Hi,
My name is Amante Darmanin. I am 45 years old and married with wife and three daughters aged 16, 13, 9. I also got a female cat named Daisy. She is quite nocturnal and likes to wake me up at night to feed her. I work as a male nurse in an old people's home comprising of about 1000 residents (must be one of the largest in the world)

I have been into cacti since I was about 7 years or younger. I remember taking particular attention to the only cactus we had at home, Echinopsis multiplex. Each time it flowered we would be called by our parents to see the manger-like stamens and the star of Bethlehem, which later I learned to be the stigma of the flower. I started collecting cacti seriously since 1985 when I joined the Cactus and Succulent Society of Malta. I am a committee member of this society and take care of seed distribution. Most of the seed come from my own plants. I am also a member of the Mammillaria society and The British cactus and Succulent society (Cactus World)

I have two greenhouses on our flat roof, one facing south and the other facing North were I house all my collection. Then I got 5 frames (little greenhouse), also on the roof where I house my spare cacti and succulents. Another large greenhouse is on another roof on an empty house belonging to my brother in law where I have several thousand spare cacti and not a room to spare. I raise nearly all my cacti from seed.

I have been into Mamms for several years, but I tend to collect anything. My latest craze is collecting cristates and monstrose, variegates, spirals and other freaks from the cactus world. I do not know how much I have Mammillaria but must be several hundred. I like to keep three from each species so that I can pollinate.

I have been four times to Mexico for the sole purpose of taking Cactus pictures and observing them in habitat. I always dream of going back, but it cost money and I am desperately in need of a new car, well perhaps the car can wait another year.

Hi Amante,

Welcome here. If you have questions, suggestions or Mammillaria pictures, feel free to ask or post.
Do the houses in Malta not having big gardens to place the greenhouses in? Or is it easier to put it on the roof?
If you want to share some pictures from your Mexico trip, go ahead, we are looking forward to them.

Hello Amante, let me add my welcome here also. My very first "real" book on Cacti was by your compatriot Prof. Borg, and I remember reading this avidly as a young man with perhaps 9 or 10 plants in my father's greenhouse, and thinking that one day I might find out about all these plants. I now know something, having about 1700 plants altogether now.
Your climate will be very different from mine here in the UK, so it will be interesting to hear over time about your plants, when they flower, and how they grow.

Hi Amante, and welcome to the forum. It seems many growers in Malta have greenhouses on the roofs. Is this where enthusiasts for other hobbies go to, instead of the English "garden shed"?

Hi to all,
The islands of Malta have a population of 400,000 people in just 316 sq kms, so space is of utmost importance. Few people can afford large gardens, and if they do they usually have high walls because buildings are next to each other. So, in my case and many others, the roof is ideal as it is flat and gets all the sun it needs. I have seen a few houses with swimming pool, tennis court and several gardens but these are for the wealthy.

My greenhouse has to compete with wash lines, 2 aerials, and a satellite dish but I am not complaining as I have a very tolerant wife.

I have Borg's Cacti and still find it interesting. It is sad that today only vestiges of his wonderful cactus collection exists.

That is sad news about Borg's collection. It seems it is the same in many places - when in Mexico City, before returning, I went to the cactus gardens in the grounds of the University. There were some really good areas from a C&S point of view, but the Helia Bravo memorial garden garden was badly neglected.