I've been invited to give a talk on cacti at our local school

[gerald]

And it's tomorrow morning! I'll take some of my plants along to show off, and hopefully the class of 7 & 8 year olds won't get too bored. I've never done anything like this before, it's right outside of my comfort zone, but my 8 year old daughter talked me into it. I just hope they don't ask any awkward questions I can't answer

[Liz M]

These events are more alarming beforehand than the actual thing. I bet you have a great time and will look back and be amused by the strange questions you get asked. The main thing is to talk about what you know and not be too technical. Keep the conversation going whatever you do and try to tell stories, that always interests people, whatever their age. Also, be patient, people, especially children, will be seeing things they may never have heard of and have no understanding of. Listen and try to answer the questions. What you are aiming for is to enthuse people, show your enthusiasm and it will rub off. Have fun and good luck.

[rodsmith]

A great opportunity, Gerald, even if you are apprehensive. Good luck and let us know how you got on.

[DaveW]

" I've never done anything like this before, it's right outside of my comfort zone, but my 8 year old daughter talked me into it. I just hope they don't ask any awkward questions I can't answer."

Unlikely to be anybody there who knows more about the plants than you, therefore they will not know if you make a mistake anyway!

If it's slides on screen they are usually more interested in the images than what the speaker is saying anyway, and often titling and putting relevant text on screen is easier to follow than people trying to decipher your pronunciation of Latin names. I never like to be up in front of an audience and I suppose the majority of people are the same. That is why forums like this thrive since you can type in what you want to say, revise it three or four times and check your facts before posting. Standing on your feet before an audience you don't have that luxury unless you are good at reading from previously prepared notes (which I am not since I loose my place when I look up) therefore have to rely on memory and anything titled on screen.

If you are using plants make sure they are labelled as a "memory jogger" in case you forget what they are called, particularly if your short term memory goes as with us oldies.

You will be OK as long as you don't get too technical in front of children (or teachers ) and adult audiences who do not share the hobby, because to them all cacti and succulents are cacti anyway and to them you are the expert if you can even grow and flower them.

[Peter]

I've done lots of talks and it gets easier with each one. Nowadays I don't even use notes. A bit of humour helps - I always mention the time that somebody asked me if I talk to my plants and I replied that if one stuck a spine in me then I'd give it a right old talking to!

I always take a mystery black bin bag with me and tell the audience that it contains my miracle compost ingredient, but then I make a great play on being reluctant to tell them what it is because my plants always win gold medals and I don't want anyone else to have such wonderful plants. I do eventually though, allow them, on the strict promise to keep it to themselves, force me into removing the bin bag and revealing - a bag of Tesco cat litter!

The looks on their faces, always the same!

I also include a spiny Euphorbia with the sample cacti and ask them to pick out the plant that's not a cactus. It's actually rare that anybody gets it right when a Lophophora,and a clumping C. krainziana are included with other cacti.

Local garden clubs are always looking for speakers and I've found it to be a very satisfying experience.

[DaveW]

What surprised me is what some of those organisations are prepared to pay for speakers to what our Societies' speakers entertain us for.

I was in a photo society about 15 years ago and the speaker charged £20 to come about 4 miles across town. In those days our BCSS speakers were only charging that to pay for fuel to come from many miles away and doing the talk itself for free.

On a photo forum a chap said he was giving talks to societies like Women's Institutes, showing old slides of towns as they used to be and charging around £20 for the evening which he was quite happy with since it covered all his costs, until a friend told him he was doing similar talks to such organisations and getting £90 a time for it, so he immediately bumped his charge up to that.

Certainly we get our speakers very cheap, but I am afraid a lot of other organisations don't realise speakers are really ripping them off with their fees and making a second income from them. Mind you I did hear of one speaker who gave a talk to another branch and was paid his speakers expenses and then charged the usual branch monthly meeting fee even though he was giving the talk, I don't think he went again

As an example of what some charge. Some reasonable but most to me over the top, lets hope we never get as mercenary in our hobby.

http://www.twigsway.com/twigsway.com/Ga ... Talks.html

https://www.gardenforumhorticulture.co. ... -talks.htm

https://www.gardenmediaguild.co.uk/reso ... kers-list/

http://www.patrickharding.co.uk/talks

[Peter]

I'm always asked how much I charge to give a talk about cacti. When I first started, it never crossed my mind to take money from these clubs and institutes and indeed, I never have. It's a pleasure to be given the opportunity to inform people about the benefits obtained from growing these plants and to endeavour to clear away uninformed prejudice.

I simply ask that a donation be given to charity.

[gerald]

Wow some great advice there. I just wish I'd read it before I went in at 9am this morning!

I took about 10 plants each with different features eg columnar, pads (Opuntia), no spines, clumping, plumose spines etc and we talked about them all. I was surprised at how interested and enthusiastic kids can be! I was inundated with questions, thankfully nothing I couldn't answer.

I didn't forget to mention the BCSS so with a bit of luck there will be a few new junior memberships coming our way

Oh and it couldn't have been that bad, this card was waiting for me when I got in from work just now:

[rodsmith]

The card says it all. A job well done, Gerald. Here's to the next one!

[juster]

Well done Gerald, it's good to know that the children took such an interest. It seems as though they will remember your talk and the plants.