Here is a copy of Mary Sue's Email last march: I don't think anyone has written on this list about the IBSA Bulb & Corm Symposium scheduled for August 28 to September 1 2006 in South Africa. I know that there are a number of us from this list who plan to attend and I am so looking forward to renewing friendships and seeing again people who live far away from me. I think it is a testimony to the excellence of the last symposium that so many of us who went then are returning. For those of you who are new to our list since I last sent out an enthusiastic endorsement of IBSA, IBSA stands for the Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa. This group meets monthly in Cape Town for talks and to bring their plants for display. I am always envious when I get the notice of the meetings and read about what happened at the last meeting. They also put out a first rate journal once a year, edited by Rachel Saunders. Many months along with the notice of meetings is a "Bulb Chat" always full of interesting tidbits. In 2003 they had another Bulb Symposium which my husband and I attended. The first two days we listened to speakers and the next two and a half days went on buses to looks at plants in the wild. The symposium was very well organized and the speakers quite good. We loved the field trips and all the opportunities to visit with people who shared our interests. The symposium was held at the Goudini Spa which has hot springs and hot swimming pools. In 2003 they were having an unusually cold spell with snow on the mountains and cold/sometimes wet days. It made the mountains really beautiful, but meant that we all had to be really creative trying to keep warm. I'm bringing my hot water bottle and long underwear just in case there is a repeat this year although I understand the weather could be much warmer. The format for this symposium is similar. There will be several days of speakers and several days chasing after plants in bloom. How many we see will depend on how much winter rain they get, but there were a lot of fires in the Cape last year so with a little luck we might have some nice displays. Regardless, the chance to talk with people in South Africa about their native plants and with all of us fanatics who try to grow them will for me be worth the trip. The cost of this Symposium is $500 USD for one and $450 each USD for shared accommodation. This includes accommodation, transport for the field days, and meals. If you are interested please contact me privately and I can give you more details. It's past time for a deposit, but perhaps one of the IBSA officers on this list can tell us if it is still possible to attend.le 14/06/06 12:22, angela offer à angelasgarden@bigpond.com a écrit : > Help, what is ISBA? > Dumb Aussie > Angela > Dear John and all, > Indeed it would be nice to know for all us who is going. For my part I am > planning to, but have not finalised yet. > > le 14/06/06 2:47, Floral Architecture à john@floralarchitecture.com a > écrit : > Who else is going that I might be running into? > Lauw de Jager Bulb'Argence Mas d'Argence 30300 Fourques France tel 33(0)466 016 519 fax 0466 011 245 http://www.bulbargence.com/