Thanks guys. Rosemarie has never provided an ID either. I think this is a group that not to many specialize in. Most can grow them, who would buy books about them? McHarris, I noted you were here in February, will you return in June? Nice to see friendly faces here, so much in so many places had changed...

Considering how ... uninspiring.... their flowers are (unless one is a big fan of "rat tails"), most folks are just as happy if they don't bloom. As far as "getting their needs down", depends on the type of pep. Some are almost succulent in nature and as such need a freer draining media and to be kept a little drier. Others are almost like a begonia in nature and like to stay damp.

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 :)

Barb...both happy and sad....Happy he is moving forward with his life. Knowing he will go far as long as he stays focused on his studies, and learns to quit being so wasteful. Sad because he is moving on and we will be seeing very little of him in the next 4 years or so. We havent made any new life adventures yet. House needs some TLC. I suppose first we will get used to having a home with just us and the critters and go from there. Chell I used to be a dog and cat groomer. I loved it too. But my employer was a deedeedee. Never had the money to pay me each week and always "owed" me. And she never gave me my tips either.Then at the end of the year she reported more earnings for me than what I had really made.Fortunitly I kept records and proved my case and won, so make sure you don't let the same happen to you. I have kept my clippers, blades and accessories and still will do a neighbors dog or two once in awhile to keep my skills up.....but don't miss the hair stuck in places I did'nt know existed....lol. Love all the pictures the everyone post. Always enjoy seeing ya'lls babies. Regina