Shirley - thanks for the pic! That actually looks pretty great to me! I think if you prune off a few more of the lowest branches so you can see more of the form of the culms that it will be beautiful! Thanks Katkin and Carol for the advice on caladiums. I've had pretty good success with them in other parts of my yard. They multiply like crazy in the summer, and so far the die off rate in winter has been minimal. I did a test caladium in the treefern area last year, and it quadrupled in bulb size and all came back. And those red ones in the front actually are all extras that I pulled out of the area by the bench. I don't seem to have problems with rot in the winter since the soil is so sandy. But I was wondering if winter temperature plays a part too. Since I acquired mine, we have had mild winters. But regardless, these are just the cheap home depot bulbs, so even if I have replace them some years, I agree, they are pretty enough to be worth it.

Tropic I've grown Vandas for many years but generally in the usual ways .Slat baskets ,in the shadehouse with winter protection .The above pic in the palms was bits and pieces of various ones that I moved out there several years ago. They are terete/stap and hybrids as well as some epidendrums Have had terrific growth but not much flowering but they were small pieces and I suspect too much shade but the palms have grown considerably so I think that problem is resolved During cold I cover with a temporary tent made of frost cloth usually when temps fall below 45 have always used tap water on all my plants including the orchids Though a bit hard and alkaline I think it's okay generally the rainfall is enough.. I think this summer I'll see much better results . This winter has been about average low has been 39 and way above normal rainfall in fact too much lol I;m expecting great improvement this summer lol I have catts. epicatts dends, and phals attached to the trees . While they do survive easy to see that they are stressed so the numbers and quality of the flowers is less. My shadehouse is in need of serious repair and feel I'm getting too old for that so decided to try some experiments with the plants . Have always wanted an "epiphyte" garden and caution (good sense} is being replaced with experiments lol Thanks for the pix!!! gary

I realise the last post was a year ago - but what the heck... Just recently half-finished a major renovation of an old house (circa 1934) in Observatory, Johannesburg, and am now starting to get stuck into the landscaping. This is my third garden of sizeable proportions in the area - except that this time I decided to wipe the slate clean. Oh boy. Got the tree fellers in and ripped out all the old fruit trees, a very old Loquot and a couple of Australian Black Wattles (fiendish water thirsty weeds - good riddance) Anyhow - the terrain is terraced (located on the south side of the koppie) - but not too steep - so the ground is pretty well drained. Soil needs a lot of conditioning as it is mostly shale. Right now I've levelled the terrace closest to the house and in so doing got rid of most of the kikuyu lawn - easier said than done - noxious beast!!!! The big plan is to plant up an entire Highveld-like Savannah. But with a formal twist! And so to that end I've planted 9 Combretum Erythrophyllum trees like little soldiers and underplanted these with Sanseverias, asparagus, aloes (on the north side of the trees) - A. Chaubaudii/A. Forsteri + stunning new A. hybrids, Helichrysum Petiolare, Dierama Pendula, Grass aloes, crassulas, and GRASSES - oh several varieties - I cannot remember them all. One thing we in Johannesburg see a lot of is grasses - and I think that's why we don't pay too much attention. Pity we cannot buy most of these stunning varieties in the nurseries - but right now with the move towards indigenous landscaping, I feel it's about to change. Some of the large estate developments are showing the way with stunning results. Anyway - I'm grass hunting this Saturday, I've got access to a few lots past Fourways where I'll be digging up those yummy specimens for relocation to my backyard...... Piet Oudolf, eat your heart out!!!! Ha, I even rescued some beautiful grasses (it's now winter - so dried out and dormant!) off the top of a compost heap at my favourite indigenous nursery (with their permission of course) - yep - I think I'm totally hooked on grass. ha ha ha. Oh, and in-between the savannah I'm planning gravel footpaths and formal squares of different hedges, each at differing heights, to tame the wild and stand as silent sentinels of the bushveld. The real reason they're there is to pander to my obsession with pruning things - I figured it was better than punching walls - so I cut things. It keeps me calm. And the shrink agrees. On order is two large Aloe bainsii and 10 Cussonias to guard the pool. And more grasses.

Hi I have the same experience with mine. Starts off doing great then will start to brown,New fronds are weak and undeveloped. I move it to the outdoor terrarium and it's growing like gangbusters lol. Haven't been able to figure out the difference between the two locations particullarly in winter. Of course the indoor one has artificial light whlle the outdoor one has only natural light. But there are 3 layers of epi's above it not to mention the lattice on the roof and is completely shaded from 10 on during winter. To my mind it should be doing just the opposite.lol I also grow maidenhairs in tree-fern fiber along with Cattleya orchids suspended from the roof. No matter what I do they will go dormant during winter.No matter what temps or humidity I maintain. Come spring they start growing again.lol. I was so sure that they would grow well in the indoor terrarium where everything is so controlled. Gary