July 6, 2017 | Doors open at 6:30 p.m. | Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
Staging: The Art of Succulent Plant Presentation
Presented by Peter Walkowiak
The art of staging succulent plants is like the Framing of an
expensive or prized picture or painting. The frame is the pot,
the matting is the top dressing, rocks and other accent pieces
and the plant is the painting. There are many aspects to
consider when staging a plant, among these is the plant color,
form, growth habit, shape, texture. These all determine what
pot size, shape and top dressing is best. Color and texture are
important on all aspects of a successful framing of your plant.
Often the goal is to make it look like it is still in habitat, a little
bit of nature in a pot. In this workshop, I will discuss the process of choosing the pot, top dressing and rocks. Included in this discussion will be the reasons for making the choices that were made. Why this color, texture verses another, why one works while another does not.
Bio: My interest in plants started as a child of five, amazed at the beauty of roses and the taste of blackberries right off the vine. As a teenager, I did yard work for neighbors to make some money and I had a vegetable garden. Went to Cal Poly Pomona in 1980 and graduated in 1985 with a degree in horticulture. Have worked for and ran a number of wholesale nurseries before starting a landscape and consultation business. Twelve years ago I started to propagate plants from the collection of plants that had been acquired in the previous 25 years, which led to the current business that has been a part of my lifelong dream, PW Plants, my own nursery.
My fascination with succulent plants started in college, when a friend had this amazing Bombax elipticum. My collection has grown from those early days to well over 1,500 plants. Interests center on the fat plants, caudiciforms, cacti and euphorbias.
I am the current President of the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society, on the board of the San Diego CSS and CSSA. Show chair for the two shows for SDCSS and the one show for Palomar. Cochair for the Intercity Show, the largest succulent show in the world. I participate in many other shows in the southwest from Phoenix to Los Angeles.
Let’s give Peter a warm welcome back to our club!
PLANTS: Peter will be bringing a nice selection of his plants for purchase.
Dinner: BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, 715 East Shaw Avenue, Fresno, (559) 570-1900, menu. For reservations, contact Rosanna by Wednesday, July 5, 2017 to make reservations at 559.999.0017 or rfrojas96@gmail.com. Dinner begins promptly at 5:00 p.m. Reservations under Fresno Cactus Club. Members are invited to attend.