June Gathering 2022

Hope  you can join us at the CSSA May Gathering! For those unable to attend  the hall we will still be Live Streaming to the CSSA Members-Only Group  and Zooming (details on how to join can be found below).

DUE  TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS PLEASE ENSURE YOU  CHECK THIS EVENT AND EMAILS FROM CSSA BEFORE ATTENDING THE HALL.

Our Member Speaker this month is Attila Kapitany - Rock and Tree Dwelling Succulents of Australia

I’m  better known for talking about Australian desert plants from sandy arid  regions of the continent and about gardening with succulents, but this  is a look at the exciting plants that can be found on the east coast and  closer to major cities of Australia. Here you will see and learn  about some of the weirdest succulent plants in the world, including  caudiciform ‘ant plants’ and succulent orchids. While these rather  unique epiphytic and lithophytic succulents in this presentation are not  so much garden worthy at all, they make for great novelty and interest  factor and are best suited for pots, porches and greenhouses. I like  to introduce new audiences to the diversity of Australian succulent  flora. All of the plants in this talk are also exceptionally good in  vertical gardens or for apartment dwellers who have limited space. As a  society, we are being crammed into smaller living spaces with little or  no garden space. So a small collection of weird and wonderful orchids  and ant plants could fit into confined spaces and will grow on a wall  taking up no floor space at all. Some very rare and new plants will sure  to excite!

Attila  Kapitany is a leading expert on Australian succulents. He has written  and co-authored 17 books on cacti and succulents including large tomes  on Copiapoa and Echeveria. Nearly 40 years ago, with his brother  Jeno, he developed and established several nurseries, both wholesale and  retail, that are now Australia’s largest centres for succulent  research, development and marketing. He has since left the commercial  business to continue and expand what he loves doing the best – promoting  the passion for plants to others. For several decades, Attila’s  professional and private life has been consumed by the appreciation and  promotion of these plants to the collector, the gardener and the general  public. He has regularly appeared on television, radio and stages  around the country and internationally. In the last 15 years he has  become best known for his work with Australian native succulents and  other xerophytes including bottle trees and boabs. Most recently,  along with the Australian Government, Attila helped organise a series of  postage stamps featuring his favourite plants.

POTM: Lobivia

HALL RULES* TO ENSURE WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH CURRENT RESTRICTIONS AND COVID SAFE PRACTICES TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE:

•  Please note that failure to comply with these rules may mean that you  will be denied access to the CSSA Gathering or be asked to leave the  venue.

• Members/Visitors/Guests need to sign in with the CSSA, this is for Society Insurance Purposes and must be completed.

•  Please DO NOT attend if you are unwell or have any symptoms of Covid-19  (temperature over 37.5°C, runny nose, cough, aches/pains, nausea,  vomiting or diarrhoea, sore throat, loss of sense of smell or taste,  fever/chills/night sweats, headache, shortness of breath, fatigue), have  tested positive to Covid, have had close contact with anyone confirmed  or suspected of having Covid-19, or have been required to self-isolate  (please refer to https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist).

• Hand sanitiser will be provided, and you are encouraged to use it on entering and before signing in.

•  Face masks are no longer required (but as per the Vic Government Rules  it is strongly recommended to wear a mask if you cannot physically  distance).

• Social distancing of 1.5 metres is required inside the venue.

• Number of attendees is restricted to 125, we reserve the right to refuse entry should the permitted capacity be reached.

•  Due to the size of the kitchen facilities and requirements for safe  distancing, Supper will not be provided. Members, Guests and Visitors  wishing to have a hot drink and something to eat at the Supper Break are  asked to provide their own tea/coffee (e.g. thermos) and snack.

•  Due to venue size and social distancing requirements, table space for  Sellers may be limited, if you are planning to sell, please ensure you  advise the CSSA Secretary (secretary@cssaustralia.org.au) as soon as  possible.

• *Please note that these rules are subject to change dependent upon Victorian state restrictions at the time of the meeting.

• The order of proceedings will be as follows (approximate times): 6.00pm Hall will open to setup the venue (if you can assist with set-up this would be appreciated) 6.45pm Sellers may enter the Hall to set up their sales 7.00pm Members/Guests/Visitors may enter the Hall 7.30pm Zoom room opens 7.45pm Live stream to CSSAustralia Members-only Group starts 8.00pm Official meeting start 9.00pm Speaker’s presentation commences 10.00pm Gathering closes (if you can assist with pack-up this would be appreciated)

FOR THOSE WISHING TO JOIN THE MEETING VIRTUALLY:

>> CSS Australia Members are provided the Zoom details via email and the Members-Only FB Group

>>  If you would like to join the Monthly Gathering Zoom room as a  Guest/Visitor, please send us a PM no later than 24 hours prior to  commencement of the Monthly Gathering.

Guests/Visitors  are welcome to join our Monthly Gatherings either at the hall or via  Zoom for up to three occasions, after this time we ask you to become a  Member. More information about our Membership is available on our  Website (https://cssaustralia.org.au/membership). Membership costs as little as AU$20 ($15 concession holders) a year – so there is no better time to join than now!