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The Wanganui African Violet & Gesneriad Club


OUR HISTORY


Wanganui African Violet & Gesneriad Club website



THE FORMATION of the Club was due to the enthusiasim of our Founder, Carole Grant, who moved to Wanganui late in 1985 with her family, complete with her collection of African Violets and a few assorted Gesneriads.


EARLY in 1986 Carole met another lady who also was growing African Violets and over a morning cuppa, plans were made to invite anyone else who might also share the same interest. At their first meeting 13 people turned up and from here the club came into existence. The FOUNDING MEMBERS were: Carole Grant, Heather Duck, Audrey O’Keefe, Karen Panek, Yvonne Kerwin, May Hodder.

A NEWSLETTER containing four pages was compiled for members at this first meeting and by the end of the first year membership had grown to 22, therefore a larger meeting venue at a church hall was required. In the first year a MINI SHOW was arranged with Mr George Laurenson, of Hamilton, as the Judge.

IN THE second year memberhsip increased to 30 with an effort to increase the clubs being, by staging displays at local shows and the library. With increasing public interest, the club in 1988 staged 30 tables of plants in conjunction with the Wanganui Horticultural Society Summer Show.

SLOWLY the Gesneriad interest grew with competition tables awash in vibrant colours of different genera. During 1990-1991 members seemed to develop their own interests, some tended to grow only African Violets or some only gesneriads, others growing both. Hybridizing has also been tried by some members.

IN 1992 another beautiful show was held featuring a table of prized Chimera African Violets, including several of our own KIWI varieties. In 1994 the club fundraised to bring a judge from Brisbane to judge our show. Also two of our members obtained their African Violet & Gesneriad JUDGES BADGES; Aileen Hunt and Karen Panek.

OUR CLUB members grow a wide range of Gesneriads, over 1000 named African Violes including Variegates, Standards, Chimeras, Trailers, Semi-miniatures and Miniatures. One of the great problems has always been to obtain new varieties. Once again, with major fundraising, we undertook our own importation from Australia. A keen member, Aileen Hunt, personally escorted the prized cuttings back and quarantined them at her home for 3 months, as was then the requirement.

AS A CLUB we have been asked to mount several displays at most horticultural related activities, including in Hawera, New Plymouth and Palmerston North. The public are most receptive.

IN OCTOBER 1997 our club hosted the Meeting of the Gesneriad Council of Australia & New Zealand, after which Wanganui held Office for the next two years.

WE HAVE had two more judges from Sydney in recent years and this year, 1999, had two more members acquiring their African Violet Judges Badges; Carole Johnston and Jenny Burkett. Also this year, 1999, we sent two representatives of the Gesneriad Council of Australia and New Zealand to Queensland and new friends were made.

THE Wanganui African Violet & Gesneriad Club is the only one in New Zealand, with presently 25 local members and 15 postal members, spread over the North and South Islands.







PHOTO - ANZ Conference held in Wanganui, New Zealand, in October, 1997.

BACK ROW: John Hodges, Terry Kingdon, Robert Browning, Eva Warrick, Laurel Kingdon, Ann Howarth, Karen Panek, Helen McMaster.
MIDDLE ROW: Beryl Gardner, Ebb Marrington, Marj Huntly, Barbara Pitaway, Robyn McEwan, Sue Hodges.
FRONT ROW: Barbara Wait, Audrey O'Keeffe, Beverley Donsworth, Heather Duck, Jenny Burkett.



Any enquiries please to Karen Panek at the Email Address below:

Email: kiwiviolet@yahoo.com