All are welcome - please stop by and say Hi!

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GeneS
Posts: 857
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:08 pm
Location: California Central Coast, USA
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All are welcome - please stop by and say Hi!

Post by GeneS »

2014-CCCSS-front.jpg
2014-CCCSS-front.jpg (64.72 KiB) Viewed 7095 times
2014-CCCSS-back.jpg
2014-CCCSS-back.jpg (48.01 KiB) Viewed 7095 times
Cheers ... GeneS
GeneS
Posts: 857
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:08 pm
Location: California Central Coast, USA
Contact:

Re: All are welcome - please stop by and say Hi!

Post by GeneS »

A bit later then usual but here are images from our 8th Annual Show.

http://tinyurl.com/2014-CCCSS-Show" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy them indivdually or click slideshow in the upper right corner.

Enjoy ... GeneS
DaveW
Posts: 7373
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: All are welcome - please stop by and say Hi!

Post by DaveW »

http://dgimages.smugmug.com/Shows-Tours ... &k=wgknN6X" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some magnificent plants Gene. =D>

But being a Brit used to British cactus and flower shows some of the fancy pots detract from the plants for me. As with photography the subject should always be the thing that attracts your eye and that's the plant. All other elements being muted and not competing with it, so I feel some of the pots attract the eye first rather than the plants, or sometimes are inappropriate designs or colours and even conflict with the plant.

Not too keen on Succulents being planted with their roots above their normal soil level in habitat being regarded as good cultivation either. I have the same argument with our shows committee's here where pseudo-caudiciforms are being created by exposing what are essentially underground tuberous roots. I think Bonsai shows are really the place for those rather than cactus shows, but they have crept into cactus shows in Other Succulent classes here too.

But as I say, some very beautiful well grown plants, but shame about the fancy pots since I still prefer to see plants shown in plain plant pots that do not conflict with the first purpose of a cactus show, to highlight the plant rather than becoming a pottery show! Do we really need to "gild the lily" when our plants are so interesting in themselves by unusual designs and colours of pots? If the pot is so important why not just have a show for the pots and dispense with the plants? :lol:
GeneS
Posts: 857
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:08 pm
Location: California Central Coast, USA
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Re: All are welcome - please stop by and say Hi!

Post by GeneS »

Thank you for your comments, Dave. I personally agree with all you have to say about presentation of plants. The shows here in the US and especially in California have been greatly influenced and/or inspired by the success of showmen, collectors and growers having a strong artistic or bonsai background. You can see this not only in our shows but in books like your own Gorden Rowley with his Caudiciform and Pachycaul Succulents volume and the later works by Philippe de Vosjoli, especially his Pachyforms II, Bonsai Succulents showcasing the work of Rudy Lime.

Most of our shows have judging standards that consider condition and maturity as 70-75% of the entry value. The remainder going mostly to "staging" which is our term for presentation.
In spite of all the attention to pots, etc. The best plants usually still get the awards. The supporting argument goes something like this --- "if you had a beautiful painting, wouldn't you put it into a nice frame?" I think that many of our people think of their plants as a part of their garden or house decor rather then simply horticultural specimens.

Some, like you, may not agree on the direction this has taken us but the majority of the club members and visiting public are fully in support. That leaves us and the show committees to hope that we can influence the 75% portion of the judging and enjoy the artistic presentations. We will all agree that some of the choices of pot, plant, top dressing do the plant no favor. Hopefully, judges take notice although art, like beauty is strictly subject to the eye of the beholder.

I'm sorry this topic did not come in time for me to suggest a long and interesting conversation between you and Woody Minnich at the recent BCCS Convention:-).

Cheers ... GeneS - who loves plants far more then pots and not just because he is cheap!
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