Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads For May 2014, 3 by bromishy

bromishy wrote:
Hi Everyone!

Gosh we had a busy day today which started with our usual visit to the beach early this morning with our girls but we ended up there for a couple of hours as we caught up with two groups of friends that also like going to the beach and all ended up sitting at the one picnic table and had a good catch-up with everyone. They also have dogs so our girls had a great time playing with them.

When we finally did get home we loaded up the trailer with a bunch of stuff to go to the tip and after that ended up catching up with a friend who grows beautiful orchids and I picked out about 6 nice one’s that Joe did not have and brought them for him; plus I needed some more squat pots for my broms so we got a bunch of those too.

Then after that we headed over to the landscaping place and got a scoop of 15 – 20mm dark scoria as I have decided to pot up some of my vrieseas in this after mixing the scoria with course bark, charcoal and jumbo perlite and see how they go, I just find the other mix I make up holds a little too much moisture although the neo’s do like the finer mix given the pots they are in are not too big and the mix does not stay moist for too long.

By the time we got home after that it was clocking on 4pm and we had plans to go out for dinner and picked our friends up at 6pm; which did not leave much time for doing much at home before headed out again. Anyway we ended up at a restaurant called Ribs & Rumps and all feasted on either full racks or half racks of pork spare ribs cooked in a beautiful sticky glaze that was yummy and just got home not long ago and it’s now 11pm and I’m struggling to keep my eyes open after such a big feed.

Tomorrow I want to spend in the garden as I have I fair bit I want to get done before the weekends over.

Hi Shirley thanks Joe is feeling much better thanks but still not 100% but getting there.

Shirley I too like getting broms for my birthday and it does not bother me if I already have it as it’s the thought that counts. Pleased to hear you’re Igloos’ up with only some finishing touches to be done; I laughed when I read that you say it’s already chockers but did it free up any room anywhere? Sounds like you need to build a second one but even bigger LOL. We are hoping to do more work on ours next weekend and possibly get the shade cloth up as well if all goes to plan; I am so looking forward being able to use it.

Shirley what lovely Neo. pics you posted on 18/6, that Pic 1 of Neo. ‘Sonic Boom Canvey Stripes’ is beautiful. Pleased to hear you liked my new plant of Neo. ‘Red Furnace’, I am very impressed with the plant and the photo does not do it justice in color and size; it’s just such a stunning looking brom.

Hi Nev great to hear your daughters father-in-law is ok and should hopefully 100% fully recover; great that you can all be there for him while he recovers and so very thoughful of you to look after beautiful 'Honey'.

Nev lovely pics you posted on 18/6 of some of your beautiful hybrids, how lovely do the faint variegated lines look on them. Pleased to hear you liked my new plant of Neo. ‘Jaws’, it’s a big brom with still a lot of growing to do. I have been chasing this one for a long time; now the next one on my “Wish List” is “Jaws Too”.

Nev let us know how you’re cross of ‘Prince of Darkness’ seedlings are going as sounds very interesting indeed.

Nev – Oh my goodness ‘Honey’ the dog you are so kindly babysitting is gorgeous but like you say way bigger than you had expected; hopefully once she settles down she will also quieten down for you; sure she is lapping up all the attention. Our friends dog ‘Miley’ (dingo crossed with cattle dog crossed with jack russell) always knows with me that if I turn my back on her and ignore her that she is in the bad books with me and settles down if I do this a couple of times with here whenever I visit and she has not seen me in a while; it gives her time to think about why I am ignoring her and seems to work. Ha Ha great to hear ‘Honey’ does not have a taste for Bromeliads, thank goodness for that as I am sure you would have been worried at first if she would chew any of them.

Nev WOW Jack Konings Vriesea’s as always are breathtakingly beautiful and I want one of each for Xmas ha ha.

Hi Teresa yeah the girls had a great time staying at the cabins and could see when we picked them up that they had really enjoyed the place; their bed was messed up and their toys were everywhere ha ha.

Teresa thanks Joe is feeling much better and I am trying my utmost best to not get sick as I have a big week at work next week and can’t afford to get sick at the moment with all that will be going on. On another note pleased to hear you liked the look of Neo. ‘Prince of Darkness’, I have placed it in some good light in the garden so am keeping an eye on who much darker it will get. All the very best with the Job Interviews, my fingers and toes are still crossed for you and I hope you kick butt and score yourself a great job and that life returns back to normal for you real soon as you deserve it.

Time to head as it's 12.37pm and my eyes are hanging out of my head like those funny comic plastic glasses we wore back when we were kids LOL.

Take Care and Happy Gardening!

Trish

Pic 1 - Neo. 'Purple Star' pups colouring up
Pic 2 & 3 - Neo. 'Concentrica x'
Pic 4 - Neo. 'Darkest Hour'
Pic 5 - Neo. 'Frivolity'