AFABEGO, the French Begonia Society (Association Française des Amateurs de Bégonias), is a national non-profit association founded in 1988 under the French law of July 1901.
It currently has around 100 members throughout France and even abroad.
Its main purpose is to promote interest in begonias, and in collectors’ begonias in particular. It also aims to share with all its members any information on the nature, identification and so on of begonias, as well as news of shows, exhibitions and publications about them. Through its relationship with the Begonia Conservatory of the town of Rochefort (Charente-Maritime), the association works to keep the local authority engaged with the collection, and takes an active part in promoting it.
Finally, it encourages friendly meetings and exchanges between members, thanks to its regional representatives and to the annual General Meeting – an unmissable gathering where ideas, and plants, are exchanged.
This General Meeting, usually held over a weekend in late September or early October, takes place in a different town each year and includes a visit to greenhouses or botanical gardens. For the association’s 30th anniversary, for example, the meeting was held at the Begonia Conservatory in Rochefort (Charente-Maritime). Past meetings have included, among others, the Parc de la Tête d’Or in Lyon (2010 and 2015), the municipal greenhouses of Le Havre (2011 and 2019) and the Nantes botanical garden (2017).
Board and committee
THE BOARD
- President: Jean-Louis BEREAU
- Vice-presidents: Pierre FORTUNE & Nicolas Picart
- Secretary: Evelyne BOUQUET
- Treasurer: Dominique PERMINGEAT
- Auditor: Agnès CAZAUX
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Chantal BEREAU
- Caroline CAMPODARVE-PUENTE
- Agnès CAZAUX
- Christian CONNAULTE
- Christèle MORIN
- Pierre FORTUNE
- Daniel ZALKO
- Aurore CONDAMINET
- Nathan ORLOF
- Dominique PERMINGEAT
- Hervé POUHAER
- Jean-Christophe REUTER
- Patrick ROSE
- Jean-Luc TRIPHON
- Nicolas PICART
- Kenzo ALACID
- Christophe DUMINIL
- Pierre FORTUNE
History
AFABEGO was founded in May 1988. The association made itself known through its first newsletter, “le petit Bégofil, un lien entre les amateurs de bégonias” (“the little Bégofil, a link between begonia lovers”), which came out in August 1988, photocopied in black and white.
In 1991, a colour insert was added to the newsletter, describing four plants with growing advice.
From 1992, every General Meeting has included a competition for the finest begonia, which is still very popular today.
Two difficult years in 1996 and 1997 with falling membership. The newsletter shrank to a single sheet, the “Minibeg”.
From 1997, following a change of president, membership picked up again, reaching as many as 200 members.
The seed service was set up in 1998.
At the end of 2001, the newsletter was renamed “Le Bégofil” (dropping “petit”) and gained more pages.
The association also publishes a leaflet (updated in 2008) to promote itself at the horticultural shows attended by some of its members. Its activity focuses mainly on producing, writing and distributing “Le Bégofil”, which has been printed entirely in colour since 2006.
In 2007, following the dissolution of the Société Française du Bégonia – which, together with the town of Rochefort, managed the Begonia Conservatory directed by Patrick Rose – AFABEGO took on a moral responsibility for the Conservatory’s collection.
