Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads For Novices and Addicts - October 2014, 1 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – Nice day here again yesterday but today’s not looking as promising as it’s pretty overcast following overnight showers, however it’s no good whingeing about the weather as there’s no way we can change it so best to just plan our jobs and work with it.

Brian – I have to agree, Teresa’s idea of keeping a “Wish List” is a good idea and something I think we all have. I get most of my plants now via swaps and they’re usually from growers who have posted pic’s on the various forums. I know my list just seems to grow and grow and it isn’t too bad when we know the names of the plant we are seeking but when it’s a NOID that’s a different thing altogether. What I do in cases like this is to copy a picture to add to the list along with the name of the person who posted the picture, that way there’s no drama in tracking it down. Also it’s much better buying from a picture that was posted by someone you know on a forum rather than some blurry obscure picture on old records which often looks nothing like the plant you’re chasing. The ideal thing of course is to see the plant “in the flesh” so to speak, but if that’s not possible, then a good quality picture is next best.

Is that Bill. ‘Curly Top’ in your first pic? It looks similar shape and red bracts but mine has lighter green coloured leaves. That’s brilliant colour in the first Tilly and what is the name of that and your second one?

Shirley – That’s a nice looking plant, but I’m afraid it’s too “toothy” for me.

Teresa – Your story about “Sugar” aka “Weasel” reminds me of an incident when I was a kid. Our next door neighbour had greyhounds one of which was a large dog who raced under the name of “Country John”. I don’t know about now, but in those days, at the end of the race, a bit past the finish line, a large canvas curtain blocked the track so the dogs couldn’t keep chasing the artificial hare.

Anyway Country John was in his first trial, and the hare took off and they opened the boxes and Country John bounded off down the track in hot pursuit, he passed every other dog on the track and was way out in front when he passed the finish line, but he didn’t stop, he jumped the canvas curtain and ripped the artificial hare to shreds and he was disqualified. It was something they couldn’t train out of him and at the next few trials he ran, the same thing happened (even with his owner behind the curtain to catch him) . In the end they wouldn’t let him race and he became the house pet.

He was a wonderful dog and would accompany us for miles as we walked through the bush “bird nesting”, setting rabbit traps and fishing in the river. He liked nothing more than to have a swim with us as well and he was really just another one of “the kids” and despite the reputation greyhound had at that time, I’ve never seen a gentler dog. I’ve even seen him lying on the floor while a little kitten climbed all over him and played with his tail and never once did he do anything to it. He eventually died at the ripe old age (for a dog) of seventeen……Memories.

Sorry to get off topic but there’s not much to tell this morning and it’s always good to hear of something good instead of all the bad news in the paper every day. I’ll finish today some pictures taken by Peter Coyle of the Brisbane Brom Show Pic.1 and 2 show both sides of the main display, Pic.3 is a display by "M & M" (I guess if you are from Queensland you would now who they are), Pic four is a display by Nigel Thompson and Pic 5 is a pic of the whole hall showing the plants sales at the rear.

All the best, Nev.