Wow, Christmas came early for the BBG! Nice varied selection, Bob!

I see some familiar faces, but who's the tubular hot pink guy towards the middle? Can't tell if that's an Aechmea or a Bill.

Nice, Bob!

I'm waiting for a couple big MB boxes tomorrow. We'll have to compare notes.

Must be nice having a budget to play with, eh Bob? Great looking selections!

HDD is wating for my Feb shipment :)

Lisa,if I recall it correctly,the hot-pink tube guy is Bil.amoena var.rubra, or the same,'spineless'var. I'll confirm later on.

philofan,& hdd, we will want to see your photos,of course.

Gonzer,your thought was my thought too,yesterday...I said to Terri,when I saw the $$$ total,"I gotta get me one of those 'budget' thingies". Michael was VERY happy,I'm sure.

Wow, what a haul! Absolutely fabulous group photos, Bob. Lucky you, getting to play with order forms like that. Nice quality and size, Michael's reputation is enhanced yet again. I will be very interested to peruse the final list and see the individual photos. (Gotta work up my own list for Santa, doncha know..)

Hey Bob,
Glad to see some xeric in these great selection.
I guess you don't miss Ortho. burle-marxii :-)

Here are shots of two boxes unpacked. The broms are stretched out on the couch, enjoying the local gardening show.

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Some billbergias...

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Ae. orlandiana "White Knight"

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D. 'Brittle Star' F3

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Ae. chantinii, dwarf form

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Nice neos

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Vr. hybrid

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Not from Michael's, but Tropiflora. Vr. ospinae 'Gruberi', that seems to be real happy in my living room. This has to be one of my favorite bromeliads (but I have a lot of favorites).

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Philofan,thanks for the pics,and so soon too. Another great looking group of healthy plants from Michael. That F3 'Brittle Star' is a beauty,and looks pretty close to the original cross.[I need that!].And your 'Gruberi'is looking good in that nicely lit area.I bought one from Tropiflora about 10 years ago,and it grew so big,that I cut it down into 4 plants,and re-rooted them,and they took. And the original plant sprouted more offsets from just below the stem cut,so I had two more plants from it.Its been one of my favorites too.Great color,easy to care for,nice eye appeal,seems happy no matter where you
put it.
I'm very impressed with Michael's plants, healthy and large,be they rooted or offsets. He and his wife must keep pretty busy in their greenhouses. Between Michael's and Tropiflora,you can't go wrong.
And now the potting up begins for you. Enjoy.
Bob

Thanks Bob.

The 'Gruberi' does not seem to get dry leaf tips, and that room can get dry and hot in the summer. It's definitely a can't-go-wrong plant.

Michael might have some more 'Brittle Star's.

I enjoyed my recent visit to Tropiflora and Michael's on the way to the aroid show in Miami: a trip just for plants, but it was an amazing experience. My first trip to Michael's, yes their place is a bit newer and very well kept in general. Some pretty unique and diverse plants. He's top notch to work with--they're good people. Of course, it goes without saying that the Tropiflora gang is really awesome too, could be like family. The trip just may have been less memorable without seeing these plant people along the way. And I got some really nice heirloom plants out of it.

No potting for me this time....since it's not a sale, but a holiday potluck: they will be given out au naturel--they are so nice they don't have to be wrapped ;-)

Wow...Philofan ! what a nice collection.
Beyond 'Brittle Star' F3 , I noticed you got another nice xeric,
Neoglaziovia vareigata, too.
And what is that tin leaves guy lower the Billbergia group.

Now I'm getting jealous. I need more bromeliads like I need a hole in the head (maybe the two go together), but it sure is fun unpacking a big box of new arrivals! First thing I do is soak them all in tubs of water for about an hour to get them all hydrated and perky again after their journey, but maybe letting them watch TV would do the same thing. ;-)

Bob, I don't think the previously mentioned plant is B. amoena rubra. It appears to have knuckles, and there aren't a lot of species that do that.

Yes, a big collection, and am sad to think I will end up with just one of them! Well, I sure am out of room as it is, so I won't cry too much.

You mean thin leaves? Under the white billbergia? That is a variegated T. cyanea.

You have hawk eyes to pick out all these goodies.

Yes, Lisa, plants are a terrible habit. It's more fun to acquire them than to plant them. Opening big boxes is reliving Christmas as a kid, except I don't have to wait a year, and get to do it more than once. It's even fun opening boxes of other people's presents!

They made me run out for peatza and root beer but they were all asleep on the couch with the TV blaring by the time I got home. Jetlagged. Looks like no bath for them tonight.

Well, at least they don't hog the remote. They'd probably want to watch Spongebob Squarepants all day long.

Philo you gave all but one of those beautiful plants away as gifts?

Yes that remote...hmm I'd better check on that.

HDD, it's for the SF bromeliad society. But good idea, I should have ordered extras for my friends, although I keep them well-supplied throughout the year with pups.

Gosh philo,when I read that you are giving away those fine plants,I stopped breathing ! [gasp!]
I can picture myself as a bromeliad grower,like Michael,and a customer walks in. And I'd probably say,"Hi there,if your here to just look around,thats fine,...but if you were thinking of buying something,I think you had better leave right now"
Not a good business man,but what the heck,I'd have the best nursery and the most plants.;))
Stephania,how did you ever notice the var.cyanea? I barely made it out even when I located it ! But the neoglaziovia I did spot righy away.
And philofan,its PIZZA...another one of my favorites! ;))
And you're sure right about the anticipation and fun of unpacking a box of broms.I've even got my usps maillady interested in them now,from her delivering so many boxes this past summer.Life is good!
Bob

I like pizza too, Bob, but I think that broms do better in peatza, particularly when you give them a shot of root beer. ;-)

Haha, my mailman must often think..."Oh boy, another big box of plants today".

There actually was a person out here who was renowned for having a bromeliad nursery, and one of the best collections out here, but the most people could pry out of this person's hands were one or two bromeliads a visit, assuming this person was in a charitable mood. So yes, this scenario you describe is not fiction, Bob. But call it karmic...when this collection was "dumped" for a reason I won't go into, I and some friends ended up with some of that collection, much of it the dregs by the time we got to it, and in not so great shape. But I did get some nice specimens out of it.

such a shame to be so stingy with plants like that...because if it werent for the few of us that grow them they may one day not exist...the biggest reason I maintain species in my collection..some of these plants original habits no longer exist and some only grew in one place on earth..so I say SHARE!

Philofan....shame on me...I missed that one big time.
'Peatza' and 'Root'beer it is. [thanks for the 'wake-up call',Lisa.] How could I of...Doh !!
Bob ;-(
PS:
And that was an interesting story philo....truth, stranger than fiction this time. [gee,that could have been me!]

Good attitude,hdd.

Hi again,all. I will post a listing of all the plants on Michael's order for the bbg,on a new thread,as this one got a little lengthy. thanks for all of your comments.
Bob