Wow! We ARE having fun!!!

Devo, very nice alcantaeras! A couple of questions please. Your Fosperior Perfection, what kind of light do they get to get that nice, intense colour? I think I tried to give mine too much light - even some direct sun, and the colour seems bleached out. Do you also have Kahala Dawn? Does that need similar light conditions?

Your neo hybrids - There are 2 nice large plants centre, front, dark burgundy-ish with spots. Would you care to divulge their make-up or is it still a secret? Very nice!

Kerry, I love your pauciflora! What is the large, dark plant in front of it (just some tips visible)? And your tree is stunning! I have started one - also an Australian tree, melaleuca liniariifolia, but mostly aechmea's in there. What little pink/burgundy plant sits in front of the blanchetiana on the left in the first tree picture? Your neo pascoaliana is stunning! How long did it take to get to that size?

Jaga, your Nova is impressive!

Neonut, beautiful pictures! My Dream, is it just your dream? I do not see it on FCBS - just My Dreams, and that looks different. I'd love to know who are the parents.

All pictures are wonderful, thanks every one, I am glad I stirred the hornets' nest! But I am sure there's more to come, bring them on!!!

And Stephania, this 'show' is not going to be complete without a couple of show stopper spinies from you!

Jaga's Gigantea is the same as mine but bigger. You convinced me. So it looks like the leafs look thicker than those on my Hieroglypica that has leafs like Fenestralis right?

Kerry that kautsky is red like it should be. Any tips for Japie and me to get it that way? Especialy love that Pauciflora's and all the oter broms you guys showed.

Dig in everyone
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Not off topic, is see brom parts :-)

Sander

Guys,

I'm late....very late indeed!!!

Japie, actually I was thinking of the same thing as you are. We can have fun with the...oooh! an....aaah! virtually. :-))
How long are you planning to have this running??

Jaga, Your Alcs are stunning and so are your fancy leaves Vrs. So is for your plants, Kerry. Sanders.....I like your miniature Neos. So is your dyeriana

Hanwc, your plants have improved......

Gonzer and Stephania.....where are you guys???

Now, some of mine and enjoy my eye candy!!!

Neo. Linda Cathcart

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Neo. Lorena

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Neo. Reverse Morado

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Neo. First Prize Variegata

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Neo. Cereze Albomarginata

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Neo. Maria Veronica

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Neo. Treasure Chest
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Neo. Yang

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Neo. Pink Sensation

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Neo. Unknown. Do appreciate if you guys know what is this.

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Guz. sanguinea tricolor

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Vr. Pahoa Beauty F2
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Vr. Hawaiian Sunset X fenestralis

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Vr. fenestralis

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T. Amigo

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T. seleriana X vincentina

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T. streptophylla X caput medusae
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T. xerographica

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Ok you win Atm, you have convinced us its time to move to M'sia- stuff our careers & the beaches!!. Have to say these are some of the best we have seen, magnifico!! cant say much more, will be visiting when next in M'sia Love the Lorena, has at least 3 more layers of leaves than we can achieve, what a difference the climate makes. Ok now that we have recovered slightly we need that F2 where did it come from ? The Pahoa Beauty is a large plant so is going to be spectacular, what conditions do you have it grown in to get good leaf colour without the stressed looking leafs that seem to occur in high temps with Vriesea's
Nice pics as well neonut- like that n. magenta. Just had a salmon pizza home made by Agatha tonite, thanks Sander s. Maybe you better pack up & move to M'sia as well- no more having to shift your plants inside!
Looks like we have to up the ante brom wise!! What else is out there!

Wow! What a wonderful feast for the eye (and belly - thanks Sander :)). But my pizza was a bit cold by the time I got it. Thanks for all the compliments as well.
ATM - your photos and plants are absolutely fantastic - congratulations! I also particularly fancy that Vr. Pahoe Beauty f2. And those tillandsias in tree all look so healthy, your neos are huge and perfect, all very beautiful. Well done!
SANDER - re Neo. kautskyi. Half day to full day FULL sun brings out the red, and the background yellow. I never feed it either. Hope this helps.
AVANE (Japie?) - you are very observant and astute in identification. I am impressed. The large dark plant below the candelabra of paucifloras is Hohenbergia rosea - a magnificent plant. Here are some photos of it in flower. The red colouring on leaves is better in the summer months with brighter light. It grows over 1.5 metres wide (about 5 feet) and the inflorescence looks good for about 4 months.
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The pink/burgundy brom below Ae. blanchetiana on left of 1st tree photo is a clump of Neo. Fireball variegated. Or do you mean the pair of blanchetianas on right of tree? If so, on a branch below and in front is an unnamed billbergia, then to the right an Ae. nudicaulis cv. Tiger, and then further to the right an Ae. nudicaulis cv. Xavante.
Re Neo. pascoaliana - very good to i.d. that correctly! Here is a close-up of that clump taken in April this year, after first tying a pup up there about 6 years ago. I have cut off the old mum. I find it a fairly boring neo when viewed from above, but wanted to show off its great banding on the underside. When the light shines through it, it has the effect of stained glass.
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JAGA - I LOVE your Vr. gigantea var. seideliana. So much white and delicate patterning - spectacular, and the nicest one I've seen.

DEVO - glad you are inspired. I grow many of my brom collection in live trees, trying to replicate their growth in their natural habitat. And it adds a third dimension to the garden, - like aerial sculpture - and it's also good if you run out of ground space in the garden. Good luck and enjoy :)

NEONUT - Do you find the Freeman hybrids you've grown compare well with the same colouring of Keith's photos?

Hi All, The photos are absolutely stunning!! It is truly a Extravananza!!. I am here in sunny Florida awaiting the opening of the Bromeliad Extravangza so I can get some of those beautiful bromeliads for sale and meet some of my gardenweb friends .
PS. Wish you all were here
Cheers
Bradisha

Hope all of you don't mind.....or think of me as a party crasher...but,I'm enjoying every bit of it. :o)

It just gets better and better I am really enjoying the beaut photos in this thread.

Japie, you are to blame if this thread grows too large and explodes although it could have been worse if our USA friends weren't otherwise occupied.
To answer your question about 'My Dream'. Sorry typo error should have been 'My Dreams'. As you say doesn't look anything like the one on the Florida site. I must say that I am not confident that mine is named correctly as I found the source for this one was a bit unreliable with names. Nice plant anyway and as it is still immature still could turn out to be correct.

Loved those monsters from NZ, no I don't mean Jaga and Devo, but their magnificent alcantareas. Jaga has a real tropical look to his garden and those hybrids of Devo look really, really promising.

Sander, I have nothing but admiration for those of you who successfully grow broms in a colder climate. We are just so lucky with our warmer climate in most parts of Australia. As Kerry said for Kautski to colour properly ,plenty of sun is the main ingredient. I had one something like yours until I moved it to a sunnier position. The change over a few months was amazing.

Hanwc and Atm, Malaysians certainly know how to produce top class broms.I am impressed with the size and colours you have achieved. Some of your neos have more leaves than I normally see on any of mine.

Kerry, if you climb down from that wonderful tree of yours I will endeavour to answer your question.
Most times I find that the colours that I achieve don't match those in the photos. In some cases I doubt if they are the same plant. But I must say that I am rarely disappointed with the plants in the long run. They suit me just fine.

Thanks Kerry, that hohenbergia is spectacular! And yes, I was talking about the pinkish plant in front of the left side blanchetiana of the two on the right. So that would be the unnamed billbergia. That pascoaliana clump is Wow!!!

Japie

Thank you guys for your compliments.

Most of my Neos shown here are 2 to 3 years old plant. My guess is that due to constant temperature and no prolong daylight and short night time as natural inducer for it to flower. That is why I'm 'blessed' to enjoy all those spiralling effect.

The colors are a bit off as when the photos were taken as I'm experiencing wet weather right now. Most of my Neos are shaded by trees and my Tillandsias.

Jaga, I got it from Michael last year. It was only 8" across then. Now it has doubled it's size. I isolate it from others as I find it doesn't like crowded areas. A loner I think! It gets an afternoon sun for 2 hours ( I know. I know......not advisable) but it looks happy with this condition :-)
Your Alcs. are equally stunning too.

Devo, I'm stunned with all your giants. They look gorgeous!

Sanders, you have plenty of dyeriana and........I miss your pizza. :-))

This extravaganza really has been a feast for the eyes, complete with pizza...thanks Sander. Great photos everyone...!

Japie, to answer your questions... I do not have Kahala Dawn, but this area where I grow my Fosperior Perfection's receives a few hours of direct sun in the morning. They are growing under an Australian frangipani, so are in shade from about 11am on.

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The 2 hybrids you mentioned both came from the same batch. It was a concentrica x Dr Oeser hybrid (similar to Royal Burgundy) cross. These two are 4 years from seed, & still do not look like they will flower this season, they were the only couple that were nice out of a batch of some 200. We had a little rain overnight, hence the extra gloss.

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I like the bright red plant towards the back, it is a cross using one of my favorite reds, Bobby Dazzler, and was crossed with johannis. The plant is only 2 years from seed, and is showing nice bright red, with gold spotting, & will hopefully develop into a large plant.

Thanks, Devo. The red plant is very nice but maybe I have too many sort of similar ones to make me really excited, but I fancy it's nabour on the left more - the green one. Those dark, curled leave tips and the black spines really make a statement for me!

Japie

Japie, we noted that there were 85 follow ups in the other extravaganza posts, although mostly about pizzas & rum- shall we try & beat that! To stir things up further the following pics
1) for atm- picture of our N Lorena for you to compare- you can see why we were soo impressed with yours
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2) for all in colder climates & south facing sites like ours- it's ok we can still get good neos, just have to be really committed. BTW Sanders S how cold does it get for you in winter. The plants below have been in a cheap make shift, & hopefully temporary plastic house for winter to keep the color
pic of plastc house
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Neo Dr Oeser Varigata
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Another shot
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Neo Enchantment Varigata
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A pretty one called Neo Exotica Red Lace
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Neo Peimento
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And some Vrieseas for Kerry , - by the way we are now checking out all our trees- we are definitely going to mount our pascoaliana
Vriesea Nova x Red Chestnut (still small)
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Vriesea Hybrid
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A very young but lovely V. Midori
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The fiery V Pacific Amber
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BTW Kerry that gigantea var siedeliana you like just stays in that sheltered & quite shaded spot all year round- it doesn't seem to mind the cold but in high light goes purplish & stressed - we had 2 others that flowered prematurely because we had them in a sunnier spot.

Ooooh, Jaga, thanks so much for those outstanding foliage vriesea photos! They are all beautiful, but my pick is the Pacific Amber - fiery indeed. I'm highly jealous of all those beautiful N.Z. hybrids by Andrew Malloy - like the Tasman series and Kiwi series. Is the Pacific series also by him? They are almost impossible to get here in Australia, unless you are a millionaire. In time, I hope they become more available. However, we do have some very special foliage vriesea hybrids created by Jack Koning of Port Macquarie, N.S.W. They are very broadleaved with rounded tips, and Jack flowers them when they are still relatively small - by choice, and as a way to continue cross-hybridising.
Here are a few photos of Vriesea 'Milky Way' - one of my favourites of Jack's.
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An earlier hybrid of Jack's (and parent of many more crossed hybrids)- Vriesea 'White Bands'
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He has many more outstanding hybrids, of which I will share some more, with Jack's permission.

Jaga, your temporary winter 'glass' house gives me some ideas to protect some of my broms next winter. Thanks. And interesting about the change of colour in the Nova when stressed by bright light. I actually quite like that stressed purple colour as well. Am looking forward to seeing future photos of epiphytic pascoalianas - needs strong light to achieve those colours.

Here are a few more trees in my garden - again, before the recent black frost....... :(

a plum tree
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Aust. rainforest trees and melaleucas (rough and paperbarks)
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a bauhinia tree
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another section of the same bauhinia - large flowering brom - Tillandsia deppeana.
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a tibouchina tree
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callistemon
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Tillandsia somnians in a Sandra Gordon grevillea tree.
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Neonut - I agree that although all Freeman hybrids are nice broms, they rarely look the same as registered photos - and there are so many of them! I love the ones with the white centres best - like Madam President. Where do you live? Do I know you?

Keep them coming all!

Cheers, Kerry.

Kerry, thanks for your photos. We are very lucky with vriseas here cos Andrew Maloy makes them in mass so they are very reasonably priced (NZ $25 - $45 for big plants) Yes the Pacific series is his as well, they are fosteriana crosses which grow large & tough. There's a lot more in the series, alas none are registered- may show them later once they color up.
Your garden is fantastic - a couple of questions, on that bauhini tree, is that an achmea orlandia on the left & what is that varigated aechmea?? on the right? That one is striking. Most of our property is in native forest & we intend to plant out the whole lot like what you've shown, as far as the ladder will reach! Thanks for the ideas.

Thanks Jaga.
I look forward to seeing the development of your epiphytic endeavours. Judicious pruning of some branches is sometimes necessary to get the effect you desire - to show the broms in their glory. One of the things I like about growing them in trees, is that the whole shape of the broms can be seen unimpeded, different to being potted and placed amongst other potted broms. Rough-barked trees are best for the roots to fasten onto. Don't use trees that lose their bark, or you'll lose the broms as well - exceptions are some pines and paperbarks, which work well for me.
Yes, I spend a fair bit of time up ladders - and for a few years there I would receive an upgraded and taller ladder as Mother's Day and birthday presents! Be aware that broms grown this way are usually more compact and slower growing than in pots.
To answer your question - the brom on left of bauhinia 1 pic is Aechmea 'Bert' (parents orlandiana and fosteriana). The one on right of same photo is Aechmea 'Friederike' variegated (spineless version of 'Fascini'). I think there has been previous discussion of this brom on the garden web? It is slow growing, but lovely in its development, with a very long flowering period. Brighter light enhances pink tones to the leaves. Here are a couple of photos of it flowering. Enjoy.

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So we have had a good extravaganza of our own while others are at the Florida extravaganza. Looking forward to seeing pics of their precious new purchases.

Cheers,
Kerry

This has been so beautiful...I can hardly wait for the others to post pictures of their new plants also...I don't talk much in here...but,I sure like to look..

Thanks for the tips on Kautsky I'll try to bake it next summer.

To answer Jaga's question.
My broms are indoors from october to april. Then we can have a few degrees below 0 at night. Most years we have a couple of weeks in the january to march period when it can realy freeze. We have had -10C one night a few years ago.

So this will happen:
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I have treeferns that I cover up and heat with christmas lights under the plastic. I know they can handle some frost but then the leafs all die. This way I can keep the leafs so we can start spring with nice big ferns.

And the show must go on! Jaga, I do not know if we going to match the 85, but our's is at least more colourful! So here are some small ones!

Neo Wild Tiger
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Neo Popoki
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Neo Domino & Pheasant
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Neo Strawberry Cup
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Neo Pepper
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Neo lilliputiana x Fireball
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Neo Golden Grace
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Neo gavionensis
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Neo eltoniana
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Neo (lilliputiana x Fireball) x eltoniana
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Neo (carolinae x Painted Lady( x (lilliputiana x Fireball)
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Neo olens Vulcan x cruenta, Zoe, Eoz, Golden Chalice
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I know she is also in Florida, but posting such a lot of pictures, I just have to share this one with her!

Neo chlorosticta Best clone. This one comes from Tropiflora, Lisa, there is still a picture and a discription of it in one of the later Cargo Reports:
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36
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ATM if your unknown was'nt ID'd above..its N. cathcartii species Neo

38 don't think we can make 85.
I like your small ones Japie.

Here's my smallest one.

Neo lilliputiana, got it from Germany a while ago.
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I'll try and cross it with fireball sometime, the one you have is very nice.

Sander

This has been a terrific extravaganza- should be a yearly event. We've learned heaps from the posts & it was a visual feast.
Love the minatures Japie, we are going to need heaps of those for our wall & our trees. Sanders, full kudos to you for being able to grow broms in such conditions- I think you win the commitment prize in the GW! If you get an alcantarea make sure you put it on wheels so you can roll it in during those cold days.

Boy cannot leave you guys alone for one minute. Look at all of you showing off. LOL

Great pictures everyone has shown here and have to say you have almost put the show to shame!!!

It was a wonderful show, only wish everyone from the forum could have attended. So nice meeting everyone and sharing stories about who's is bigger and better. LOL

Congrats on your At Home Extavaganza. All this beauty makes me feel I'm still in Florida!

WE MISSED ALL OF YOU! [:~)

Hi Kerry,
I live in Brisbane. No, you don't know me. I keep a pretty low profile except when annoying people on this forum. I have only been into broms for less than 3 years and only obsessed for the last year.

Japie, love those minis.

Nice Pictures. I did go to the extravaganza and got this Magali. I put it inside and hit it with a spot light and it glows! It won't be spending a lot of time inside, but once in a while I'll bring it in and torture it.

http://www.bocabromeliads.com/Nick/Neoregelia/Images/20070930_5072.jpg

Sorry, trying to figure out how to post an image inline:
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nice winterlager..if you have Michi it looks good with the lights threw it also :)

Some more pictures to join the extravanganza!

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and some mini Neos....

Varoius ampullacea

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Neo Annick

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Group of fireball hybrids

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Recent additions:- From right to left, pauciflora, punctatissima, ampullacea purpuria, & Alley Cat.

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And, one for Japie, our Extravaganza host... Zoe.

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Hanwc, yours & atm posts have kept us awake at night wondering how to keep our plants from premature flowering so we can get a multi layered plant. What's the name of the varigated neos 5 pics down.
Any ideas Devo, on flowering prevention, your hybrids look like they could have many layers of leaves. John needs to learn how to hybridise neos, thinking of crossing Royal Hawaiian onto Paula to get multi leafed varigate. What do you think ?- got to make a plant that suits NZ conditions that's up to standard of Hanwc & Atm? Your minatures look great, we have lots on our walls - we feel a local garden visit coming on! We may take some pics of our minatures when the weather settles down.

I agree, photos of those multi layered Neo's always get me saying..."why can I not grow plants like that"...

I did post a topic on this forum a month or so ago asking if there was a way to stop Neo's from flowering...Michael suggested I move to the tropics, and he has a point. Our cold winters, followed by warm spring weather, and longer days, seems to trigger Neo's into flowering before they reach their true potential.

This is a little off this thread, but John & Agatha, I think we can get there.... not with every Neo, but some. And Royal Hawaiian is on top of the list for achieving that mutli layered form, in our temperate climate....a variegated form would be mouth watering.

So, why does RH perform so well & others do not, is it genetic...?

This plant is one of my hyrids from the concentrica x Dr Oeser cross...it has had no special treatment, but has developed nice multi layered form, much better then either parent, unfortunately the colour is not great so it will just be an interesting plant to grow to maturity... I might even keep it just to see if it produces pups that develop this form.

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Devo, now that one is more up my alley! That Bobby Dazzler x johannis of yours wil be a great landscaping plant, but I do like the colours on ths one. And being darker, would not like so much sun and exposure as your 'Johnny Dazzler'(?) And I do like the 'stacked' effect of the leaves. Wish I was closer then you could have tossed it my way! It does have similarities with Sun Valley (parents unknown) and my SV is also on it's way to give me a lot of leaves!

Japie

Hi Jaga,

The variegated neoregelia that you asked is N. Goodee for Grace.

I hope that once a day my vriesea collection will be like yours.

Jaga and Devo, how about us swapping location?? ;-) Frankly I'm a bit tired of seeing all those leaves. Some even can form a stem as long as 300mm high leaving an unsightly bottom. I have to trim it off and replanting them back. Feel lucky for my Reverse Morado as it flowered at the right time.

Japie, thanks foryour photos.....Just mamaged to identified few of my unknown. Will get them up ASAP. Devo, your ampullacea are too cute.

Hdd, thanks for your id. I find it doesn't have much character except for some pink painted ends. That's all.
Thinking of tossing it away.
But I like the multi layered leaves form!

Kerry, your brom tree are amazing. I'm a bit worried for your tree though. Could it withstand all those plants weight especially in the raining season? Nevertheless, they are beautiful. Mine was laden with plenty of Tillandsias and a mixture of few miniature Neos. and Aechmeas.

Devo, love those ampullacea's.

After a summer of wet feet and not enough sun this is my ampullacea gone wrong. I post it anyway so we can all learn.

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I've had it for three years it flowers each year and is a decent pupper. It has always had that ugly form though. Next year I'll put in better mix and cut a few pups and mount em so they can bake.

Maybe I should not keep this one in a pot over here...

Sander

Being hunting for minatures in the garden between lightning strikes & catching up on work - here's some we manage to photograph. BTW, apologies for size of our pics,we realised we might be slowing things down. We'll try to make it more internet friendly from now on :>
Sanders, our plant of shame ,n. olens x, although we have hope for it still(got burned etc)
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N. Queen of Spots
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N. Grenada
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N. Punctuate Red
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N. Small World
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and N. polka Dot
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Nice minis Jaga. They grow really well in trees, eventually forming candelabra-like clumps.

Neonut - as you wish, you shall remain anonymous.....but I will be checking out any suspicious, obsessed neo person at Brisbane brom shows.

ATM - Thanks for the compliments. No need to worry about my trees. I occasionally lose a branch in a storm. Most of the trees I grow broms in have thick strong branches, and some others have flexible branches which bend down when very wet, then spring back when dryer. Admittedly, my favourite callistemon has become wider as the once diagonal branches, now laden with broms, are more horizontal. Some broms I remember tying to a high outer branch while on the 2nd-top rung of my 6' ladder, several years ago, are now at eye-level! The trees have had broms in them for about 10 years now - and they are doing O.K. so far.
One genus of broms I don't often see used epiphytically is vrieseas - and yet I find them one of the best for trees. They root really well to the bare trunk, both green-leaved varieties and fancy foliage ones - especially if it has platynema in it. Evergreen trees are ideal for the shade-loving ones. I even grow hieroglyphica in trees.

Anyone else tried mounting vrieseas? (in trees or on wood?)

Kerry, yes we are propogating + collecting mini's for that very purpose. For Neo's we just put a couple of steel nails through them and they root up fine, but havent been game to nail on Vrieseas, we have wired them on with spagnum moss around the base, all held in place with some plastic mesh. What's your fixing methods ?? We have tried several platynema hybrids + some Andrew Maloy's hybrids. all Ok so far. Will try a Hieroglyphica. There are a lot of the specie Vrieseas that come from that very habitat in South America and we are trying to recreate that rich lush dense jungle look. We have a long way to go and need lots of plants but may post some progress images soon.

Kerry, Jaga, do you usually mount a mature brom or you start from pup?

Here is my mini neoregelia camorimiana hybrid

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Hello everyone on the other side of the globe.
Just jumping in to say that your On Line Extravaganza is a Huge success! Can't say enough,or add much new to whats already been said. A Big Thank You for treating us to an real visual show. The Ft.Lauderdale show was excellent too,but your variety and impressive size of well grown colorful plants would win first prize.
You all sure know how to "grow 'em and show 'em".
[anyone over there got some 'spinies'?]
Thanks,
Bob

Hi all - yes, although it takes forever to load, our online extravaganza is certainly a visual splendour! Congrats to all involved.

Jaga - I knew that question was coming -about attaching the larger broms to trees. Friends of mine also use large staples over the stolon to attach, with great success. Older brom growers tell me to use old stockings/pantyhose, but I have found more updated material better. Stockings are generally used very heavy-handedly, wrapped around and around the base of plant and tree branch - and then overtime it bleaches whitish, and to my eye, becomes an eyesore. I prefer to make the attaching material as non-obvious as possible, trying to create a more natural effect.
After much trial and error, I have found the use of a stretchy fabric called "ribbing" suits my needs best. It is similar to "lycra", and comes in different colours. I buy mine at an outlet called "Spotlight" - something similar in N.Z.? It comes in a circular metre, and one metre at approx. AU$10 will tie over a hundred broms - certainly cheaper than potting mix. I usually get the dark brown ribbing, as this colour blends best with most of the branches of my trees. Sometimes I use a lighter grey, for paler bark. Over time, the tie either wears away, or becomes covered by brom roots. By then the brom is usually self-supported, and subsequent pups root along the branch by themselves, or the original plant on branch supports the stoloniferous types in mid-air.
With good quality dressmakers scissors, I cut long strips of ribbing, about 2 -3 cm wide (1 inch), on the stretch warp. When this is stretched, it becomes narrower. The stretchiness gives a tighter tension for a firm hold. I do not use sphagnum moss, or anything else between the brom and the branch. The reason for this is so that when the roots grow, they attach immediately to the host branch/trunk, securing the brom a.s.a.p. Sometimes, the brom can still fall out of tree in strong wind, and although it may have formed roots, it is not directly attached to the tree, and the whole base comes off. The stoloniferous broms are the easiest to attach, and I simply wind the ribbing around the stolon and branch, usually in a crossed formation, and tie firmly with a simple 'reef' knot (right over left and under, left over right and under). If the tie is too obvious, I disguise it with a bit of 'old man's beard'. Attaching non-stoloniferous broms is harder to describe. Often the brom, when removed from its pot, already has an established root system with chunks of bark still attached. I use this extra matter as a base for tying, attaching and winding the ribbing over all sides of the mix and branch. If the branch/trunk is a vertical one, and the brom has many leaves already - eg. an established vriesea - then I usually need to thread the tie between the lower or middle layer of leaves, easily disguised, and tie to the trunk a bit higher than the base, as well as tied at the base. This keeps the brom more upright and supported, and relieves pressure from the base tie - make sense??? It really depends on what you are attaching, and common sense dictates the best way to do it. Another thing - most people think that the 'branch crotches' are best to use - yes they are good, especially for attaching an established brom - but I like the effect of the brom free-standing along the branch, so the form can be viewed unimpeded.

Hanwc - I use both pups and established broms in trees. Broms like Ae. blanchetiana are too big and heavy if over half-grown. Up a ladder with only me, a large brom and my two hands, I usually hold the tie/ties in my teeth (!), and often have to use my head to support the brom while I tie it on!

Hope this info is of help/interest.

Cheers,
Tarzan - oops, I mean Kerry :)

Kerry, you are right the thread is quite slow now, too many great pics. Many thanks for that valuable info, will check our spotlight store, here's 1 last image from us to show you the trees we have to cover, thinking of hiring some monkies!! The image also shows a house under construction that Im supposed to be working on now.

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Can't resist this one last image. As Mike has posted the Florida display thought we'll chime in with ours- hope no one minds we've taken the liberty of clips from your pics for this online event only!
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Thank you very much ALL OF YOU, for playing along with my crazy thought!!! This was very entertaining - and good learning!

Japie

Indeed it is. Thank you to you too Japie for your initiation to push this through. A real feast to my eyes and good experience too.

As above, I agree. Thanks to all. And thanks for the composite summing-up image, Jaga.

Kerry

Same time next year!
Shame we can't have a sale.

Sander

Loading this page almost made my computer crash but it was SO worth it! LOL

Kerry, your trees are phenomenal! *picks jaw up off the floor*