Australian and New Zealand Gardening: BROMELIADS FOR MARCH ....2014, 5 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – According the the weather report it seems there is another nice day on the way again today with the possibility of afternoon showers. This is what they have been forecasting for the last five days and each time they've been accurate except for the afternoon showers which never arrive.
All in all we have had a week of wonderful autumn weather with clear skies and nice warm days which make it a pleasure to be out in the garden. I just want it to last for one more day so I can weed the rest of the front garden and finish off the mulching so I can cross another job off my list.

Theresa – There are some wonderful new hybrids being produced at present and New Zealand's Peter Coyle and Australia's Jack Koning are right up there with the worlds best breeders.
As for the plants in Pic's 4 and 5 being related; there were no names given so I can't say for sure, but judging by the coloured leaf tips it's quite possible they both have Vr. platynema variegata in their breeding history somewhere as this is a trait of that plant which it usually always passes on.

Wendy – Yes Peter's breeding some great stuff at present and not just Neo's and Vrieseas; he's turning out some wonderful Billbergias as well and the latest I've seen of his work is a variegated Cryptanthus, and just like Jack Koning, he's a man of many talents when it comes to brom breeding.

The bed in the motor home must be a bit crowded now after you put “washing stuff, showering supplies, some containers of food like tea, sugar, coffee, wine...” in it Ha! Ha!

You mention Ross, did you know he's either selling out or has already sold out? The last I heard was he was putting in a caretaker to look after his plants while he went travelling so best give him a ring before you go driving all the way down to his place.

I hope all of Johnny's “rat proofing” works well as you don't want to come home to be greeted by more rat damage like you've had recently. The bloody things soon work out when no one's home and they start visiting. We have an empty house next door and the old bloke that keeps an eye on it for the owners tells me there's evidence of rats all through the house.

I can't understand the owners as it's probably the “landmark” old original home in Shellharbour Village which people regularly come to photograph. It's two story and built of old sand stock bricks with a ”Cape Cod” style roof and it's been vacant now for almost three years and now requires maintenance on the building and the gardens (what's left of them). I can't understand the owners as I thought they were both intelligent people with the husband being an accountant and the wife working as a librarian at the university and yet the house is just sitting there empty and slowly deteriorating and as the wife's father says, “it's just dead money”.

Cody – I know what you're saying about your son having a “lead foot”. I think all kids are like that and they think of themselves as “bullet proof”. Anyway with you there to keep an eye on him, I'm sure he'll be safe.

Anyway, that's it for another day so a few pic's to finish off, starting with Nidularium Procerum. It's been around for a while and was originally called Nid. procerum v. karmesianum but like many other plants has had a “name change”. Pic.2 is one of my new Neo. hybrids, still a “baby”, but I think it has possibilities. Pic.3 Another “oldie” and one I bought named as Neo. 'Rain Cloud' although I have doubts about the name being correct. Pic.4 is another of my new hybrid seedlings Neo. 'Heart Music' x concentrica. I found it hiding away among a lot of other plants and what attracted me to it was the unusual leaves which curve slightly downwards. Finally Pic.5 which is another of my seedlings and although nothing in the shape stakes, it does have unusual colour, so I'll give it another year and see what the next generation of pups turn out like.

All the best, Nev.