I don't know whether you're the same, I always eagerly await the first flowers in the greenhouse, to compete with the snowdrops and crocuses outside. I've already had an Aloe with several flower stems, and one or two Mammillaria flowers. My 'winners' usually are a Stenocactus and a Turbinicarpus val...

Thanks to all for your contributions. Specially commended are the offerings of Puya bertoniana by Mike T, Paul in Essex's blown over greenhouse, Chris R for the snow covered mesem and Jim Mercer for his cheeky blue offering. However, the winner is Frank103 with his very blue Pilosocereus. Over to y...

[quote="MikeT"]Slow start to the New Year, Rod

Here are a few shades of blue:

If it's winter here, it's summer in the southern hemisphere, just right for Puya

These are all great photos but I love the Puya and bird! Where was this taken?
Thanks,
Frank

I am surprised that no-one has posted a photo of a Pilosocereus yet - I think the bluest of all cactus genera.
This is one of my favourite plants:

Thank you for posting the great pictures of your Mexican trip. - wonderful photography. It brings back memories of our trip to Mexico with our friend Martin Smith who was at the time working at El Charco. Dot. Thank you for the compliment Dot! El Charco was definitely worth a visit, not just for th...

I have no idea why the photos are not showing correctly in the text as I placed each one in-line where it should go. Maybe some problem with the software. Sorry about that! A great travelogue, Frank, thank you for sharing. I have edited the posts above to put the photos in the right place. You near...

Absolutely stunning pics Frank, thanks for sharing (tu) I had to mouse over the pics to ID them and tie them in with the text, they are in reverse order. Thank you Bryan! I have no idea why the photos are not showing correctly in the text as I placed each one in-line where it should go. Maybe some ...

There was not much for me to do but to turn around and return to Huasca de Ocampo. I used the unplanned ‘afternoon off’ to visit the impressive Prismas basalticos nearby as well as the town of Huasca. _DSC0467_lzn.jpg 20171024_182331.jpg The following day was my last in Mexico. The famous Aztec city...

The next morning I drove north into the Barranca for the second time. I planned to go past the Laguna de Metztitlan all the way to San Pedro Gilo and San Juan Amajaque (Amajac). I had received some very good advice from Michael Greulich (who recently wrote about the Barranca in CactusWorld), as well...

The hillsides north of the Zimapan reservoir were literally forests of cereoids: _DSC0248_lzn.jpg After a night in Ixmiquilpan I carried on to Cardonal, with the intention of driving into the Barranca de Metztitlan from the northwest. I saw many more Echinocactus platyacanthus as well as the ‘Chihua...