I do believe I'll be there. No plants, alas! But there'll be a camera.

The kebab van is pretty good too.

I've finally had a look at the photos I took at Mount Tomah this year. Unfortunately I got back from the pie run too late for the book signing.

Anyway, here are some of the pix:

http://hapalochlaena.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/plants-with-bite-2012-mount-tomah/

Thanks; I'll try that.

I keep my Dionaeas, Cephalotus and Sarracenias in trays of water which have become contaminated with some sort of green algae. Draining and refilling the trays doesn't help because the stuff always grows back.

Is there an algicide available that will not harm the plants or the live sphagnum that they are potted in?

I hate thieves. I'm sorry for your loss.

If you like I can reserve the following as a gift for you:

1. A VFT (will split plants in spring)
2. D. capensis (the normal red form)
3. A few Sarracenia flava seeds

if you're willing to wait until spring.

I've taken a few photos of my CP collection and posted them on my blog as it settles down for the winter. (If the picture I've included above embeds successfully you'll see a ripe, dried and split Sarracenia flava seed capsule.)

My tiny "shadehouse" is constructed against a north-facing wall from angle-iron, shadecloth and timber slats which are waterproofed with decking oil. The top shelf contains the Nepenthes I've acquired since the Mount Tomah show this year. Also included, in the big tub on the ground, are the N. ventricosa and N. maxima x fusca that I acquired at the 2009 Mount Tomah show and which nearly fried to death in the wake of a severe heatwave of that same year.

The bottom shelf of the shadehouse has been displaced by my pet rabbits who use it as a conservatory (and who very courteously refrain from eating the plants). I expect the fill the area out with cuttings and seedlings in the next growing season.

When the temperature falls below 4°C and the risk of having an overnight frost increases I'll pull the flap over the usually-open side and secure it for the rest of the winter. I expect this to happen in a few days.

The open shelving (not pictured) for the Sarracenias, Droseras and Dionaeas is on the left of the shadehouse.

(follow the links for more photos)

Arizona State University's Institute for Species Exploration has named Nepenthes attenboroughii one of the Top 10 New Species for 2010.

Quote:

How it made the Top 10: It is a charismatic plant species and produces one of the largest pitchers known at 30x16 cm, comparable in size to an American football. It is also carnivorous, feeding on insects trapped by the fluid contained in the pitchers. Endemic to the island of Palawan, Philippines, it is known only from a single locality and the authors suggest it be Red Listed as Critically Endangered.

Reference: Robinson, A.S., A.S. Fleischmann, S.R. McPherson, V.B. Heinrich, E.P. Gironella and C.Q. Peña. 2009. A spectacular new species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) pitcher plant from central Palawan, Philippines. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 159:195-202.

I currently grow my Sarras in artificial bogs (a.k.a. recycling tubs), but a very long time ago I had success with full-height 6" plastic pots. The potting medium was a mix of Irish Moss Peat and sharp sand.

I think it's marvellous.

If I go to the Bilpin show, it's coming with me!

Many thanks!