All I can say is I hope I get some verbena bonariensis seeds in our swap this year! I have been wanting to try that one for a while and if it attracts golden finches it adds up to its interest. I have lots of birds in the garden, but apparently less in Summer than at other seasons. I wonder why? Could it be because many migrate North during our hot Summer months? Swallows do come her for Summer though. Once we see them, we know Spring has arrived for sure and Summer will follow soon. I need to cut back some overgrown plants but I need to do it carefully since I'm finding nests around different plants in the garden as I go. The latest I found was in the quince tree! I didn't realize there was a nest there until quite recently. However, all my nests seem to be empty now. Is this normal? I've noticed the major attraction for birds in my garden is the pyracantha hedge. In Winter, when it is at its best, the birds flock there and feast at a time when not much is available in terms of food. They strip the hedge completely of its berries during January and February, our coldest months. At times the hedge seems to be alive with so many birds in it. Eduarda

AMEN SISTER! I have been on both sides of this and when the parent teaches the kid to be nasty, GUESS WHAT, they end up nasty kids to everyone, that no one whats to be around. Saddest for the kids really. My husbands ex did this to her kids, had them make false allegations against us, told them that I was the reason the marriage broke up because dad was having an affair with me (when she was the one having an affair), etc... GUESS WHAT? They moved 1,000 miles away and kids are now making accusation of abuse against the mother and step-father, the oldest has been arrested for assault against the mother, put on probation, had an abortion by 16, has one year of HS at 18 years of age, mother tried to have her committed with us paying for it, then when that didn't work she tried to have her sent to prison, etc, etc, etc.... NICE and it's all about the $$$ with her too. Don't worry, keep taking the high road, because it will come back to bite them. Don't be part of it. Too bad you had to let it ruin your marriage though.

I worry all the time - sometimes to the point that I am reduced to tears. I wish that I could adopt the philosophy that worrying is pointless and it doesn't change a thing - this is so true, but it is not in my nature to be like this and so I worry - all the time. Not only are my kids are worry, it's my parents too. They moved into an aged care facility a few months ago after being ill - Mum loves it there, but Dad doesn't and so there is a lot of friction between them. It costs such a lot of money to get into these places and Dad has been worried about their financial standing, but their house sold at auction last Saturday for a reasonably good price, so hopefully he will settle down now. I don't worry so much about my eldest son - Matthew is 35, has a lovely wife and great marriage and he is a self-employed electrician and doing well at the moment. My concerns with him and Susan are with their general well-being and safety. My other son, Craig, is 22 and he is like chalk and cheese to Matt. Craig has moved back home with us and since we moved to Maitland, he has had trouble finding work and doesn't have many friends here. So I am continually worrying about him and his future - it really does concern me. I would just like to see him settled and happy. Anyway, what will be, will be!!!

Hi everyone. dwarfanelf52 - What Dave says is exactly correct, but what I'll try to do is try to explain it in more specific detail based on what I have observed from my own plants here in the temperate region of the south east coast of Australia. The most important part of cultivating any plant is correct watering; this is a proven fact. To successfully meet the watering requirements of bromeliads, you need to understand how they grow in habitat and how to provide similar conditions with the plants we grow at home. Most of the commonly grown bromeliads in their natural state are "epiphytes" (a plant that grows on another plant although not a parasite) Plants that grow in this manner have their roots continually exposed to abundant circulating air and even if they get saturated by rain, the roots won't stay wet for long as they dry shortly after due to this circulating air. Likewise, this is what you need to emulate in culture. In their natural environment, the primary role of the roots is to anchor the plant to the host, and although the roots do absorb some moisture and nutrients, most of this is absorbed through the foliage. With plants growing in pots, the only way to copy this is, to grow them in a porous, open and well draining potting mix where the majority of the water can quickly run through and drain away freely each time they are watered (no matter how heavily); thus preventing the roots from remaining continually wet. The foliage of these epiphytic type bromeliads is designed to capture and hold water in a central tank or vase, made by the lower part of the leaves, and should always contain a reserve of water at a level determined by the plant (Shaded area). When the plant is watered overhead initially, this tank will "over fill" to the horizontal line shown on the diagram below and the water excess will drain away through the leaves and onto the potting mix below and finally through to the roots. The remaining water will be at a level as shown by the shaded area. There should always be a supply kept in reserve within this central tank and no matter how much water is supplied the remaining level will be determined by the individual plant as seen in this diagram of a Neoregelia plant. You also need to remember, that more plants are lost due to over-watering than under-watering. This is usually due to two main causes: firstly, the potting mix is too dense and doesn't drain freely and secondly, (and this mainly applies to plants grown indoors) where the potting mix becomes waterlogged due to the pot sitting continually in a saucer. In this case the saucer captures the water as it drains from the plant during watering and then it is continually drawn up into the mix by capillary action (The ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity) which results in a continually "water-logged" potting mix. Even though the surface of the potting mix will appear dry, if you were to tip the plant out of the pot you would find the deeper potting mix will still be damp and retains that healthy earthy smell which indicates that all is well. If in doubt whether or not a plant requires watering, be guided by the old Australian nurseryman's guide which says, " If you aren't sure that a plant needs watering, refrain from watering for another day or two rather than over-water" All the best, Nev.