Florists bloom at annual Clivia Show

Do you know your miniata from your miriabilis?

For the green-fingered members of the Clivia Interest Group, their skills were put to the test at the annual Clivia Miniata Show at Drakensberg Primary School on Saturday.

The group’s Alfred Everson said the show was a blooming success.

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“There were lots of people at the show, and 107 plants were entered including one junior, a few novices and more.”

For those who believe flower shows aren’t competitive, Everson explained there were 52 different colour, leaf and foliage classes, divided into two categories.

“The categories are the flower itself and the foliage,” he explained.

Some of the criteria for a winning clivia were the height of the flower, the flower count, petal size and of course, the judge’s opinion of the plant.

Competitors improved their chances by even washing the leaves.

“They also ‘stake’ the clivia plant with sunlight to make sure it faces the right direction.”

Among top green thumbs were the Best of Show winner, Henry Howard, with his multi-petal flora, Louis Lotter with his orange green-throat varietals and young Alfred Everson IV, whose plants put some seasoned entrants to shame.

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For these gardeners, competing is a matter of local pride.

Everson said his interest in clivia began with his father, Alfred Everson II, who moved to Port Shepstone but never lost his keen interest in the plant.

“He asked me to attend a flower show, and I had friends in the interest group. It got to the stage where I started enjoying cultivating clivias. It’s an expensive hobby.”

Everson said there was a great diversity in the plant, and called the clivia a true native to the South African flora.

“It’s endemic to our country and three species can only be found in KwaZulu-Natal.”

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