Bristol, Gloucester and South Wales Shows took place in May.  It is interesting to visit all the shows because they each have different strengths.  A plant that can appear outstanding in one show is often an “also ran” in another.  I enter as many shows as I can so that members of other branches will be encouraged to enter plants in our show. 

     The peak of the flowering season has passed but there are still many flowers to admire in the greenhouse.  My Mammillaria guelzowiana, a very old plant, has about ten offsets and when all are flowering, as they are at the moment, it is quite spectacular. It is fairly unusual to see a multiheaded guelzowiana, someone told me recently that they sometimes offset before they die, so I had better enjoy it while I can.

      Nearly all the Lithops have now shed their old skins and are looking fresh and new in their spring finery.  One or two have suffered some damage from Western Flower Thrip.  These are quite tiny insects that are hardly visible to the naked eye.  They are easiest to see when the plant is in flower, but even then it is best to use a magnifying glass to spot them.  They hide between the leaves of the Lithops and nibble the new plant body before it emerges leaving brown marks on the new growth.  I treated them with insecticide before they went into dormancy last year. Maybe I need to treat them earlier this year.

 Wiltshire Branch Show

     I hope as many of you as possible have entered plants for our Show on Saturday 4th.  If you have not entered please come along anyway and support the show.  I hope there will be plenty of plants for you to see and there will be plants for sale as well.  Shows are one of the few opportunities to see good mature plants so come and bring the family.

 Zone 9 Cactus Mart

     I hope all our members will find time to visit the Cactus Mart in Neeld Hall Chippenham on June 25th.  It opens at 10am but those who arrive at 8am to help set up will have a chance to see the plants before the general public are allowed in.  With so many different nurseries attending there should be a wonderful selection of plants so please come and encourage friends and neighbours to attend as well.