Rochester, New York was the site of the 50th Annual Gesneriad Society Convention.  Held at the downtown Hyatt, the theme for the show was "Golden Reflections".  Our own local affiliate, the Gesneriaddicts of Western NY was the proud sponsor of the show, the first convention of this kind to be held in Rochester.

Formerly known as AGGS, the Gesneriad Society is an organization devoted to the large and diverse family of plants of which African violets (Saintpaulia), is just one member. 

Many thanks to local Convention Cochairs Faye Wagman and Barb Festenstein, Show Cochairs Bev Williams and Doris Brownlie, and all of the volunteers that helped make the show a big success.  It was a very well-attended show, with more than 50 exhibitors entered more than 250 exhibits, and the sales room was full of plants. 

'Chirita brassicoides', shown at left won Best in Show, and was entered by Bill Price of Vancouver, British Columbia.  Bill always brings plenty of spectacular show plants (when it's close enough to drive), and at least a few (when flying).  It seems that this plant made the cross-country voyage in fine shape! 

The two plants at left were exhibited by Dale Martens.  Dale always brings something new to shows--new hybrids of her own or others.

At far left is her own Streptocarpus hybrid, 'Dale's Scarlet Macaw'.  At near left is a new Sinningia hybrid, 'HCY's Joey' (Huang, Chia-Yu of Taiwan is the hybridizer).
 

Kohleria is one of our favorite genus of plants, and there were a number of nice ones in the show.  At left is 'Red Rider', exhibited by Carol Hamelink.  K. hirsuta, a species entered by Marcia Kilpatrick, is shown at center.  K. 'Peridot's Kitlope', is shown at right.  This plant was entered by Eileen McGrath, and won Best Rhizomatous gesneriad.  We grow all of these varieties ourselves, as well as many others--we really like kohlerias.

Of course, there's always at least a few really BIG plants in every Gesneriad Society convention.  Paul Lee drove across the border from his home in Canada with this specimen of Sinningia 'Apricot Bouquet', which was the Best Tuberous plant in show.  Paul grows this one outside in the summer.  

As he did last year, Glen Barnes flew a number of huge plants with him from Florida!  Shown at right is his plant of Codonanthe elegans, which stood at least 2 feet off of the table surface--and he had more than one plant in the show at least this large! 
 

Being less than an hour's drive from the show, we had an opportunity to bring more plants than usual to the convention. 

Besides plenty of plants for the sales room, we entered a commercial display table, shown at left.  Besides miniature African violets, there are Columnea, Pentadinia, Aeschynanthus, Chirita, and Streptocarpus on the table.

Our staff also participated in the show, helping with show set-up, entries, and sales. 
Some of our staff even entered plants in the show.  Frank Rouse won Best Fibrous Rooted plant with his Columnea 'Early Bird', and Matt Johnson took best in the Novice class as a first-time exhibitor, with Saintpaulia 'Emerald City'.  Neither plant is pictured here, but you're likely to see them elsewhere on the site!

Best in Design went to Karyn Chichoki for her entry in 'Walking at Midnight', shown at right.  This was a lovely design featuring blooms from one of our Steptocarpus hybrids, 'Bristol's Sixth Scents'. 

Next year's convention is being held in Miami, Florida.  Bring your sunscreen and see you there!