British Cactus and Succulent Society

Highlands & Islands Branch

Branch Activity Notes
(with Gaelic translation)

It's our 20th Anniversary
The origin of the Branch goes back 20 years when the then current BCSS members in the area got together and arranged to meet on 23rd May 1988. Success followed and meetings were subsequently held in various places such as the Whin Park Hotel, in the Cathedral Rooms, the RNI Recreation Hall, where the first and third Shows were held. The second Show was held in Dingwall Town Hall, and the first Convention, and Tenth Anniversary, both took place at Cumming's Hotel. Other meetings were in the Camera Club premises in Steven's Brae, and after that in Trinity Church Hall (Huntly Place) where many Shows took place. That carries us forward to the present day where meetings are now held in the Training Room in the Floral Hall.

The Branch can be rather proud of its association with Alfred Lau, well-known to cacto-philes, world-wide, as the author of many valuable additions to the Cactaceae. He gave a series of talks in Dingwall Town Hall and in Trinity Church Hall in March 1993. On one occasion the minister was unwell and Mr Lau, being a minister himself, stood in for him.

Branch activity currently takes the form of a series of meetings, Shows and Conventions where one can hear interesting talks by experts. One can see a wide variety of plants in the 'Plant of the Month' and see, and hear, how to grow them. Branch meetings are also an excellent way of acquiring good plants which members bring in to make room in their collections for new stock. In summer there are visits to members' greenhouses and nurseries, both locally and as far away as Oban and Aberdeen. In June 2006 we visited the National Collection of Echeveria, Graptopetalum & Pachyphytum, collated by Mike Ambler, at Ardvasar, Aird of Sleat, in Skye.

All of these are impressive collections where members can see and discuss diffent ways of doing things. The Shows aspect can be inspirational, not only for the competitive element, but to let one see how well plants can be grown, and without too much effort or expense. Not least is the social aspect of being in company with fellow enthusiasts.

Branch Newsletter
This multi-page document is produced regularly by the Branch Librarian. It keeps Members informed on what happens at Branch and committee meetings, in BCSS itself, and any other matters which relate to Members' interests. Furthermore, an archive is maintained, including past Newsletters, so that the history of the Branch is well documented.

Se an 20mh ceann-bhliadhna againn a th'ann
Thoisich a mheur fichead bliadhna air ais an uair a choinnich na buill de BCSS 's an àite ri chèile agus chur iad romhpa coinneachadh air 23 den Chèitean 1988. Bha na coinneamhan air leth soirbheachail agus chaidh aontachadh gun biodh coinneamhan air an cumail ann an diofar àitichean mar: Taigh-òsta Whin Park, Seòmraichean an Cathair-Eaglais, talla coimhearsnachd RNI far an deach a chiad agus an treas choinneamh a chumail. Chaidh an darna coinneamh a chumail ann an Talla Bhaile Inbhir Pheofharain, chaidh a chiad chòmhdail agus an 10mh ceann-bhliadhna a chumail aig taigh-òsta Na Cuimeinich. Chaidh coinneamhan eile a chumail ann an togalach an Camera Club air Bruthach Steafain agus as dèidh sin ann talla Eaglais na Trianaid (Ceàrn Hunndaidh) far an do ghabh iomadach taisbeanadh àite. Tha seo gar toirt gun an latha an -diugh far a bheil coinneamhan a-nis air an cumail anns an seòmar trèanaidh ann an Talla nam flùraichean.

Faodaidh a mheur a bhith air leth pròiseil leis an ceangal a th'aige le Alfred Lau, ainmeil a measg daoine a tha dèidheil air Cactais air feadh an t-saoghail mar ùghdar de sgrìobhainn air leth chudromach don Cactaceae. Thug e seachad grunn òraidean ann an Talla Bhaile Inbhir Pheofharain agus ann an Eaglais na Trianaid anns a Mhart 1993. Air aon latha, cha robh Ministeir na h-Eaglaise gu math agus ghabh Mgr Lau, a bha na Mhinisteir e fhèin an t-seirbheis an latha sin.

Tha structar a mheur an dràsta ann an cruth choinneamhan, taisbeanaidhean agus còmhdhailean far an cluinnear òraidean bho ghrunn eòlaichean. Chithear iomadach seòrsa lus ann an "lus na mìos" agus chithear agus chluinnear ciamar a dh'fhàsas iad. Se dòigh mhath a th'anns na coinneamhan seo cuideachd do bhuill na lusan aca a thoirt a-steach gus àite a dhèanamh airson lusan ur dhaibh pèin. Anns an t-Samhradh tha turais air a chur air dòigh do phlanntlann agus taighean-glainne nam buill, an da chuid gu h-ionadail agus cho fada air falbh ris an t-Òban agus Obar Dheathain. Anns an t-Ògmhios 2006 chaidh sinn air chuairt gun an Cruinneachadh Nàiseanta de Echeveria, Graptopetalum agus Pachyphytum, air a chuir ri chèile le Mike Ambler, Ardvasar, An Àird, Slèite, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach.

Tha iad seo nan cruinneachadh dhrùidhteach far am faod buill bruidhinn air agus fhaicinn dòighean ùr rudan a' dhèanamh. Faodaidh an taisbeanadh a bhith brosnachail, chan ann a-mhàin airson an fharpais, ach airson leigeil fhaicinn cho math 's as urrain do lusan fàs, gun cus oidhirp no cosgais. Gun bruidhinn air cho tarraingeach is càirdeil la tha e a bhith a-measg daoine le na h-aon seòrsa cur-seachadan.