Is this the place?

Is this the place where I stand up and walk to the podium and say, "Hello, My Name is Susan (Buns) and I'm a Brug-A-Holic?" and you all say "Hi Susan (Buns)"?

And then I tell you my story. You know the story, the one we have all experienced in one form or another, the Brug-A-Holic story, the story about when you walked out one evening and got your first whiff of the wonderful odor in the evening air and said, omg, what's that and then you looked up and saw the blooms? Blooms? on that stick I stuck in the ground, no way!

Yes, I am afraid I have been bitten by the Brug-Bug and not sure I want to be cured. And yes, I must add to my confessions that I started with a yellow then a white then a double white was given to me, no, they didn't have names just colors so now I have the most wonderful fragrant yard and have to name them myself. Hello Old Yellow, little white and oh hi there to my Walking Pink. (He/she puts a branch down and starts a new plant just like my walking iris).

And is this the place I confess that I have been known to go to a nursery and ask if they have any brugmansias and they say, "huh, wat", then I repeat, Angel Trumpets and they say, "oh hon, come over here" and point to yet more poor unnamed orphaned children and I say, ack, no names, gather them up and take them home because they all belong here, right here in my yard. Then I get called the dreaded word...Oh you're a collector. Oh No, not A Collector! Has it come to this, have I become a Brug-Snob-Aholic?

I need help, I really do, so if I am at the right place can some or all of you adopt me and show me the way? Im not really sure which way I want to go, but I do know it includes more brugs.

So, walking up to the podium, head held low, fidgiting, kicking the dirt.....Hi everyone, my name is Susan (Buns) and I'm a Brug-A-Holic!

http://www.texasbuns.com/BunsHouse/

FYI, I breed, raise and show rabbits and cavys across the United States, ie...the name Buns (short for BUNnieS)

Hi Susan. Welcome...
Nice to meet you and thanks for sharing your garden. By the looks of your photos you have a terrible addiction. How long have your been fighting the urge of just passing by a brug without a purchase...LOL Remarkable garden you have and the Brugs are just stunning. Enjoy yourself here and sharing your beautiful brugs.
Kin

Looks like you fit the profile to a Tee! Nice to meet you Susan and your in good company now. Enjoyed the tour of your backyard. With the brugs and everthing else doing so well in your care, it can't be long before your email or a post in your thread starts with... "Houston, we have a problem..."

blaine

Buns,

Thank you for the tour, simply wonderful looking at all your plants and animals.

Judy

hello Buns, and welcome from a fellow Brugaholic, some days I am so excited and happy, some days I am frustrated, angry, and mean with a bug spray, but it's still all about BRUGS

Gosh, what a nice bunch of pictures and pets. Except for the added page, I loved them all. Can't say I care for snakes and that kind would definitely not be one I'd want around. Beautiful place you have. Your shrimp plant is awesome. I think I could enjoy walking around your place with the critters and the flowers for company. Thanks for sharing. It was a real treat.

Shirley

Welcome, Susan. Looks like you have other addictions along with the Brug addiction. LOL Great pictures. Thanks for the tour.

Hi Buns and welcome. You've got some awesome plants and I love your pets.
Yes you are definitely in the right place for your addiction. We're all in the same boat and it only worsens with each new Brug.
Brugs are just starting to grow in the colder climates but I'll be happy to help you with some named cuttings a little later in the season.

Your pictures are beautiful.Welcome.

Welcome Susan, I am so jealous. I think you have my life, how'd that happen? Your pics are fabulous. I had an itty bitty also. Itty Bitty B-hole Baby was her name, but of course, we called her Bitster for short, as all of our cats have real names and then the names that we call them for short. A friend told us once that our cats have about 3-4 names each, how true. She was 17 when we had to put her down last year. Do your cats and "buns" get along with each other? I have always wanted a lop-earred bunny but was told that the cats would not get along with it and try to have it for dinner. True or untrue? By the way, your plants are georgous. This is my first year for brugs, and I have 5 right now. Anticipating the smell I hope to have by the end of summer....

Cindy

Welcome to the Brug Forum, Buns. I just love all your pets. And that snake is a beauty. What kind is it? You will have lots of fun here!!

Thank you all for the welcome, those photos are from last year. Each year the plants get larger and larger. Some are already taller than the first story of my house. In the past I have cut them back and given the "sticks" away. After seeing all of your fun plants, I think I may try to make a few trees our of them, and of course I'll need to read more and get lots of help.

I have been reading the forums and you guys are so nice I wanted to join in. I have more confessions to make, since reading your forums I have collected a few with names. I just got two from Katz Kuntry Gardens thru Ebay (White Shredded & Versi Peach). They arrived in great shape (rooted cuttings) and the leaves were still perky even after the Post Office had their way with them. I was very happily suprised to see how well they traveled. (Pictured Below)

I also found Robyn from Robyns Butterfly Gardens on Ebay and since she lives 10 minutes from me I asked if we could visit and 3 of us did. What a fun place. I got some Brug cuttings from her, I think 3 were named, the rest were unknown but she said she would identify them when I sent her a photo of the blooms. Got Butterfly, Milk N Honey and Sunset (verigated-and think it must be tropical sunset) from her along with a Iochroma Cyaneum and a Abutilon and lots of unknown brug cuttings. She has quite a garden and is expanding to a vacant lot in her neighborhood. Thinking that would be her only way to expand unless she opted to go into water plants and fill her pool. What a nice lady.

A friend brought me a brug with Sanguinea on the label and I found Suavendles Pink & Peaches N Cream at a nursery yesterday. While this same friend was at the Jerry's Jungle sale I phoned her and she confessed she was there without me so I innocently asked, any brugs? She brought me Jean Pasco and Herrenhauser Gartens from there. Jerry, if you are reading this, I want to come to the next sale.

So, Ok Ok, I'm not soooooooooooo deprived and as soon as these guys grow and bloom and flurish I will be happy to share. Just teach me the best way because you all have been doing this so much longer than I have. Oh, I also ordered some seeds, OMG, someone stop me!

Welcome to your new addiction, Susan! You won't find anyone HERE who will stop you, or even slow you down. Some of our spouses might, but not us! I've bought from Robin before, how nice that she lives so close to you! Sunset isn't the same as Tropical Sunset, but may be the same as Maya. Wait, that didn't sound right, let me try again. Sunset and Maya may be the same plant, there's a long standing debate about whether they are the same or different plants. Tropical Sunset is a different plant, not variegated, with orange juice colored flowers. You will LOVE Butterfly! I just got my first Iochroma, too.

I have one of those husbands too, he is encouraging me to do the plant thing to get me away from the rabbit/cavy thing, no I don't have an addictive personality, muhahahaha!

Racing to see a picture of Maya, thanks so much for the information.

Hi Buns (glad you explained your name). You're in good company, you'll like it here.

Welcome, Buns. Your gardens and your pets are all beautiful. I'm also wondering how you rabbits and cats get along. I bet most days are very interesting around your place. Thanks for sharing.
~Angela

Maybe the outdoors cats are used to keep the bunnies and chickens moving. Self spreading fertilizer.

Kind of like an Organic Roomba which drops as it roams, instead of picking up.

Hi Susan,

Welcome to Daves. I'm a Brug-aholic too. Do you have dreams about them? I have one about once a week, lol!

Karrie

Wow, Buns welcome aboard, i have been away for a few weeks and yours was the first thread i went to. How wonderful you made my day. The Brugs are beautiful and the animals are great I just love cats, you can keep the snake. LOL. Your post just described all of us when it comes to Brugs, I am not quite sure how the addication takes over but it sure does. I started with 3 last year and every I go, or every Magazine I see I look for Brugs, and I think that is about all I talk about to friends and they just can't understand considering all the other plants that are in my yard. I keep looking for more places to put them. I have to winter indoors and that is a challenge the house is not big enough LOL.

JoAnn

When I first started on the internet, many many years ago, I was in a chat room with fellow rabbit breeders and TexasBuns was just a natural name. Heck, I raised Bunnies and lived in Texas, how simple. Since I have branched out to other places I find that it has many connotations so I normally always explain. No, I don't have buns as big as Texas, but if I sit here long enough, they will be, lol.

I will put up pictures of my rabbits and cavys later. They all live in cages and I also have worm beds under the rabbits. These little fellows make the best ferterlizer. Between the rabbits and the worms I come up with wonderful worm castings and rabbit poop is probably the best poop for plants. It doesn't burn, you can take it from under the cages to a pot and plant right in it. The brugs in front of the rabbits love it.

The shavings from the cavys (guinea pigs) are put into areas next to the fence and act as a dyke from the water running from the lot behind me and a wonderful place for plants, they love it. My friend Ken swears by the combo cavy/shavings+rabbit poo watered in from the top for his brugs. His are the greenest I have ever seen and the leaves are huge. One day I sent him home with a pile of "sticks" and he said it was too dark and he was too tired to finish planting them all so he just stuck them in the pile of shavings. He now calls it his Brug Forrest. (couple of photos below of ken and his brug forrest, excuse the dark fuzzy photos, I am trying to find the right settings on this new camera. It was almost dark the evening I took the photos. Ken is 6'5" and it is only April. His brugs will be huge this year.)

The animals all get along or they don't stay here, and none seem to leave. My vet says when he dies he wants to come back as one of my cats. My old hen has adopted the goat and they sit together in the afternoons. I got her 5 baby chicks to keep her company and she said, pfffft, I'll stay with Bubba.

The cats and the baby chicks were a little bit of a challenge but I only had to squirt Blue with the hose a couple of times and he left them alone. Sometimes if a baby bunny escapes Blue will round it up for me and sit next to it until I come into the barn and then he yells at me until I get it.

And cmalon, my Itty Bitty Kitty outgrew his name years ago. A friend once pointed out that my cats don't have names they have descriptions for names. LOL, Itty bitty Kitty, Fluffy butt, Blondie, Blue, etc etc etc. I guess she never met Fred.

I wish they would be a little tougher on the coons and possums and skunks but they seem to mingle with them also until I set the trap and yell, all aboard for a trip to visit your cousins. Not sure where my husband has taken them all but some of the stories are hysterical, esp the one where he got his glove caught in the door when releasing a skunk. I bet he never sweated so much or stood so still.

And no, I've not dreamed about the brugs YET, probably because I am also a night owl and by the time I get to bed I crash. But now that you have mentioned it, I probably will.

Oh no, I just got a call from a lady in the neighborhood saying, come to my plant sale, lots of us are getting together to have one, somebody stop me!

Another photo of Ken's extremely dark green huge Brug leaves.

Hi Susan, I have been a Brug-aholic for 2 years now. I started from a few unknown stick cuttings from a friend of mine who also lives in Houston.
Now I have about 50 plants & a new green house to overwinter in. (I'm not too hooked.) There won't be any one here, lecturing about not buying Brugs. They are the ones responsible for my "Lot".
Great bunch of people here & so generous & helpful.
Welcome to the Brug-aholics forum!

Bj

Ken's brugs are beautiful!! I think Root also loves rabbit pooh! I wish I could get my hands on some.

Better put it in a shovel, Kell. LOL

A friend of mine has those little bunnies with the long floppy ears. She calls her by-product 'Hare Doo'. Wish I had a truck, I'd go get me a load.

I have some if ya want it..lol

::I will put up pictures of my rabbits and cavys later. They all live in cages and I also have worm beds under the rabbits. These little fellows make the best ferterlizer. Between the rabbits and the worms I come up with wonderful worm castings and rabbit poop is probably the best poop for plants. It doesn't burn, you can take it from under the cages to a pot and plant right in it. The brugs in front of the rabbits love it.::

Buns. I have been tempted to do this with my rabbit but was afraid the droppings would be too much for them. Do you have it set up so they fall right into the bed? Maybe not the correct forum for this but if you want to email me the info that would be great (that way we don't bore the board with rabbit poop talk) lol

By the way did I say welcome?? WELCOME!!!!

Jazzpunkin

I have about 100 rabbits and all of their poop falls to the ground, they aren't actually dropping into the plants, but I do have brugs planted along one side of the barn so they do get the benefit from the droppings. The brugs to the left of the bunnies in the attached picture are on one side of the barn shading the bunnies.

Once or twice a year we take the poop du jour and spread it in the flower beds, lawn, etc. and I always have a supply to add to pots. I used to fill containeers with the poop and raise tomatos in them. Just the poop. Try some on a not so favorite plant of yours and see.

How many rabbits do you have?

That's it! I have to start raising rabbits to get good fertilizer. Wait a minute...do those rabbits ever eat your plants? I might have to rethink this.

Shirley, plant them a cabbage patch. LOL And tomatoes, carrots and peas. Just had to add these. LOL

This message was edited Apr 29, 2005 10:15 PM

They only eat your favorites.....

Hello and Welcome Susan!! Thanks for sharing ... loved the tour!

Well, shoot. I hate to see the little critter pinned up all the time, but that rabbit poo sure would be nice to have.

Hi Susan!!! Welcome, even if you 'stole' my story, lol, but the identical thing happened to me, I was hooked immediately when my first unknown brug bloomed!! And, I've enjoyed every minute, with exception of the insects...

Susan (Buns) Wow, I am overwhelmed. I just went to your website. You look like one busy (and lucky Lady) (except for the snake!!!! That would keep me inside for good. I just bought my very first Brugs. Would you believe from QVC!!! They are small plants that simply say Yellow Angels Trumpet, White, and Pink. I got them two days ago and I think they have already grown a half an inch. One of them did have a brown spot. Do you remove the leaf in case it will spread? I transplanted the largest already. I have them on my window sill and will take them out to the patio when it sunshines. Don't know where I will keep them in the winter. I just got my landscape plans back from my landscape architect. Right now I have a blank canvas, all grass, and she gave me a two page list of plants, shrubs and trees she intends to put in my yard. I'm thinking of including a greenhouse but I don't know if I can fit it into the budget. I have a half an acre so there is room. Someone suggested maybe to start with one attached to the side of one of my garden sheds but they are on the north side of the house. Would that work? I will post before and after pictures when I get them. Also will post my Brugs. I love this site and spend everyday reading and learning.

Oh Whiteart, there are so many here who are so much more knowledgeable than I am concerning greenhouses, hot houses, etc I wouldn't dream of advising you. Here where I live, it seldom freezes and the plants are so established I doubt if I could lose them if I used dynomite. I usually plant in the ground, but am trying a few container plants, few, lol, ok, lots. but they will probably end up in the yard. I am about to chop some huge stalks down and try them in a big container see if I can make some tall trees.

I think I would pluck that leaf if it has a brown spot, you'll have lots more soon. And welcome to the addiction.

Hey guys, please help this lady in the NW. (btw, I have a good friend in Bothell)

Buns, Thanks so much for your reply. What a great place this is. Wow, a friend in Bothell!!! Is she a gardener? If not I'm sure she is very nice anyway. LOL Donna/White4Art