Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for novices and addicts, Jan-Feb 2011, 1 by weed_woman

weed_woman wrote:
Hello everyone, sorry I have been AWOL. I've had a sore back which makes spending time at the computer a bit uncomfortable. Seems to be on the mend, so I will try to respond to all the lovely pics here. Pam, I think the contrast between the two pics is awesome! What a difference. I made a mistake in putting my Alc. 'Silver Plum' out in the sun. It had been in a very bright position in the shade house, then I moved it to late afternoon sun, then out into full sun, but it burnt and bleached almost immediately. Mind you, the temps have been a bit extreme this last week. It'll recover as it grows new leaves, but a bit of a shame, none the less. I like your thailand bowl and little Billys too and the Blanchettianas further up the thread. All good stuff.
Karen, nice Vrieseas there and all the other goodies form the markets. You are getting quite a collection growing.
Wendys place is looking really lovely. I just love that glass urn near the pond. I would love to find something like that to use around here, but I fear it would be smashed by falling gum branches.
Jen, your two recent purchases look lovely too. I'm not familiar with either, which means we have more to add to the swap list. he he.
Theresa, how are you? Hows your broms going?
Bree, how are your broms doing in this hot weather? Are you able to keep them sheltered so they don't get burnt or bleached?
I have been watering them every couple of days for the last week, with just a splash really. It helps to keep the water in the centre fresh and wash off the stamens from the gum flowers. Today I used the jet on the hose to try and flush gum leaves out of the big Alcants, aswell as a few rather large spiders. I also flushed a mouse out from behing a Staghorn Fern. How bizarre. The dogs were watching the place it ran to, for most of the day, and I had to keep shooing them out of the shade house for fear they would knock over pots if the mouse decided to make a run for it. All was well though.
Anyway, off to the markets in the morning, so had better have an early night. I'll see if I can find a Pic of Wendys glass urn.
Sue