WINTER COLOUR: this was a present (regalo) from the garden centre when we bought the bark mulch and pots of herbs and gazanias. These lovely poinsettia are in all the shops now, early for Christmas. Both here and in Portugal they can grow into big trees.

We nursed one through the year after Christmas 2003, planted it and watched it double in size and lost it in the winter of 2004. We still have last year's but I'm holding back planting until next Spring.

FROM THE PINEAPPLE FAMILY:
Here are some bromeliads, which if they survive, will produce "pups" for more plants before planting.