I been reading this forum for quite some time. Not really lurking in the darkness - because that seems so predatory. But, reading and following things. I decided to register and come forward primarily because of the conversation under Patrick's posting of a word of Caution. I'm not coming forward for cuttings. The border issue takes care of that. But because I agree with Laura.
I've had brugs for a couple of years before I was fortunate enough to have met Euan and Ruth Ann. I truly appreciate Laura's comments (in Patrick's post) because if it weren't for Euan and Ruth Ann's generosity, I would be in the position where I'm growing brugs. Our brug community (North of the border) is small. It would be really difficult to take someone's cuttings and sell them on e-bay without drawing a lot of attention. I don't know if you have ever checked out ebay.ca, but most of the listings are from outside Canada. So, I think it maybe tough for us to understand and appreciate where Patrick is coming from.
I like the atmosphere here. There is a nice flow of conversation. I know I would personally, love to see pics of brugs in the gardens. It seems that most of the shots are of just the flowers. They are great, but it would be nice to see the various ways/combinations of how they are planted in the yard. I'm floored by some of the inventory lists. It has me wondering how you can grow that many, successfully. I'm not doubting but curious.
I'm amazed by all the various brug forums and often wonder why there are so many. Wouldn't it be nice if they could be combined into one or two. I recognize many names from more than one forum.
I look forward to participating in this forum
Jeff
Welcome Jeff, Green Thumb Guy,
I'm so glad you decided to join in! As you already know this is a great forum and I agree with your comment regarding flow of conversation.
We'd love to see some of your garden pictures, hope you start a gallery soon.
Michele
Jacksonville, Fl
Zone 9a
Nature, in order to be commanded must be obeyed. Sir Francis Bacon
This message has been edited by michelejaxfl on Oct 24, 2006 9:02 AM
Hi, Jeff, and welcome - I am so glad you came to join us. We have a great group here who will always make room for one more brug lover. We love to share....info, conversation, advice and brugs. The key word is SHARE, and I have never seen a more generous group than is on this forum. I am going to step in here and defend Patrick a little as his post was directed at a few who will use the forums to gain cuttings for resale. Now, if you know this is their intent and you want to share anyway - hey, that's okay. But he would be less than a good moderator if he did not make us aware of things that happen on forums that do not have the forum's or member's best interest at heart.
Keep posting and share some of your photos with us, please. I love looking at other gardens.
I do agree with you on wanting to / liking seeing pictures of the whole Brug, how they're put in the landscape, and not just the flower. I can't speak for anyone else, but I can tell, and show you why I tend to focus more on the flowers for photos...
These are two of our first four Brugs as they look right now, which is much better than they were looking all summer. They also happen to be the only 2 left in the ground right now, all of the others have been dug out and put in pots after the drowning incident. We had a plan, that should have worked out to be quite beautiful, but now we have to rethink and try something else. In the mean time, those two aren't exactly photogenic. In fact, they look quite ragged, worn down, beaten up, etc... they've been through a lot.
These two, along with three others, were in the ground and looking as bad as or worse than the first two. But they're in 15 gallon pots and just now beginning to grow new leaves and look moderately healthy again. I expect that soon some of them will even flower again, for the first time in a few months.
Last pic for now. Several of these were in the ground too, lost almost all of their roots. Others here were waiting to be placed when we realized what was happening to the ones in the ground. (They were the lucky Brugs.) All of them are small, under 5 feet including pot height. When they bloom, if one plant has more than 4 flowers, I'm amazed.
For the ones here and the ones in 15 gallons, they're just waiting for us to figure out what we can and can't do, in regards to landscaping. Mostly we don't want to make another mistake as major as putting them in the ground right here turned out to be.
So, I focus on the flowers, or a grouping of flowers when possible, beacuse usually, the rest of the plant doesn't look quite as happy. That'll change as the Brugs get bigger and we get an idea of how/where we can place them.
Lynne
USDA Zone 9b
Heat Zone 10
Bradenton, Florida
Hi Jeff, I'd like to add my "Welcome to the Forum". It's nice to have you convert from Lurker status.
In an ideal world, having only 1 or 2 brug forums might be nice. But if you've been reading all the forums for the couple of years you've been growing brugs, you must recognize that some of them are not "happy" places. Our forum came about because many of us were tired of witnessing the cat fighting, intrusive advertising and high-handed censorship at one of those forums. Our one cardinal rule here is that we must be kind to each other. We're free to stray from the forum topic now and then and we're free to be concerned brug friends when someone is ill or struggling with some of mother nature's wrath. We can delight in each other's pics, whether they're of a turtle or a grandchild. We can celebrate one another's birthdays. We can also mention the names of any or all the other brug forums (and to post there, too, if we wish) without fear of reprisal. These are some of the reasons we are in this forum. Bob has made it available to us without membership fees and without making us put up with advertising. All are great reasons for coming here...our fellow members are what makes it worth staying here.
We're glad you joined us & hope you'll enjoy that you now have a voice here.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
aboard Jeff, glad to have you join us. We do tend to do more posting of just the flowers so will try to include some "entire" garden shots one of these days.
Jarie
Rio Grande Valley, TX
Zone 9
This message has been edited by jas4141 on Oct 24, 2006 9:37 PM
Patrick, I think you are doing a great job as a moderator. Hence, the great atmosphere. My expereince with the forums is limited. I did see some of what you are referring to. I will be the first to admit that my worldly experiences are severely limited and I'm quite green to things. And therefore missed a lot of the political aspects of the other forum.
I do have to say that the generosity of the participants of this forum is almost insane .... in a good way! The availability lists that I seen people post contain a mix of older varieties and a significant amount of the newer crosses. If growing brugs was money driven then I realize that there's no way the newer crosses would be on those lists.
I love the sharing of the excitement of when people receive their goodie boxes. I was the recipient of the same kind of generosity. Not only is she a technical whiz by night. But Ruth Ann is a brug goddess by day. A couple of weeks ago, I had a wonderful day roaming thru her brug forests. The size of her heart truly exceeds her stature.
I went home with a car load of cuttings.
Thanks for posting the pics Lynne. You know, I've heard several people say that their brugs look ratty ....etc. I don't think that I see what you see. It's nice to know that your brugs look like mine. I also appreciate the shapes that people keep their brugs.
Before I forget, I have to say that I really like and appreciate the inspiration people provide when they share the stories that go behind some of the crosses and what they are trying to aim for. It's almost mind boggling. I'm sorry I can't recall who it was (I think it was Bren - Seed Sprout Nursery and a cross a few months back). Great! Now I'm going to show my age. Really, I'm just tired.
I will post pics form my gardens. I grow a variety of perennials, Cannas and of course now brugs.
sorry, but I have to run out to the my local hort. society meeting tonight.
So,
I'll post as soon as I get a chance.
Hi Jeff. It's good to see you here. Wish I could visit Ruth Ann, but I can barely drive out of the county, let alone out of the country. I know from her pictures that she had some gorgeous brugs this year and above all else....tall ones. Unbelievable stuff she grows. Jump right in and chat with us when you have time. Very nice people reside here.
Jeff
I hope you enjoy the forum as much as we all do. It is the nicest group of knowledgeable, friendly, sharing people I have come across on any forum. Ruth Ann has some beautiful brugs and is extremely helpful to all of us.
Jeff, Im glad you were able to visit Ruth Ann. I'm not at all surprised to hear of her generosity...fully sounds like the Ruth Ann we all enjoy here. I really wish the "border" issue didn't stand in our way on sharing brugs. It'd be nice to freely share brugs back and forth.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
This message has been edited by Celtguy on Oct 25, 2006 4:03 PM
