Whoooo-ooooh, arrrrre, you?

With apologies to the caterpillar in Alice's wonderland, I will answer your question.

I am Carlo A. Balistrieri. What am I up to and why should you care about this website?

Ever since I can remember I've been fascinated by plants (and birds--I also raise exotic cage birds). I've grown everything from single-celled bioluminescent algae to giant sequoias. At one time I had over 2000 orchids growing under lights in a basement.

I now grow orchids, cacti and succulents (with a special fondness for the really bizarre, unusual looking things--you'll meet many of them in these pages). Many other plants coexist with them in my collection including flowering tropicals, vines, begonias, bromeliads, gesneriads and the like--and that's just indoors!

Outdoors there are hardy orchids, rock garden and alpine plants, perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and woodland plants.

I am the executive director of The Gardens at Turtle Point in Tuxedo Park, New York. The vital statistics? We are building a private botanical garden on 20 acres of land, composed of three contiguous estates. There is 1/2 mile of frontage on Tuxedo Lake, massive rock outcroppings, large old trees, and amazing owners who are passionate, dedicated and committed to creating a magnificent garden.

In addition, I am a garden photographer and writer, published in many magazines and newspapers. I am the primary author and photographer of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Rock and Water Gardening, Illustrated" and am also a speaker and teacher on diverse horticultural topics.

I came to Turtle Point after three and one-half years as curator at The New York Botanical Garden, where my main responsibility was their historic (and absolutely amazing) 2.5 acre rock garden. That experience informs nearly everything I do--and much of what you will read here.

A man possessed, you might think. You wouldn't be far off...and it's not all plants. Books, music, food, wine and coffee...all things that make a life worth living...

To go home....

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