I went to Bay Tree Nursery near Holbeach after the Spalding Cactus Mart and they were selling Semponiums for £4, probably a fair price for something that looks like, and grows like a fairly basic Aeonium. I can’t see any Sempervivum there at all.

Stuart

I bought two in March, they’re all tissue-cultured.
They should be in some garden centres, about £15 each.

Stuart

Pachypodium Brevicaule May24.JPG There were quite a few of these at ELK last year at various nurseries but probably all from the same source. It came indoors for the winter and was kept with just enough water to stop it losing all its leaves. It's now back in the greenhouse and this is the first of...

I had one from Ken Burke, around the same time. Mine flowered each year, had fresh top growth each year, died back at the base each year and always remained stubbornly solitary. I'm doing better with the white flowered one which looks different to the normal one even when not in flower.

Stuart

They're the sort of plants that would quietly sit in the background as nothing special and then they flower -Wow! Well worth looking out for but probably not in the UK. They're superb.

Stuart

In my early days in the BCSS once the 'show season' started, it was almost one show a week. Sadly, we've lost most of the BCSS branches and not all can manage to hold a show. Bromley BCSS Branch is one that has kept going with a show and this year it's this Saturday, 18th May at Keston Village Hall,...

There's one on the back door of my van but they're hardly ever seen for sale and seed doesn't germinate easily. I can't remember when I last saw one in cultivation. That one's looking good and unusually healthy. One won best cactus at the US National a few years ago despite looking semi-alive with n...

The problem with the cheaper 'voice activated label writers' is that they gradually turn plants into new species. When labels are handwritten, Vasquez turns into Vasquaz and then somebody else copies it and changes another letter and gradually a new name emerges. If that sounds a little exaggerated,...

Flowers at Southfields were much further advanced than mine on the south coast, we both have sunny greenhouses and similar watering so not sure why. Other than trays of seedlings for sale and the 25% discount, there's no indication that they're aiming to reduce stocks and 'retire'. There's still ple...

Looks like we'll have to wait until late August, it'll be easiest to wait a couple of weeks and buy one at Lullingstone Castle. assuming you'll be bringing a car full. Nice to see you're one of the three speakers there - that was nicely timed.

Stuart