If you've ever missed a Main Meeting because the date slipped your mind, or had to dig through old emails to find out when the Daytime Chapter was on — this one's for you.

We've just launched a brand-new Events Calendar on the SCOCSA website, and it's designed to make staying connected with the club as easy as possible. Here's a full rundown of what it does and how to get the most out of it.

The calendar covers the full September–December 2026 programme, including:

• Main Meetings — held on the first Wednesday of each month at Marion Warradale Uniting Church Hall
• Learners' Classes — running alongside Main Meetings from 7:15 pm for newer growers
• Daytime Chapter — second Thursday of each month at Marion Church of Christ, Mitchell Park
• Southern Region Group Meetings — third Sunday of each month at Carrickalinga House, Victor Harbor
• Shows — including the Spring Show (26–27 September) and the Southern Region Show

Every event is listed with its full date, time, and venue so you always know exactly where to be.

One of the most useful features is the colour-coded event chips on the calendar grid. Each event type has its own colour:

• Teal — Main Meetings
• Blue — Learners' Classes
• Amber — Daytime Chapter
• Purple — Southern Region meetings
• Rose — Shows

This means you can scan the month at a glance and immediately see what's on without reading every entry. Click any chip and the page scrolls straight to the full event listing below.

Every event listing includes an Add to Calendar row with three options:

1. Google Calendar — opens a pre-filled event in your browser
2. Apple / iCal — downloads an .ics file you can open directly in Calendar on Mac or iPhone
3. Outlook.com — opens a pre-filled event in Outlook

No more manually typing in dates. Click once, confirm, and the event is in your calendar with the correct date, time, and venue already filled in.

Can't make a Main Meeting? Each Main Meeting listing now has an Apology button. Clicking it opens a pre-addressed email to the club secretary with the subject line already filled in — all you need to do is hit send. It takes about five seconds and means the committee always has an accurate head count.

The 2026 Spring Show runs on 26–27 September at the Marion Warradale Uniting Church Hall. It's one of the highlights of the SCOCSA calendar and a wonderful opportunity to see some of the finest orchids in South Australia on display.

The calendar has the full show listing, and you can add it to your calendar right now so you don't forget. Whether you're entering plants, volunteering, or just coming along to enjoy the displays — we'd love to see you there.

Head to scocsa.com.au and click Calendar in the main navigation, or visit scocsa.com.au/calendar directly. The page works on mobile, tablet, and desktop.

We hope the new calendar makes it easier to stay involved with the club. If you have any feedback or suggestions, feel free to get in touch through the Contact page — we'd love to hear from you.

Happy growing! 🌸