Happy to share my excitement!

Hi Victoria,
First time it was near Portimao if I am not mistaken, second time it was near Albufeira. But my daughter hired a car and we travelled a lot along the coast. After that I bought Angel's Trumpets, Oleanders, Bougainvilleas, Cannas and Bottlebrush plants. However I know rather well that it is impossible to have the same beauties and to achieve the same results here in the NW of England as in Algarve because our climate is not that good for them. .

 

Your oleander is rather good @Black Orchid !
@Victoria I'm afraid my only Portuguese links were a work project that involved going to Seia - lovely area

 

@Black Orchard ... I am impressed! Your Callistemon is so cute and all are so healthy. Mine in now probably 6 meters tall and is one of my favourite shrubs/trees.

@CarolineL - I had remembered as you had bought a Leucadendron in a local market in Seia, which is in the Guarda district. Do you still have it?

 

Well remembered @Victoria ! It did very well until I had to move house, and a failure to water did for it. A shame, it was 'Bronze Baby' and was a great colour.

 

Hi Victoria,
As I already mentioned I have a standard Callestemon which flowers each summer. But I would be grateful if you advise how to take care of it to make it flower better. Besides I bought another Callestemon 2 years ago. It has not flowered yet. It is supposed to have dark pink flowers. Any hint to force it flower? I grow my Callestemons in large pots because more than half of my small garden is covered with tiles.

 

Hi Victoria again,
I want to attach a photo of my 'Hot pink' callistemon as it should be when flowering.

 

Good afternoon Black Orchard. That Hot Pink is really a beauty.

My Callistemon is in the ground and 5-6 meters tall I therefore I do nothing with it. I am going to refer this to @strongylodon who I believe has his in pots down south near you.

This is mine in February blowing in the breeze ...

 

well done black orchid . i had a few plants got some new growth for a few seasons but never got that thickness of stem or any flowers and winter up here can be cruel and lost them . obviously not enough protection in the greenhouse . well done

 

All my 10 Callistemons are in the ground but not all flowered this year. My Viminalis Hot Pink is around 6ft high. They normally thrive in poor soil, as it is here, but in pots it is a different matter. Maybe a weak feed of potash weekly in April might help but I have no experience of gowing them in pots. Hot Pink has taken -7c with no damage at all so it is fairly hardy, so is Perth Pink.

 

Hi Victoria,
Your Callestemon is a real beauty. Thank you for referring me to Strongylodon.

 

Thank you for your information. 10 callistemons! Wow! Must be extremely beautiful! I wish I had space for so many. Any chance to have a picture of them flowering?

 

Thank you John, but you can always try growing Brugmansias as house plants.

 

My apologies Sir ... I don't know where I got it that they were in pots. I just always think of you as the Callistemon King.

 

Victoria, and you must be Tropical Plants Queen!

 

How kind of you to even think so! I only started learning when I joined GC in 2006 ... I didn't even have a computer till then nor a digital camera. I have learned so much from @pete, @strongylodon, @JWK and a few others who have left the forum. I have taken advice from those not in my climate and have studied a lot on growing in a climate unfamiliar to me. I have transformed a patch of weeds into a jungle of delight. If I can do it, anyone can.