Hello all, from Manchester

New members, please take the time to introduce yourself and your collection.
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Pattock
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Hello all, from Manchester

Post by Pattock »

Hello.

My name is Pat and I am a researchoholic.

I had to put away my research on Dragon trees for a year or two when I realised that I really wanted to finish my book on the ethnobotany of the asclepiads. Then I got distracted by putting together historical articles on Stephanotis floribunda, Hoya bella and Frerea indica. I hope to finish the last of those within the month so I can get back to the book. If I can resist an in-depth look at Hoya carnosa and Orbea variegata.

I have a day job that I actually have to go and do, even this year. My hobbies keep me stable if not quite sane. But, sane is just so 2019.

I am a member of the International Asclepiad Society but my interests are best described as eclectic. If you are interested in the first century of the drink called punch, the origin of the Manchester and Salford Bee, why the horse chestnut is associated with horses or the influence of Caractacus on the origin of the Arthur myth I can recommend some long articles on my blog. Abundantly researched but poorly edited, generally. Obviously also pictures of my garden and houseplants and from a holiday in Spain that I took almost four years ago. No profit for me so it is not advertising: http://pattheplants.blogspot.com I don't allow comments there because it is on the internet and you know what that is like. I would love to think that there are hundreds of Russians and Ukranians interested in historical botany articles in English but I am afraid they probably had other intentions.

I may have met some of you at the few meetings of the Manchester branch I attended about five years ago when I was last a member. I still have a Dracaena draco that I won. It is now over a 60cm tall and wide and I love it very much. Not bad for an east-facing window. If I could move it I would be able to take a photo of it.

I post on the cactiguide forum as One Windowsill but that is a lie. I moved a few times and I now have plants on two windowsills. I have also recently set up two light chambers in my bedroom. One dryish and one 80% plus humidity. Both just under one metre square and underpopulated as yet. When some of these stapeliads flower I may regret that. The Boucerosia frerei only has a slight smell of death if you get up close and was quite bearable. The Apteranthes europaea that is about to open its bud has a much worse reputation.

I got on the radio with a succulent last July, sort of. It was on the streaming version of the programme but not broadcast. The plant became Curio of the Week on The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry. Apparently it was Series 16 and they were not aware that Curio is a plant. The last 2 minutes 10 seconds or so if you don't want to listen to the whole thing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000kv7j Being mentioned on a radio show that I like made me feel like a 9 year old child again. It is worth listening to that clip just to hear someone on the radio enunciating a botanical binomial or two clearly and eloquently.
Curio flower.JPG
Curio flower. Oooh, you can put a reasonable size photo on here.
Curio cut leaf small.JPG
Demonstration of Curio leaf window. Same illumination in both photos.
Asclepiomaniac. Armchair ethnobotanist.
Occasional, eclectic blogger:
http://pattheplants.blogspot.com/
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Acid John
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Re: Hello all, from Manchester

Post by Acid John »

Welcome Pat. Everyone on here drifts off topic now and again and are very eclectic in their views. I think you will like it here we are very courteous usually.
Acid John
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rodsmith
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Re: Hello all, from Manchester

Post by rodsmith »

Welcome to the forum, Pat. Researchoholics are very welcome here. Without them we would have to do our own digging (so to speak).
Rod Smith

Growing a mixed collection of cacti & other succulents; mainly smaller species with a current emphasis on lithops & conophytum.
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el48tel
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Re: Hello all, from Manchester

Post by el48tel »

Welcome Pat to the forum.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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Hectorsgaf
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Re: Hello all, from Manchester

Post by Hectorsgaf »

Pattock wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 9:11 pm Hello.

My name is Pat and I am a researchoholic.

I had to put away my research on Dragon trees for a year or two when I realised that I really wanted to finish my book on the ethnobotany of the asclepiads. Then I got distracted by putting together historical articles on Stephanotis floribunda, Hoya bella and Frerea indica. I hope to finish the last of those within the month so I can get back to the book. If I can resist an in-depth look at Hoya carnosa and Orbea variegata.

I have a day job that I actually have to go and do, even this year. My hobbies keep me stable if not quite sane. But, sane is just so 2019.

I am a member of the International Asclepiad Society but my interests are best described as eclectic. If you are interested in the first century of the drink called punch, the origin of the Manchester and Salford Bee, why the horse chestnut is associated with horses or the influence of Caractacus on the origin of the Arthur myth I can recommend some long articles on my blog. Abundantly researched but poorly edited, generally. Obviously also pictures of my garden and houseplants and from a holiday in Spain that I took almost four years ago. No profit for me so it is not advertising: http://pattheplants.blogspot.com I don't allow comments there because it is on the internet and you know what that is like. I would love to think that there are hundreds of Russians and Ukranians interested in historical botany articles in English but I am afraid they probably had other intentions.

I may have met some of you at the few meetings of the Manchester branch I attended about five years ago when I was last a member. I still have a Dracaena draco that I won. It is now over a 60cm tall and wide and I love it very much. Not bad for an east-facing window. If I could move it I would be able to take a photo of it.

I post on the cactiguide forum as One Windowsill but that is a lie. I moved a few times and I now have plants on two windowsills. I have also recently set up two light chambers in my bedroom. One dryish and one 80% plus humidity. Both just under one metre square and underpopulated as yet. When some of these stapeliads flower I may regret that. The Boucerosia frerei only has a slight smell of death if you get up close and was quite bearable. The Apteranthes europaea that is about to open its bud has a much worse reputation.

I got on the radio with a succulent last July, sort of. It was on the streaming version of the programme but not broadcast. The plant became Curio of the Week on The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry. Apparently it was Series 16 and they were not aware that Curio is a plant. The last 2 minutes 10 seconds or so if you don't want to listen to the whole thing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000kv7j Being mentioned on a radio show that I like made me feel like a 9 year old child again. It is worth listening to that clip just to hear someone on the radio enunciating a botanical binomial or two clearly and eloquently.

Curio flower.JPG

Curio flower. Oooh, you can put a reasonable size photo on here.

Curio cut leaf small.JPG

Demonstration of Curio leaf window. Same illumination in both photos.

well that puts my intro to shame. :grin:
Simon
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Hello all, from Manchester

Post by Paul in Essex »

If this is how you normally write I am really looking forward to your future posts. :grin:
Howdy.
www.oasisdesigns.co.uk

Exotic garden design.
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