Hi all. This switch to the new forum actually got some email to me and reminded me of the DG world of old. I had signed up with cubits early on but simply forgot to log on to see what's going on and then the years slipped by.
I'm in Naples in the Golden Gate Estates area and am quickly approaching the mid 70s. I find that thought to be kind'a wierd. I've been doing orchids and general landscaping around my place since buying this property back in 2004. The last two winters sort of struck me for a loop and left me in a depressed mode for a while. I lost so much of what was tropical that I was about to give up gardening in general and just let be what may. I'm over it now and things are looking better again. If we don't get another freeze this winter, most plants will return to their former glory. My Screw Pine palm (Pandanus basedowii) still looks like hell but it is not dead and will eventually recover - if given half a chance. 60+ Christmas palms are gone but no need to go on.
Upon surveying the damage I noticed that the few bromeliads that I had showed some leaf damage but were generally OK. Being that they are close cousins of my orchids, I investigated that world some more and am now as much a bromeliad fanatic as an orchid one, probably more so as the broms can be planted into my landscape.
Otherwise I have too many other hobbies and don't have enough time to spend on them. Life has too many distractions. It is nice to see a lot of familiar faces and names on these pages but not very many when considering all the gardners in South Florida. I'm quite active in several FB groups where data comes to you via email and response activity is encouraged by threads. That is missing here.
One of my new beds made in early June:
