Membership Information

General Meetings ― Third Saturday of each month, January to November (February excluded if clashing with Annual Show), at Merthyr Uniting Church Hall, 52 Merthyr Rd, New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, from 1pm to 4pm. Library and Plant Sales commence at 12.15pm, and Free afternoon tea at 2.30pm. Plant displays and commentary, plant identification, raffle, lucky door prize, problem clinic. “PLANT TALK” is major portion of meetings, including Set Subject, Species Talk, Culture Hint, My Favourite Begonia, Spot the Difference, Species Group and Workshop.

The Society’s administrative activities are handled by the MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, which meets at least once every two months.

The Annual General Meeting is held on the third Saturday of March.

The Queensland Begonia Society Inc. offers Members the following:

• JOURNAL ― Four issues each year, released in March, June, September and November.
• JOURNAL INDEX ― Available in March each year by application to the Secretary. Lists major topics from our published JOURNALS. Back copies of Journals may be borrowed from the library. Some back copies of Journals are available from the Secretary (cost 50 cents each).

BEGONIAS IN QUEENSLAND ― Informative booklet (in colour) is available for $7 plus $1 postage, $8 in all.

LARGE LIBRARY for members at meetings. Books, bulletins, videos, etc are available from 12.15pm prior to the meeting or during the break. Items on loan should be returned at the following meeting.

MEMBERSHIP FEES ― Membership is 1 January to 31 December with Annual Fees due on or after 1 January and prior to 20 February. Half yearly membership is available for persons joining between 1 July and 31 December.

SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP LIST with addresses (and phone numbers when supplied) is available from the Secretary.

ATTRACTIVE BADGE showing your name and Society emblem is available through Secretary.

PLANT SALES ― Members may bring plants to the meeting for sale. Plants should be in pots, well rooted, free of disease and have two sticks or markers: one to show name of seller and price, the other to show plant name (if known). 10% of selling price is retained by the Society. Sale price is to be in multiples of 50 cents.

ASSISTANCE in plant identification can be provided.

PLANTS WANTED LIST ― If you require a particular Begonia, you may submit your name and the wanted plants names to the Plants Wanted person listed in the front of each Journal. The list is read out at each meeting and any member having that plant will contact you. The list is also published in the Journal.

FIELD DAYS AND SAUSAGE SIZZLES ― Held on the first Sunday of the month. Details are available in the quarterly Journal.

ANNUAL COMPETITIVE SHOW ― Normally towards the end of February in the auditorium of Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha.

SUPPLIERS OF BEGONIA PLANTS ― Information from the Secretary.

Guidelines for Entering Plants In Displays at Monthly Meetings

OPEN SECTIONS

Two sections ― “OPEN” and “SET SUBJECT”.

“SET SUBJECT” is advised in advance in the quarterly Journal.

No entry cost. No limit on size or type of container.

Plants to be owned and grown by the exhibiting member for no less than three months.

Novice Exhibitors may enter plants in either of these two sections but points won will not count towards their progress to Open Class.

Winner is by popular vote. (One vote per person per section). First and second place cards are awarded in each section per month. 1st 3 points, 2nd 2 points. Points are accumulated for awarding of first, second and third prizes at year’s end, in each section.

The same plant, whether a winner or not, may be redisplayed at subsequent meetings.

NOVICE SECTIONS

Two Sections are available for Novice Exhibitors:

1. Containers up to and including 100mm.
2. Any size container over 100mm.

A Novice Exhibitor is one who is new to, or inexperienced in growing and/or showing begonias.

Novice Exhibitors are encouraged to bench plants at monthly meetings on the Novice Table. These begonias are assessed by judges and points awarded (1st 3 points, 2nd 2 points) when merited.

Points are accumulated for awarding of a first prize at year end in each Section.

At the Annual Show, Novice Exhibitors may bench plants in the Novice Classes only, and points will be accumulated ― 1st 5 points, 2nd 3 points.

When 15 points have been accumulated over time from monthly meetings and the Annual Show, the Exhibitor is considered by our judges, in consultation with the Management Committee, for advancement to Open Class.

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