Aquariums and gardening.

[esoxlucius]

Well, I went to the garden centre today for my fertiliser, and of course came away with not one, but two plants!

These guys have caught my eye before for obvious reasons, they are beautiful. I've been tempted before but never bothered, this time I couldn't resist.

They are bromeliads, which I believe are extremely easy to keep, even though their tropical look suggests they could be tricky.

And when quizzing the assistant she downright lied to my face and fed me a load of crap, just like they do in the fish dept of my garden centre!!! I asked if they flowered every year and she said yes, which I found when I got home to be totally wrong.

They flower once and then produce pups. The pups will flower when big enough, but the mother usually dies after producing her offspring, so in effect they are an annual, not a perennial.

Anyway, here they are. Both are bromeliads, as mentioned. The top one is "guzmania" and the bottom one is "blue rain". Those flowers on the blue rain are breathtaking.

 

[Niki_up]

Well, I went to the garden centre today for my fertiliser, and of course came away with not one, but two plants!

These guys have caught my eye before for obvious reasons, they are beautiful. I've been tempted before but never bothered, this time I couldn't resist.

They are bromeliads, which I believe are extremely easy to keep, even though their tropical look suggests they could be tricky.

And when quizzing the assistant she downright lied to my face and fed me a load of crap, just like they do in the fish dept of my garden centre!!! I asked if they flowered every year and she said yes, which I found when I got home to be totally wrong.

They flower once and then produce pups. The pups will flower when big enough, but the mother usually dies after producing her offspring, so in effect they are an annual, not a perennial.

Anyway, here they are. Both are bromeliads, as mentioned. The top one is "guzmania" and the bottom one is "blue rain". Those flowers on the blue rain are breathtaking.

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Those are both breathtaking!!! Congrats on your new purchases!
I too went plant shopping and picked up a couple of new plants.
I was told they will do well in my low light bathroom with north window, here’s to hoping!

 

[esoxlucius]

Those are both breathtaking!!! Congrats on your new purchases!
I too went plant shopping and picked up a couple of new plants.
I was told they will do well in my low light bathroom with north window, here’s to hoping! View attachment 1505692

They look great Nik. I'm quite a fan of the glossy big leaf look, especially if, once in a while they push out a flower or two, best of both worlds.

I'm guessing they're just "leafy" types, no eventual flowers?

 

[Niki_up]

They look great Nik. I'm quite a fan of the glossy big leaf look, especially if, once in a while they push out a flower or two, best of both worlds.

I'm guessing they're just "leafy" types, no eventual flowers?

I believe both can flower but are highly unlikely to flower indoors

for these ones I actually just wanted them to take up space, I didn’t care what they looked like haha

 

[esoxlucius]

My mother in law asked me the other day if I wanted a plant for Xmas. I've had my eye on these guys for a while but they seem to be expensive wherever I looked.

However they had some at my local DIY store in the small houseplant section they have, and they were reasonably priced compared to what I've seen recently. So I got one while I could!

I introduce you to my new "kentia palm". I love these guys. Slow growers, but they get big, and their habit is more of a slim tall one, rather than a short squat one.

 

[Friller2009]

My mother in law asked me the other day if I wanted a plant for Xmas. I've had my eye on these guys for a while but they seem to be expensive wherever I looked.

However they had some at my local DIY store in the small houseplant section they have, and they were reasonably priced compared to what I've seen recently. So I got one while I could!

I introduce you to my new "kentia palm". I love these guys. Slow growers, but they get big, and their habit is more of a slim tall one, rather than a short squat one.

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I've got one of their younger cousins (or look alikes). parlour palms!

Old man Esox is going to be living in a jungle at the rate he's buying slow growing plants!

 

[esoxlucius]

I've got one of their younger cousins (or look alikes). parlour palms!

Old man Esox is going to be living in a jungle at the rate he's buying slow growing plants!

That's the plan, lol. No more fish tanks, they cost too much to run, but plants, other than the initial outlay of buying them, don't cost much at all, and they look just as nice as aquariums too.

I also have a parlour palm in the living room. I like it but it's habit is too short and squat for me, I think this one is pretty much full grown, I believe they don't get that big. This one is fed exclusively on dirty fish tank water and it's thriving.

 

[Friller2009]

My water hibiscus flowered recently, as well as one of my dwarf banksia (the name is eluding me)

 

[esoxlucius]

My water hibiscus flowered recently, as well as one of my dwarf banksia (the name is eluding me)
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That bottom one's a strange looking thing, lol.

I haven't visited this thread for a while. Since my last visit I've had a few indoor plant deaths, a few outdoor plant deaths and a few new purchases too. I'll be giving more detail in due course.

I'm finding that the learning curve regarding plants, both indoors and outdoors, is a very steep one. Keeping fish happy is way way easier than keeping plants happy, lol.

 

[Friller2009]

That bottom one's a strange looking thing, lol.

I haven't visited this thread for a while. Since my last visit I've had a few indoor plant deaths, a few outdoor plant deaths and a few new purchases too. I'll be giving more detail in due course.

I'm finding that the learning curve regarding plants, both indoors and outdoors, is a very steep one. Keeping fish happy is way way easier than keeping plants happy, lol.

Yeah. I got really into houseplants a couple months ago. My uncle keeps rare Airoids and such so he mentored me through, and now I can confidently say I can grow houseplants lol.