Thanks for saving me job! Very interesting stuff. Cheers Nicky.

[The Cape Floristic Region suffers a lot from invasive aliens: Port Jackson (Acacia saligna), Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii), Red Eye ‘Rooikrans’ (Acacia cyclops), several Queen of the Night cactus (Cereus sp.), Thorn Apple ‘malpit'(meaning ‘mad pit’ since having psychodysleptic effects when ingested, highly toxic) Datura stramonium, gum trees (Eucalyptus sp.), Pine (Pinus sp.) and Seringa, Persian Lilac (Melia azedarach) are but a few well known ones of the many dozens of listed invasive plants.]

I think it would be illegal to send me seeds from overseas unfortunately. We have extremely strict bio security regulations.

I think the Lions might have won that game without the red card too. They played better on the night. The Crusaders (which is my favourite NZ team) didn’t play to their potential. I think the Crusaders are the better team, but the Lions played better in that game.

I’m so sorry about your wife. Being so young makes it so much sadder – your life together had only just begun, and the loss of your plans and dreams for your future together is heartbreaking. Your children must be very young too.

I think you can grow them from seeds. Perhaps you could order some of the colored varieties or one of your readers could send you some. Seeds shouldn’t be too expensive. Gosh, those colored ones are stunning.

I think Arum lillies and Calla lillies are different, but I’d have to check. My mother’s the gardener – I just remember stuff she’s said.

I think the Lions might have won that game without the red card too. They played better on the night. The Crusaders (which is my favourite NZ team) didn’t play to their potential. I think the Crusaders are the better team, but the Lions played better in that game.

Those lilies,-or probably a closely related species- are common in marshes here too. They are called Arum lilies here. There is a little toad, not bigger than the last digit of your pinkie, and lily-white with a hidden orange belly, that lives exclusively in Arum lilies. Unsurprisingly called the Arum lily frog ( Hyperolius horstockii) . There is an even smaller toad, the ‘microfrog’ Microbatrachella capensis, also living in arum lilies, but I’ve never seen that one.
I built a little pond in my garden to help the frogs in dry years (eg. 2008). It attracts many frogs , including the cape river frog with their soothing tik tik tik at night, but not yet Arum lily frogs in my Arum lilies 🙁 .

Colin Meads is a bit before my time, but he was a legend. I think he died of cancer, but he must have been in his eighties. (my beloved wife died exactly one year ago from cancer, she was only 27, you can imagine).
No, I’m not one of those SA’ns (I’m only a permanent resident to top it) that support the All Blacks because of Apartheid heritage in SA’n rugby. I think nearly all of that belongs to the past now. I’m a staunch ‘Bok’ supporter (and if Madiba can be, why can’t I?), one has to support one’s adopted country. However, in 15’s rugby NZ is simply the best over the last 7 years or so. I do not think any rugby fan will deny that.

[Again on the final between the Lions and the Crusaders, I still think the Lions would have won if not for the red card for Kwagga Smith (as said, justified, probably not intentional, but definitely very dangerous. Some are of the opinion that, since not intentional, a yellow card (= 10 minutes sin bin) would have been more appropriate… spilled milk). NZ teams have the reputation of coming back strongly in the last 30 to 20 minutes or so, and the Lions act is to outdo them in that particular field. They did come back quite strongly, but not enough to win, not against a great team like the Crusaders]

I’d forgotten about the different colours being available – the coloured ones are very expensive here.