT YVONNE HEMENWAY Yvonne Hemenway is a life long grower of plants. For the past 30 years, she has been involved with growing succulent plants. She was co-owner of the Prickly Palace nursery in California and has recently moved to Calitzdorp where her passion for growing plants continues. She is a committee member and a founder of the Calitzdorp Succulent Society and is very active organising the Calitzdorp Vetplantfees.

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Workshop – Succulent Plant Propagation

Date: Time: - Learn how to propagate succulent plants in this one-hour workshop conducted by Yvonne Hemenway. The workshop will be divided into 2 parts covering “Seed Growing” and “Vegetative Propagation” (approx. 30 minutes each). Each part will be covered in a way that is practical and easy to follow and attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to prepare for planting whether from seed or cuttings, how to plant and how to take care of the newly propagated plants. Attendees will each leave with the plants they propagated themselves. DURATION Workshop duration 1.5 hours. COST R50 per person BOOKING Spaces are limited to 20 persons per workshop and advance booking is essential. Book Now   ABOUT YVONNE HEMENWAY Yvonne Hemenway is a life long grower of plants. For the past 30 years, she has been involved with growing succulent plants. She was co-owner of the Prickly Palace nursery in California and has recently moved to Calitzdorp where her passion for growing plants continues. She is a committee member and a founder of the Calitzdorp Succulent Society and is very active organising the Calitzdorp Vetplantfees.

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Saturday Night Banquet & Keynote Speech

Date: Time: - This is a "must attend" event during the Calitzdorp Succulent Festival. You will have the chance to meet and mix with succulent experts from all over South Africa, enjoy a wonderful dinner and listen to one of the top succulent experts on the earth show and tell in his fabulous style. Calitzdorp Succulent Society is very happy and proud to have Dr. van Jaarsveld on our program for Vetplantfees 2018. EVENING SCHEDULE 18:00 Arrive and Socialise. Bring your own wine & drinks. 19:00 Dinner Served. One bottle wine included per couple. 20:30 Programme featuring Dr. Ernst van Jaarsveld, who will introduce attendees to Kevin Koen and his newly discovered Gasteria koenii.The programme will include a presentation by Dr. van Jaarsveld on the new installations of gardens and grow houses at Babylonstoren that he has shepherded in the 3 years since he began working there. DINNER MENU (LAMB) DINNER MENU (VEGETARIAN) Klein Karoo salad with ostrich carpaccio, served with homebaked bread roll and butter Karoo lamb roulade served with rosemary and red wine jus, crispy fanned potato and fresh seasonal vegetables Dessert, donated by Giovannis Country Italian Restaurant Coffee A bottle of wine per couple will be included Klein Karoo Salad Butternut, Spinach and Leek Roulade served with a Fresh Tomato Sauce Dessert, donated by Giovannis Country Italian Restaurant Coffee A bottle of wine per couple will be included Meals are catered by the NG Church Calitzdorp. Remember to select either the Lamb or Vegetarian option when making your reservation Pre-dinner drinks are not included. Bring your own. Dinner includes a bottle of wine per couple. COST R250 per person. Includes 3-course meal and a bottle of wine per couple. Remember to select your option of Lamb or Vegetarian when booking BOOKING Seats are limited and booking is essential. Book Now   ABOUT DR VAN JAARSVELD Dr. van Jaarsveld is one of South Africa’s most published authors about succulent plants. His discoveries of new plants continues as he explores the veld always in search of new plants. He is a very entertaining speaker and his talks are always full of beautiful pictures.

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Workshop – Container Gardening with Succulents

Date: Time: - Container gardening with succulents (90 minutes). This is a FUN event to uncover your creative skills and plant your own container with a selection of succulents. Alison will demonstrate how she plants a container with suitable plants and then you will have a chance to create your own. You need to bring your own container, could be a bonsai bowl, tin plate, deep drip tray, biscuit tin, etc. Comprehensive notes, soil, pebbles, and some plants for participants will be provided. However if you have any spare succulents , decorations, stones, etc, please bring them along - this is a great way to share plants and increase your collection. DURATION Workshop duration 1.5 hours. COST R50 per person BOOKING Spaces are limited to 20 persons per workshop and advance booking is essential. Book Now   ABOUT ALISON JAMES Alison is an environmental educator with a passion for plants, especially succulents. She keeps busy growing succulents for the Kirstenbosch plant sales and is a volunteer Kirstenbosch garden guide. She has won many plant prizes at garden shows and enjoys introducing people to the world of succulents.

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Workshop – Container Gardening with Succulents

Date: Time: - Container gardening with succulents (90 minutes). This is a FUN event to uncover your creative skills and plant your own container with a selection of succulents. Alison will demonstrate how she plants a container with suitable plants and then you will have a chance to create your own. You need to bring your own container, could be a bonsai bowl, tin plate, deep drip tray, biscuit tin, etc. Comprehensive notes, soil, pebbles, and some plants for participants will be provided. However if you have any spare succulents , decorations, stones, etc, please bring them along - this is a great way to share plants and increase your collection. DURATION Workshop duration 1.5 hours. COST R50 per person BOOKING Spaces are limited to 20 persons per workshop and advance booking is essential. Book Now   ABOUT ALISON JAMES Alison is an environmental educator with a passion for plants, especially succulents. She keeps busy growing succulents for the Kirstenbosch plant sales and is a volunteer Kirstenbosch garden guide. She has won many plant prizes at garden shows and enjoys introducing people to the world of succulents.

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Vetplantfees – Veld Walk – 24 Sept 2018 – 13:00

Date: Time: - Trained Cape Nature guides will escort small groups of enthusiast on a 90-minute walk to Calitzdorp’s famous Jakkalskop where dozens of succulent plant varieties will be in flower. It is an experience not to be missed and have proven to be very popular with festivalgoers. DATE & TIME Vetplantfees - Veld Walk - 24 Sept 2018 - 13:00 BOOKING & PAYMENT Booking and payment are essential as only 8 persons will be accommodated on each of the scheduled walks. The fee to join each walk is R150, payable in advance and non-refundable on cancellation. To book and pay, click here. WHERE TO MEET Each walk will depart daily at the appointed time from the main festival paypoint at 10 Geyser Street, Calitzdorp. IMPORTANT Participants should wear shoes suitable for walking in the veld and bring water, a hat and sun protection. CLICK HERE TO BOOK

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