Cacti in Madrid.

[DaveW]

Found these whilst browsing the Web, if you ever happen to be in Madrid, Spain:-

http://inhabitat.com/madrids-new-desert ... -of-cacti/

As seen on EBAY though, some people will pay ridiculous prices for plants, as the old saying goes "a fool and his money are soon parted". It also helps if they don't know anything about the plants and will believe any old myth:-

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ner-plants

[MadridPeter]

Thank you so much for posting the link about desert city in Madrid!!! I had no idea despite living in Madrid ..I will be going tomorrow!! ...not sure about the name of that persons cactus shop in the second link..prick is not something you could call a shop in Ireland at least

[DaveW]

Or in the UK and yet it's in London, so perhaps appropriate? Well I suppose it makes their point and you would probably need to be one to pay those prices!

[keith]

some random thoughts on the cactus article

Cactus are "sustainable interior decoration in a pot." no they are not they just die slow unless you place them near a glass window.

I didn't know the 1970's were the cactus heydays ? Mr goody's greenhouse is impressive.

( 500 year old copiapoas ) have stopped seeding centuries ago what does that mean ? wouldn't you go to the Dutch flower show to buy cactus ? Canary islands ok what do I know? I go to AZ to buy cactus grown in California for a cheaper price than what I would spend in buying them in California.

Its cool Europe is so good at growing cactus

[MadridPeter]

Yes plenty of people get themselves into bidding wars over many cacti on eBay ..I avoid them but have bought on eBay..all you need to do is check websites like kakteen haage and Uhlig to find more sane price tags..you can find more variety and lower prices buying seed but few would have the patience to germinate seeds and wait years for recognisable growth and flowers I think..totally agree about needing to be a muppet for paying those "fashionable" shop prices ..sad to think clueless people buy so many cacti using them as table decorations and flooding their peat filled pots all in the name of fashion

[DaveW]

You have to remember that London is untypical of Britain, being nearly 50% non indigenous Brits now since much of the original indigenous population moved out when they "gentrified" or commercialised it. Some of the wealthy property owners in London are people like Oil Sheiks and Russian Oligarchs who are not short of money to buy plants for interior decoration, or interior decorators buying them for them and probably putting a handsome profit on those prices too.

You would probably be surprised if you found out just how much of your capital city was owned by foreigners. As long as they bring money into the country I don't think most governments bother too much where it comes from.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/the-most- ... rice-tbc-1

http://www.cityam.com/261149/owns-londo ... s-own-much

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35757265

I have read tales of these expensive apartments where the owner may spend only a couple of weeks a year in them and them constantly being refurbished with things like cookers never having been used but going into a dumpster when the place is remodelled again.

A decade ago a now dead friend of mine had a brother who worked in an upmarket car showrooms in London, selling expensive sports cars. One day a Middle Eastern chap came in and bought a very expensive supercar. My friends brother said to his boss "he must have some money to buy that?". His boss remarked "yes he lives about 10 miles away, but by the time he has driven home his investments will have made enough to pay for it!".

We are dealing with people who have incomes beyond our wildest dreams to whom a few hundreds Pounds for a plant that may finish up in the bin next month is small change.

The 1970's probably were the heyday for cacti in the UK Keith. Our Nottingham branch then had over 100 members and the British Society well over 4000 members. Now we have just over 20 members in the branch and the National Society just over 2000.