GALE FORCE LIFT-OFF FOR A GREAT 2007 WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL!

Show preparations this year lifted off to a reverberating start when the first big marquee took off into space in a northwest gale. Then flower magic kicked in and fairies from the fynbos ensured a trouble-free run with crisp Spring breezes and cool sunshine.

There were restio fairies and phaenocoma fairies, grassy-winged herons, froglets and pinecone mice among the cascading masses of wild flowers in the hall. Fairies even spilled into the minigardens to join the pink flamingoes, tortoises, Frog and Cat.

Tranquil ponds, a honeymoon gazebo ringed by standard yellow euryop daisies and a magic wheelbarrow filled with a fountain of water enchanted the hundreds of visitors who visited our Wildflower Festival mid-September. One lady, gazing at a ground level protea garden complete with visiting sugarbird, said ‘I want to buy that bird!’ Another arrived at a flower-ringed water trough, produced a cake of soap and proceeded to wash her hands! It was cordoned off after that.

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden gave a welcome and much-needed environmental message in their garden and pamphlets. The garden was called the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, featuring alien vegetation, fire damage and litter in the fynbos – not to mention developmental dangers. The pamphlets proclaimed: ‘The power of one: YOU can make a difference. Now!’

A new feature was an info office with flower photographs and posters on display. The show project ‘Conservation through Education’ , the development of environmental education in the Overberg, was also displayed in photographic form. (See Ecoeducation project for more information on this.)

The new catering team broke last year’s record and the marquee stalls did thriving business. Five nurseries, including our own Fernkloof one, sold indigenous plants on site with great success. Cut flowers also did well.

FINAL FIGURE FOR THE 2007 FESTIVAL:

A net profit of about R91 000 was raised towards our conservation and educational projects (and that amount does not include the nursery profit of R20 000).

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