WELCOME TO THE CROYDON BRANCH OF THE BRITISH CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY

THE CROYDON BRANCH OF THE BRITISH CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY

Croydon branch was founded in 1952 to provide a centre for growers of cacti and the other succulent plants in the local area to enable them to meet regularly and share their common interest.

Regular meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month in the Youth Room at All Saints' Church Hall, Onslow Gardens, Sanderstead, Surrey, CR2 9AB (just off the Sanderstead Hill roundabout).

Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. and finish around 10:00 p.m. They generally consist of illustrated talks of interest to both novices and experienced growers. Talks feature cultivation, propagation, a particular genus or group of plants and travelogues. Other attractions at meetings are a competitive table show and plant sales.

The branch holds two shows each year - a Summer Show in June and an Autumn Show in October.

Here are the meeting topics and the speaker, where applicable, for 2009.

January 1st    No meeting (venue closed)

February 5th    Doug Donaldson - "In Search of Bogotensis" (Colombia).   Table Show: Mammillaria, Crassula, plant in flower

March 5th    Eddie Harris - "Travels with Sharon & Co - Part 2" (South Africa) - Travelogue.   Table Show: Parodia Group, Adromischus Group, plant in flower

April 2nd    Stuart Riley - "Trip to the States in 2008" (USA) - Travelogue.   Table Show: Echinocereus, Agave, plant in flower

May 7th    Suzanne Mace - "Succulents Other than Mesems".   Table Show: Rebutia Group, Aloe, plant in flower

June 4th    John Ede - "Cacti and Succulents A - Z".   Table Show: Astrophytum, Gasteria, plant in flower

June 13th (Saturday)   Summer Show,  Sanderstead Methodist Church, Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead.  11:00 AM until 3:30 PM   Judge - David Neville

July 2nd    John Pilbeam - "Echeverias"   Table Show: Strombocactus Group, Echeveria, plant in flower

August 6th    David Sheppard - "East European Odyssey" - Travelogue.   Table Show: Gymnocalycium, Stapelia Group, plant in flower

September 3rd    John Hughes - "To La Quiaca or Villazon" (Northern Argentina) - Travelogue.   Table Show: Echinopsis Group, Lithops, plant in flower

October 1st    David Minnion - "Nevada" - Travelogue.   Table Show: Thelocactus Group, Conophytum, plant in flower

October 3rd (prov.) (Saturday)   Autumn Show  (Date to be confirmed and venue to be arranged.)

November 5th    Annual General Meeting and Plant Auction

December 3rd (prov).   Christmas Dinner

Getting to All Saints' Church Hall
The hall is within easy reach of Purley and Croydon and is located on the Sanderstead Hill roundabout. Several buses from Croydon stop nearby. If travelling along the Addington Road from Selsdon, Onslow Gardens is the road on your left immediately before the roundabout. There is free on site parking for drivers.

Interested and like to know more?
Please contact the secretary, Dudley Baker at 25, Bunbury Way, Downs View , EPSOM , Surrey KT17 4JP. Telephone No. (01372) 745004. Email - dudley.baker1@ntlworld.com.