The Daffodil Association of NSW/ACT Inc NEWSLETTER No. 79 January 2015

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1 The Daffodil Association of NSW/ACT Inc NEWSLETTER No. 79 January 2015 President Treasurer Secretary Newsletter Editor Glenn Sheldrick 8 River Avenue Yass NSW Sheila Hodgson 11 Hirschfeld Cres Macgregor ACT Janet Johnstone Illinois Woodstock NSW Sharon Davis 89 Wakefield Gardens Ainslie ACT Address: graemecdavis@hotmail.com John Woodfield in Tony Davis s seedling patch during the Association visit in September

2 Rob Slake with his willing entry in Class 2 at Canberra 2014 Winning championship entry, Canberra 2014, shown by Tony Davis

3 Notes for the diary Sunday 18 January Meeting Cowra Services Club Lunch at 12 followed by executive meeting then a discussion on New Plantings in bed or pot Saturday 7 March Sunday 8 March Bulb sales at HSOC Autumn show Lancaster Hall, Forrest Saturday 14 March Saturday 5 September Friday 11 September Bulb Sales at Orange Autumn Show Blayney show Leongatha show (NDAA championships and meeting) 12/ 13 September Canberra show Saturday 17 September Orange show President s Report Welcome to 2015, so far the summer has been quite reasonable with the usual early hot spell followed by a slight cooler run over Christmas. With the rain coming almost weekly here everything seems to be cooking along quite nicely. A small group of us lifted the bulbs in three of the raised beds at the HSOC trial garden a couple of weeks ago. Most of the bulbs were exceptional in size and quality. This method of growing certainly seems to be suited to conditions here. Watering can be controlled and the root run is better than pots. With the show dates firm all we have to do now is plant, feed and water. Seems easy doesn t it? I know it s early to be looking at next year but my sentence is due to be commuted later in the year as also is Janet s stint as Secretary. We are such a small group that it really is a game of musical chairs so some pre planning may help. We are not the only group in the world with such problems. The Americans are experiencing a steady drop in membership which is affecting their finances to the point that producing the quarterly journal is becoming a problem. They have halved the publication cost but still have problems I look forward to seeing everyone the 18 th. Glenn

4 Reflections on 2014 season An interesting season that, I think, we can learn a lot from. I have three different plantings that I can reflect on the bulbs I grow at home in pots, the bulbs in the trial garden at Bruce, and those grown in the plantings near Bowral. There are climatic and cultural differences between them all which make for interesting comparisons. Also, of course, there were a number of new varieties and seedlings to make the season even more interesting. Early Season Flowers early in the season were poor. The winter was relatively dry and it looked like we were headed for a very average season. And it rained in August making any flowers that did look any good a lot worse for wear. The division 6 flowers were generally smaller and not as smooth as in good years. 1 st week of September Some good flowers started to come through. The size and texture started to improve as did stem length and overall growth. Unfortunately strong winds and heavy rain early in the week damaged a number of flowers but still enough to make the trip the Blayney. Now the heavy rain in August was starting to show through and it was clear that there were good flowers on the way if the wind and rain would leave them alone. Those in the pots at home were starting to have a few decent flowers while at Bruce the growth was strong and the flowers large. Rest of September Lots of size. Good colour. Excellent stems. Smooth texture. Isn t it wonderful what lots of water will do, particularly when it is combined with relatively mild temperatures. In short, what started out looking a very average season turned out to be a very good one. Some seedlings stood out in this weather. 7/13 (1y/o) was a strongly coloured trumpet of reasonable size and good form. Only a small number of flowers but all of them good. 9/10 (2w/w) was consistently good big flower of excellent form. The bigger it grew the better it looked. 6/10 (3w/yo) was again a consistent large flower of good form and little burning of the cup 31/10 (2y/o) produced a lot of high quality flowers of good size on excellent stems 19/10 (2w/w) grew very well in the wet season and produced many high quality flowers on long stems.

5 13/09 (1y/y) good size definite trumpet on long stems in the second half of the season. There were a number of quality poeticus seedlings that have been selected out for further evaluation it seems poeticus also enjoy the water. Out at Bruce the overall growth was excellent. The beds at Bruce are well drained and are watered regularly. The bulbs obviously enjoyed the growing conditions with large flowers of good texture and long stems. A number of varieties also stood out in the memory: Debate (2y/o) An interesting flower of good size. At its best it resembles a high quality split. Very attractive and a strong growing plant. Compressus (8w/y) Strong growth and big compact heads on good stems Hoopoe (8y/o) grew as well as I have seen it anywhere with 6 flowers to a head Green elf (3wg/gy) What a strange flower you either like it or hate it but it would certainly make people look twice. Green clearly evident in both the perianth and the cup Panchali (8y/o) An excellent new division 8 that looks like it will become a regular sight in years to come. Overall comment The main lesson from last season is to underline the importance of water in late winter and early spring. Not only do the flowers get bigger but also the stems improve, the texture is smoother and the form, if anything, improves with the size. In the coming months make sure you have a way to get plenty of water on your bulbs when they need it. And get that water on in winter as well as spring. A Glimpse of the 2016 World Daffodil Convention The 2016 World Daffodil Convention rewards the world s daffodil community with an opportunity to renew old friendships, and make new friends, within a worldwide community of daffodil enthusiasts. It is the United States turn to host the next World Daffodil Convention, which will be held in Saint Louis, Missouri, from April The American Daffodil Society is delighted with the privilege to host the 10 th World Daffodil Convention. We plan to engage our guests with educational opportunities that include expert panel discussions, thought-provoking speakers that will address important trends and topics, and fun daffodil trivia events that will both stretch your mind and entertain. In addition to onsite convention activities that include a grandeur daffodil show and intriguing educational opportunities, we have scheduled three major outdoor activities: a tour of the world renowned Missouri Botanical Garden, and visits to both commercial and private daffodil collections.

6 The Missouri Botanical Garden was founded in 1859 and is a United States National Historic Landmark. Its founder, Henry Shaw was inspired in 1851 by the magnificent grounds at Chatsworth, and returned to St Louis to develop the property surrounding his country home to resemble the great gardens and estates he found in Europe. Mr. Shaw s unusual gesture foresaw the age of American philanthropy and the creation of the tremendous U.S. public parks by several decades. The Garden is currently composed of 79 acres (31.97 ha) of horticultural displays that include an extensive bulb collection, a 14-acre (5.66 ha) Japanese garden, and large collections of rare and endangered flora from around the world. In addition to sustaining an oasis of beauty to the city of St. Louis, this inspirational garden has grown to be a global leader in botanical research, science, and conservation. While visiting the Missouri Botanical Garden, we will have the rare opportunity of visiting the Garden s Science and Conservation Division, one of the world s most active and leading botanical research centers. This tour includes the Garden s herbarium of over 6 million plant specimens and the Peter Hamilton Library, one of the largest and most extensive botanical libraries in the world. In addition to a staff of more than 150 research scientists, associates and graduate students, hundreds of national and visiting scientists conduct short and longterm botanical research projects here each year. Our commercial daffodil tour takes us to Flora, Illinois, a small rural community, also founded in 1859, but located approximately 110 miles (177 km) east of the St. Louis. From its annual County Fair and very popular regional bluegrass music festival, Flora offers culture and entertainment for its residents within the surrounding farming community. Jason Delaney s extensive daffodil collection, PHS Daffodils, is grown on three acres (1.20 ha) of family land situated in Flora. Jason grows over 3,500 varieties for small-scale commercial production, breeding, and evaluation. In addition to newly registered daffodils, he collects novel garden varieties and preserves historic daffodils. During our visit, you will also have the pleasure of enjoying some local bluegrass music and tour the family s extensive antique Ford tractor and implement collection, a popular must-see with visitors. Our private daffodil collection takes us to the historic river town of Hermann, Missouri which offers the charm of old Germany and beautiful vineyards in the hills above town. Hermann is a quaint city nestled along the banks of the Missouri River, about 80 miles (127 km) west of St. Louis. It is the center of Missouri's flourishing wine industry, whose location and beauty is a must for visitors to see. The Haeffner Farm, located in the foothills that surround Hermann, is where Cindy and her husband, Joy, have lived for 35 years. We are elated that the Haeffner s will make time to show you their private collection of approximately 2,500 varieties of daffodils at the picturesque Haeffner Farm. After our tour, we will also have the privilege of experiencing some local culture. Browse through antique shops and retail establishments along the historic Hermann riverfront, and participate in a rousing bulb auction at the Inn at Hermannhof. Sample local beverages, enjoy a delicious meal, and relax with a German musical group, while you enjoy the remainder of your day. Please review our 2016 World Daffodil Convention website, at for additional information about the convention and other attractions in the St. Louis Area. Please take some time to also view the videos, on the Area Attractions page, to see what St. Louis has to offer our guests. We are looking forward to visiting with our daffodil friends from around the world at the 2016 World Daffodil Convention!

7 Graeme Davis with his Grand Champion (6/10) at Canberra Champion Trumpet, Canberra (7/13) Reserve Champion, Canberra (8/13)

8 Some first flower seedlings on Tony Davis s seedling beds maybe one from this cross will make the grade? Breeding is Cowboy x Davis seedling.

The Daffodil Association of NSW/ACT Inc NEWSLETTER No. 80 June 2015

The Daffodil Association of NSW/ACT Inc NEWSLETTER No. 80 June 2015 President Treasurer Secretary Newsletter Editor Glenn Sheldrick 8 River Avenue Yass NSW 2582 02 6226 4081 Sheila Hodgson 11 Hirschfeld