Clivia 2006

From Tuesday to Sunday of the first week delegates will be busy with the conference, evening functions, the auction and the Pretoria Clivia Show. There will also be some free time for delegates to get to know each other, visit collections and also see some non-Clivia attractions such as the 'Cradle of Mankind', just west of Pretoria/Johannesburg, where some of the earliest hominid development in the world occurred (well excavated and preserved). Visits to gold and diamond mines are also possible.

The caulescens tour takes place during the second week and in 2002 twenty delegates from six countries had a great time. Although a bit early for peak flowering, there should be some out-of-season umbels.

We have recently been asked about an itinerary and the best recommendation is always that of a previous participant, so we asked Dirk and Christine Lootens of Belgium (chk.art@tiscalli.be) to describe their 2002 experiences. They replied as follows:

"Words can't explain the beauty of this caulescens trip. For Christine my wife and myself it was the best trip we ever made. OK, we are not "big travellers" that's true! The beauty of the country is impressive. Really don't hesitate to follow the recommendations of James. Visiting the Pilanesberg is indeed a must. Also staying in that very exclusive and expensive hotel in the game reserve itself was really worth doing! From my point of view, if you go up there you should try to stay as long as possible and join as much as possible. The kindness from all those Clivia enthusiasts that you will experience when joining the Clivia meetings and Clivia trips, is "unbelievable" Really, the hospitality of the SA-people makes the trip something very special! If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask them. I will try to answer them as soon as possible."

To summarise the caulescens tour (all questions are welcome - e-mail James Abel on jcabel@absamail.co.za): We will be travelling in air-conditioned luxury medium-size busses. We will stay at three country hotels with comfortable en-suite rooms (shared) and wholesome meals. The cost per person will be R2100.00. Bed and breakfast plus a packed lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are included. Single accommodation will be available at a surcharge of R200.00. The take-away lunch on the Monday and the Monday/Tuesday evening meals are not included.

Leave Pretoria at 08:00 on the freeway north, driving through the Bushveld and stopping at midday for a takeaway lunch. We will see the Woodbush C. caulescens population in the afternoon - a gentle 1-2 km hike on the contour. We will spend the night at the Magoebaskloof Hotel on the escarpment, overlooking the Lowveld to the east.

On Tuesday 12th, we start by joining Margot McNeil to see the McNeil collection in the Legalameetse Nature Reserve near Ofcolaco in The Downs region. The collection was started by Gladys Blackbeard nearly 100 years ago and purchased in the mid 1900’s by the late Gordon McNeil. The collection is in very scenic well-watered sub-tropical forest at the base of the northern Drakensberg. We then drive to Graskop, stopping at the view sites of the Blyde River Canyon and Bourkes Luck Potholes, and spend the night at the Graskop Hotel.
caulescens_tour

Wednesday 13th. We visit the well-known C. caulescens habitats of the Pinnacle, God’s Window and Wonder View, all on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the Lowveld. At midday we drive to Nelspruit to see the Botanic Gardens, which have a wide range of flora, including one of the world's most diverse collections of cycads. We overnight at the Cockney Liz Hotel in Barberton, where we will enjoy a braaivleis (barbecue) in the company of members of the Lowveld Clivia Interest Group.
caulescens_tour

Thursday 14th. The busses will take us to the foothills east of town, and then using local transport we will drive up through the commercial eucalypt plantations to the top of the Bearded Man mountain, the habitat of the only well-documented natural interspecific Clivia hybrid – C. miniata x C. caulescens - with a bit of good fortune we hope to see specimens of both species and of the hybrid in flower. At midday we return to the busses for the drive back to Pretoria, arriving in the late afternoon.

CAULESCENS HABITAT TOUR AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS