Just as well you found that caterpillar, Nick, before it did more damage. Do you enjoy your Sharry Baby? I have heard mixed reviews here, although most people seem to like them. I was tempted by one at the Orchid Auction this year, and there will undoubtedly be some at the next one. It was cold and windy here too, Sue, but no snow, thank goodness. The upside down hangers are wonderful for tomatoes, and we have bought more for next year. What we need for orchids is something with a tilt on it, to tip out any excess water. We could patent it! Judy, I wonder just how many orchid stories there are out there, waiting to be made into a collection. Those stories could give you nightmares if you had any orchids with long tendrils... I liked the idea of music to view orchids by, but I think I'd choose something a bit more classical. June

Gayle, the room with the plants is not screened, just has the southern side full of windows and a patio door . . . which leads to that screened-in area on the left side. The screened room runs the full length of the pool and has furniture and my gas grill, and a soft swing that's perfect for sipping margaritas . . . when it's a LOT warmer :) Clare, the orange flower is a lily, and doesn't have a big bulb like the amaryllis - but it's weird! It grows new little tiny bulbs off the main bulb, which I just break off and stick in dirt and they grow into these beautiful flowers! I've given away hundreds of them . . . can hardly keep up with them. The sun's out here now too, Connie . . . my computer's in this 'flower room' and it's downright hot! I've got a shipment of canna bulbs coming next month . . . hope it warms up soon so I don't have to keep them all in here until June!

OH I just LOVE this!! I am not usually a drak grout person but it is just perfect on your mirror. The colored mirrors on the edges are stunning. I especially like the silver paint on the very edge. Makes a nice finish. I think on the diagional for hanging. Very nice. Chris

Hi everyone. Maria Elena – Firstly let me tell you about your Aechmea gamosepala; this is one of the many bromeliad species (as they come from the wild). It is an easy to grow plant but if not contained in a pot can become quite invasive. It’s hard to say which of the plants in your pictures is a gamosepala without seeing a flower, but it would be one of the green leafed plants in picture 1, 3, 4 or 5. See pictures below: This what the flowers of Ae. gamosepala look like.......... .........and this is how they can become invasive when not in a pot. Red Torch is the common name usually given to Billbergia pyramidalis because of its beautiful red torch shaped inflorescence. It too is hard to positively identify without seeing the flower, but it is definitely one of the plain green leafed ones in your plant collection and has a much wider leaf than Ae. gamosepala. Billbergia pyramidalis Here in Australia it is often grown in the garden and will quickly make up into a nice clump which becomes a blaze of red when it flowers. Unfortunately, like most Billbergias, the flowers are short lived. The other problem it has is that it can be a bit tender if grown in cold conditions which will mark the foliage. Although there are many spotted types of Billbergias you are probably correct in saying the plant with the spotted foliage is Billbergia ‘Fantasia’. It is a beautiful plant and you will find that when it flowers there is a magnificent contrast of colours with the red flowers against the spotted green and white background. See: http://registry.bsi.org/?genus=BILLBERGIA&id=830#830 You say, “I got into bromeliads 'by mistake' through working with air plants and dyckias”. The thing is that air plants (Tillandsias) and dyckias are bromeliads as well. Because Tillandsias have had the common title of “air plants” due to their growth habit and dyckias more resemble succulents in their growth habit, it's often not realised they are bromeliads as well. You mention your desire to own one of the black coloured Aechmea chantinii plants – What can I say except “join the club” as I too would love to grow one of these beautiful plants. The big problem I must warn you about though is that they are very cold sensitive; I have tried three times to grow them but each time winter comes around they mark badly and start to go backwards and eventually die. Consequently I’ve given up on trying to grow them. If you have somewhere you can put them away from the winter cold you shouldn’t have a problem, but just be warned. You say, “I am a little afraid of that last one with the light stripes on the underside of its leaves because the way it connects to its pup is via a very thick and hard whatchamacallit” – Firstly the “whatchamacallit” is known as the “stolon” and your plant could either be an Aechmea or Billbergia and again it’s hard to say until you see the flowers. As for it being invasive, they are nowhere as invasive as other types such as Ae gamosepala and similar plants. Usually these stoloniferous type plants do very well when mounted on a tree or grown in a hanging basket so they can spread out naturally as nature intended. I must apologise as I didn’t set out to “write a book”, but I’ve tried to answer your questions as well as I can and I hope I've been of some help. All the best, Nev.