Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads For Novices and Addicts - October 2014, 5 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
HI EVERYONE – AND ESPECIALLY ANYONE ON THE SICK LIST; GET WELL SOON.

THERE’S A HOT ONE FORECAST TODAY WITH TEMPS INTO THE VERY HIGH THIRTIES. IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT SUMMER WILL BRING, ESPECIALLY JANUARY WHICH IS THE HEATWAVE MONTH.

TERESA – YOU SAY YOU LIKE VR. ‘TIGER TIM’, DID YOU KNOW IT’S A SEEDLING FROM VR. OSPINAE VAR. GRUBERI AND THAT IT TOO IS NOW BEING USED IN BREEDING WITH AN AIM OF IMPROVING THE LEAF PATTERNS AND COLOUR EVEN MORE. TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I’M SAYING, I’M POSTING SOME PIC’S OF JUST SOME OF THE COLOURS NOW CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THROUGH SELECTIVE BREEDING.

COLLEEN – THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A LIGHT SHOWER OF RAIN TO FRESHEN THINGS UP, AND APART FROM OUIRSELVES, THE BIRDS AND ANIMALS ENJOY IT AS WELL. I LIKE TO WATCH THE GALAHS IN A LIGHT SHOWER HOW THEY HANG UPSIDE DOWN FROM THE POWER LINES AND FLAP THEIR WINGS, AND LIKE DAD USED TO SAY, “THEY’RE WASHING THEIR ARMPITS”.


I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU FOR TEACHING THE BOYS THE BENEFITS OF RE-CYCLING. MOST OF MY SHADE HOUSES ARE MADE FROM RE-CYCLED MATERIALS (EXCEPT THE SHADE CLOTH), AND WITH A COAT OF PAINT (ALSO OFTEN RE-CYCLED) THEY COME UP JUST AS GOOD LOOKING HAD THEY BEEN MADE FROM NEW MATERIALS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BOYS HAVE GOT UNCLE JOHN A VERY APPROPRIATE AND MOST UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT WHICH I’M SURE HE’LL ENJOY AS MUCH AS THE BOYS WILL AS THEY WATCH HIM OPEN IT.

LIKE YOU SAY, IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER BUYING PRESENTS FOR THE FAMILY AS THEY GET OLDER, AND YOU SOMETIMES END UP GETTING THEM SOMETHING THEY EITHER DON’T NEED OR SOMETHING THEY DON’T WANT.

WHAT WE DO NOW IS GIVE GIFT VOUCHERS; THAT WAY THEY CAN BUY WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT IT AND IT’S NOT AS IMPERSONAL AS JUST GIVING MONEY IN A CHRISTMAS CARD. PERSONALLY, I’VE TOLD ALL OF MY FAMILY TO JUST GIVE ME BUNNNGS VOUCHERS, THAT WAY IT’S EASY AND SATISFIES EVERYONE.

YOU SAY, “I can't believe that the shops have decorations up already”; I CAN GO ONE BETTER THAN THAT; WE HAVE A FRIEND WHO WORKS IN K-MART AND SHE TOLD US THAT LAST WEEK AT THE MORNING TEAM LEADERS’ MEETING, THEY WERE DISCUSSING THEIR EASTER ADVERTISING PLAN.

TODAY I’LL FINISH UP WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF PIC'S SHOWING DIFFERENT COLOURED VRIESEA OSPINAE VAR. GRUBERI, WHICH ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

ALL THE BEST, NEV