Invitation to Register

Transcription

1 Invitation to Register

2 Introduction The Society is pleased to invite members to register for our Visit and Constitutional General Meeting in Germany in The event starts in the village of Erlabrunn, close to Würzburg, on Saturday afternoon, 29th June 2013 and finishes, also in Erlabrunn, after breakfast on Sunday, 7th July The itinerary is based around three centres, Würzburg, Stuttgart and Ulm and comprises a wide variety of visits, including a number of small private gardens, a botanic garden, a baroque garden and local sights. In addition we will visit the Rose and Clematis Festival in Unterlietzheim, held only once every three years. A Constitutional General Meeting of the Society will be held during Germany Please note, this meeting is only open to members of the Society and affiliated societies. Würzburg We start in the village of Erlabrunn, very close to Würzburg. Würzburg has very good train links across Germany and mainland Europe including major German airports. We will stay here for three nights, using rooms in two hotels in the village. Erlabrunn is the home of Klaus Körber, a previous President of the Society. He is the director of the Orchard, Trees and Garden Department of the Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau (LWG), located on the opposite side of the river Main. Infamous VW in the LWG Clematis Display Garden Main street in village of Erlabrunn Klaus and his students have created a Clematis Display Garden, but one that is unlike any other that you may have visited, as members who have visited before will no doubt confirm. The garden is forever changing, as Klaus expresses his creative ideas through new displays and new clematis. As part of this continuing evolution, the garden has recently been extended with a rose area. We will also use LWG facilities for our Constitutional General Meeting. To celebrate the 800th anniversary of Erlabrunn, Klaus encouraged the planting of 800 clematis throughout the village. We will spend a morning wandering around, visiting many of the gardens to see the clematis. Even the gardens which are quite small and only have a few clematis are interesting, but perhaps the most impressive aspect is the effort that the whole village has put behind this. Finally we will spend an afternoon and evening in the city of Würzburg where we will look over the city from the ramparts of Fortress Marienburg, enjoy a guided tour of the baroque Residence Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and descend into the cellars of the Residence Palace for a wine tasting and dinner. Page 2 of 10 International Clematis Society Germany 2013

3 Würzburg as seen from the battlements of Fortress Marienburg Stuttgart We will move on to the Stuttgart area where we will stay for two nights. As we set off we will visit two private gardens just outside of Erlabrunn. The Kraus garden features a wide range of plants including clematis, roses and buxus, in a setting influenced by British garden culture. The Kraus garden By contrast, Gardendreams has been designed by its owner to be a backcloth for the garden structures, ornaments and other collectables, old and new, that she sells. These two gardens are in the same village so we will split our group across the two gardens, swapping over Gardendreams half way through the morning. We continue towards Stuttgart, to the private garden of Klaus Kölle, "auf dem Äckerle". It contains some wonderful clematis and roses, along with many other plants. Klaus Kölle owns a number of Garden Centres around Germany and if there is time we will visit the one in nearby Heilbronn. International Clematis Society Germany 2013 Page 3 of 10

4 Baroque Palace of Ludwigsburg The following morning we visit the Palace of Ludwigsburg, one of the largest original Baroque buildings in Europe. It was used by the Dukes and Kings of Württemberg and has magnificent rooms and a number of museums. However our visit is to the gardens - Blooming Baroque. In front of the Palace are the formal baroque gardens, laid out with flower beds, low hedging and a fountain. Behind the Palace, the gardens are more extensive but at times less formal. We will spend the morning here. In the afternoon we will visit the private garden of Herr Friedrich Schmid with some very nice clematis before enjoying dinner with a tasting of some local wines in the cellar of a local wine producer. Garden of Herr Schmid Garden accessories at Mack bio-agrar Next day we have a short break from gardens with a visit to Mack bio-agrar GmbH, a company established for some 30 years that specializes in biological, homeopathic and mycorrhizal fertilizers and treatments for plants. Increasingly gardeners are searching for organic products to use instead of chemicals and Mack bio-agrar GmbH has a large range. Page 4 of 10 International Clematis Society Germany 2013

5 From Mack bio-agrar we will go to the Botanic Garden of Hohenheim University, an extensive park set alongside the historic Baden-Württemberg Arboretum. For those who wish, there is a numbered route that you can follow around the gardens with information boards (in German) at intervals. Botanic Garden of Hohenheim University Our last visit of the day is to the garden of Walter and Gisela Stäbler, members of the Society. Over the years many of you will have seen how Walter and Gisela always seem to return from our meetings laden with clematis and you may have wondered what they do with them all. This is your Garden of Walter and Gisela Stäbler opportunity to find out. The day finishes with a drive to Ulm where we will stay for the next two nights. Ulm From our base in Ulm we will visit the Gaissmayer Nursery, one of the best perennial nurseries in Germany. Herr Gaissmayer is an interesting person, his show garden reflects his wide and eclectic gardening ideas. We will also visit the private garden of Herr Helmut Schindelbeck, with clematis, perennials, hostas and rare shrubs and trees set next to an old mill. Collection of watering cans at Gaissmeyer Nursery Garden of Herr Schindelbeck Finally we return to the city of Ulm where we hope to include a guided tour of the town and Cathedral. With the river Danube flowing through the centre of the city and many beautiful old building, as well as some striking modern ones, Ulm is a great city to explore. International Clematis Society Germany 2013 Page 5 of 10

6 Unterlietzheim and return to Würzburg Our last full day and we will spend most of it at the Unterlietzheim Rose and Clematis Festival. Held every three years, this attracts people from all over Germany and beyond. The quaint village of Unterlietzheim is closed to traffic for the whole weekend to create an area for stalls and displays. The church and the town hall rooms are decorated with exquisite floral displays. Unterlietzheim 2010 Draft Programme The following programme is provisional and may change without notification. Saturday 29th June 2013 Sunday 30 th June 2013 Arrive and book in to your hotel. We will be using two different hotels in Erlabrunn and you will have been told in which hotel you will be staying. The two hotels are the Meisnerhof Hotel and the Hotel Weinhaus-Flach. Dinner in the Meisnerhof Hotel for everyone. Coach departs for LWG Clematis Display Garden, Veitshöchheim. Free morning to wander around the display gardens. As well as clematis there are roses, fruit trees, and many other plants. Klaus Körber will be with us to guide you around and answer questions. A picnic lunch will be provided. Short visit to Veitshöchheim Palace garden. We will drive via the LWG buildings where your Council Members will be dropped off to hold a Council meeting. Coach to LWG for Constitutional General Meeting and lectures. Afterwards we return to Erlabrunn. Dinner and musical evening at the historic house of Klaus Körber in the heart of Erlabrunn. Page 6 of 10 International Clematis Society Germany 2013

7 Monday 1 st July 2013 Walking tour of Erlabrunn to see the 800 clematis (at least quite a few of them!), planted to commemorate the 800 th anniversary of the village. Picnic lunch. Tuesday 2 nd July 2013 Late morning / afternoon Wednesday 3 rd July 2013 We will catch a boat from Veitshöchheim to Würzburg where our coach will meet us and take us to the Marienberg Fortress for a view over the city. From there we return to look round Würzburg, possibly with a guided tour of the Residence. Dinner and wine tasting will be hosted in the atmospheric setting of the Residence. We leave Erlabrunn and visit the private garden of Marianne and Peter Kraus and the designer garden, Gardendreams, both in the nearby village of Üttingen. Coach to the private garden of Klaus Kölle, auf dem Äckerle for a picnic lunch and afternoon visit. If we have time we may be able to also visit his garden centre in Heilbronn. Dinner and overnight in hotel in / near Ludwigsburg. We spend the morning visiting Blühendes Barock, the Baroque gardens of the Ludwigsburg Palace. Lunch is not provided but there are a number of options available within the gardens. We drive to visit the private garden of Friedrich Schmid. He grows many clematis but in combination with other plants. We visit a local wine producer for a tasting and dinner before returning to our hotel in Ludwigsburg. Thursday 4 th July 2013 This morning we visit the company, Mack bio-agrar where they research and develop biological, homeopathic, mycorrhizal fertilizers and other treatments for plants. We hope to arrange a brief presentation about the work of the company. As well as plant treatments, they have a section on garden accessories, as Klaus has described things you do not need, but which you want when you see them! We depart late morning for the Botanic Garden of Hohenheim University. After a simple lunch of bread and sausage with mustard, prepared on the bus, we will spend an hour or so wandering around the Botanic Garden and the associated Arboretum. For those interested, there is a marked route with information boards, albeit in German. International Clematis Society Germany 2013 Page 7 of 10

8 Our final visit of the day is to the private garden of members Gisela and Walter Stäbler. They have a stunning garden which they have developed over many years and in which they showcase the many clematis they bring back from the Society meetings that they attend, and other sources. It s definitely a garden for gardeners. After the Stäbler garden we drive for a little over one hour to Ulm where we will stay for the next two nights. We will eat tonight in the hotel. Friday 5 th July 2013 Saturday 6 th July 2013 Sunday 7 th July 2013 This morning we visit the perennial nursery, Stauden Gaissmeyer, said to be one of the best in Germany. There is a very impressive display garden and a collection of old gardening tools. We hope to have a picnic lunch here. We visit the private garden of Herr Schindelbeck. In a beautiful setting by an old mill, it contains clematis, perennials, hostas and rare shrubs. We will depart mid-afternoon to return to Ulm where we hope to organize a walking tour of this beautiful city, including Ulm cathedral. However if you are tired you can have a rest or look around the shops, it is up to you. Dinner will be in the hotel. Our last day, we leave the hotel in Ulm and drive to Unterlietzheim for the Rose and Clematis Festival. Held every three years, the village is closed to traffic for the weekend and filled with stands, displays and a market of plants and garden accessories. The church and old monastery are decorated with magnificent floral displays. We will be here until mid-afternoon when we have to leave to journey back to Erlabrunn. Lunch is not provided but there are various options available within the show. We will check back into the two hotels in Erlabrunn for the last night. Then in the evening we will have a Gala Dinner in Hotel Weinhaus-Flach. The visit and conference closes after breakfast this morning. We suggest that those requiring taxis to, for example, Würzburg should speak with hotel reception. Taxi sharing should be arranged between individuals. For those who wish, the Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau (LWG) has an open day today and you would be welcome to join in. Details will be available during the week. Page 8 of 10 International Clematis Society Germany 2013

9 Programme Costs The cost per person for two people sharing one room will be 1050 Euros. For a single room, the cost per person will be 1200 Euros. The 1 st attendee must be a member of the Society or an affiliated society. A 2 nd attendee who is not a member of either of the Society or an affiliated society will be charged an additional 100 Euros. Remember, Membership can be for one or two people living at the same address. The cost includes all coach transport from and returning to Erlabrunn, eight nights accommodation, continental breakfasts, five simple lunches, eight dinners (drinks not included), admission charges, tips, and gifts. Registration The preferred method of registration is by using the online Registration Form, which can be found at A paper form can be provided if requested. Registration for this event is now open. It will close on 30 th November We have to insist on a shorter than usual registration period in order to secure sufficient hotel rooms at 2012 prices. A deposit of 500 per person is required and registration will not be completed until this is received. Payment of the balance due must be made by end February Payments should be made in Euros by Electronic Funds Transfer to the Society Bank in the Netherlands. Bank details are given on the Registration Form, both the web-based version on the Society website and on the paper form posted with paper copies of this Invitation to Register. Please do NOT send cheques as they are far too expensive to present. Please also do NOT use the Society PayPal facility since it has not been set up to receive large payments. Clematis Buying Opportunities Many members see our visits as great opportunities to buy clematis, particularly those from countries where the available range is limited. We intend to provide specific opportunities, including pre-ordering of clematis for collection towards the end of the week, as well as whatever ad-hoc ones arise during the week. Conditions The draft programme shown above is provisional and may be changed without notification. In particular, it is only after registration finishes that we will know the number of attendees and can confirm details with the various suppliers. Due to transport and accommodation considerations, the number of attendees may be limited to a maximum of 75 and so the Society reserves the right to close registration early. This visit, as for the majority of Society events, is organized and run by volunteers and not a professional travel company. This is reflected in the costs but you should also remember this in terms of organization. Insurance is not included or provided by the Society. It is essential that each individual ensures they have adequate insurance cover for any eventuality and that the insurance is valid for the countries visited and activities undertaken. International Clematis Society Germany 2013 Page 9 of 10

10 The organisers reserve the right to alter any of the arrangements for this meeting, including cancellation of the event should unforeseen circumstances require such action. Advance notice of such changes may not be possible. The organisers accept no responsibility for resulting costs and inconvenience to delegates, who are advised to have their own travel insurance in place for just such situations. The organizing team for this event, Roy and Angela Nunn, Klaus Körber and Ken Woolfenden, believe we have made a programme to interest all members. We hope you like it and decide to attend. We re sure you will enjoy yourselves. Disclaimer Neither the Society nor any members of the Society can accept liability or be held responsible in any way for any injury or loss suffered to person or property by its actions or inactions. Page 10 of 10 International Clematis Society Germany 2013