Goes live on Sunday May 30

Tips on how to host, run, and participate in Zoom meetings

Presented by Julie Mavity-Hudson, Nashville, Tennessee

Goes live on Monday May 31

Sandra Skalski Profile Photo

The Beginner’s columnist for the African Violet Magazine, helps novice and experienced growers understand the basics of African violets.

Presented by Sandra Skalski, Mullica Hill, New Jersey

About Sandra

Watch video presentation beginning on Tuesday June 1

Profile photo Terri Vicenzi

Learn tips about growing Streptocarpus for show

Presented by Terri Vicenzi, Bloomington, Indiana

About Terri

Terri Vicenzi has a PhD in biochemistry and spent over 20 years at Eli Lilly and Company in pharmaceutical drug development.  She has grown plants all of her life, but developed a strong interest in the cultivation of African violets, streps, and other gesneriads since retiring in 2014.  At her first Gesneriad Society convention in 2019, Terri had 16 strep entries and won Best Streptocarpus and Runner-up to Best in Horticulture with Streptocarpus ‘Little Kan’.  Terri is passionate about sharing her love of these plants, and is a contributing member to social media gesneriad sites, AVSA, and the Gesneriad Society.

Watch video presentation beginning Wednesday June 2

Dr. Jeff Smith

There’s science to explain why and when African violets set flowers.

Presented by Dr. Jeff Smith, Muncie, Indiana

About Jeff

Goes live on Thursday June 3

Dianne Duggan has created new artwork of the traits of African violet blossoms and leaves for the Judges Handbook and AVSA website. See them revealed for the first time and meet the artist.

Presented by Dianne Duggan, Webster, Texas

About Dianne

Goes live on Friday, June 4

Learn all sorts of things about AVSA’s 75th Anniversary that you might have missed!

Presented by Rich Follett, Strasburg, Virginia

About Rich

Goes live on Tuesday, June 1

Ralph Robinson opened the Violet Barn in 1985 in Naples, New York. The business is actually located in an old remodeled barn. After his marriage to Olive Ma, the business grew to ship internationally, year-round. Their hybrids excel in shows. Customers love their service. Last year they decided it was time to remodel and make some changes. See what the Violet Barn looks like today, as Ralph and Olive take you on a tour of their business.

Goes live on Wednesday, June 2

Tatiana Kalgin loves African violets. In the mid 1990’s, Vladimir, her husband, helped her start a small store called “Dom Fialki” (House of Violets) in Moscow so that they could help others learn about violets too. The modest business soon became a passion for many Russians. There are now 90 clubs across Russia and the Ukraine. The Russian hybridizers consistently delight the violet world with their new discoveries. See the store where it all started and meet the owners, who still love African violets as much as the first day they opened the store.

Goes live on Thursday, June 3

As the passion for growing African violets increased across Russia, another store came into existence in the northern city of St. Petersburg, not far from the Hermitage where Catherine the Great lived. Surrounded by history and beauty, Nevsky’s Dom Fialki became an important part of the growing interest in violets. See their shop and imagine being there in one of the most interesting locations in the world.

Goes live on Friday, June 4

Danny Tidwell, Convention Chair for the 2022 Little Rock Convention, is anxious to get AVSA to Arkansas. After the longest wait in AVSA history, Danny is ready to show you the hotel and some of the sites you will get to see in person next year. He’ll get you excited about getting out of the house with your show plants, and getting back to all the live and in-person things that make the annual AVSA Convention such a wonderful event.