Re: Introduction From New South African Member.

Glenn Breayley wrote:
> 
> Hi
> I've been lurking here a while & like what I see, so guess its time I broke > cover.
> 
> I'm originally a New Zealander, qualified there as a nurseryman, who went > wandering trying to visit all the pieces of the Gondwana massif & see how  all the plants relate & it all fits together. I've still got Southern  America to go but am firmly stuck in the Cape Floral Kingdom.

Hi Glenn
My story is the reverse of yours, growing up in Africa (Kenya to be
exact)and migrating to NZ  a little over 40 years ago. I was always an
admirer of the SA flora and got seed from Kirstenbosch for many years
(only stopping finally when a growing family left m little time for
seed-raising).

Up-country Kenya was well suited climatically to growing many SA plants,
but we had problems with some genera failing to flower in the tropical
daylength (Dorotheanthus, for instance). My greatest triumph came after
I got here when I raised a Protea cynaroides from seed. At about 40
years of age the bush is still with me and has to be pruned judiciously
to prevent it taking over the garden. It produces around 50 of its
magnificent flowers each year and we make a point of careful deadheading
to keep it looking tidy. It grows in a dry stony bank facing into the
sun and has never been fed and rarely watered.

I wonder if you will ever get to South America. From what I can gather
the Chilian flora has some quite close links to NZ - Particularly
through Notofagus and Fuchsia.

I shall look forward to your future coontributions to the list.

Best wishes

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
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