Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: steve owen on January 10, 2010, 12:23:26 PM
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:D
I thought I'd try some good news as an antidote to the "Withdrawal Symptoms" thread whilst waiting for the thaw being hinted at for the end of next week.
Ebay selling prices for 44 different varieties of snowdrops sold over the past four weeks show an 18% drop over the 2009 prices for the same varieties.
A health warning; the main Ebay buying season is yet to come and white fever may yet push prices up again. Or maybe the recession is actually having an effect. Or it could be that more sellers such as "galanthusboy" are slowly emerging and producing a more diverse market place. As I have commented previously, part of the inflated market is down to individuals who have good stocks of certain wanted varieties but won't share or sell them to the people who want to grow them. I recall one lucky possessor of a clump of well over fifty plants (at a conservative estimate) of a scarce snowdrop variety who assured me she would be sharing them only with her friends.
Fortunately I have encountered far more snowdrop enthusiasts who will readily share, swap or sell plants where they have spares.
Wendy's Gold is an interesting example of a variety whose price has steadily reduced as a good supply of bulbs has become available, but Bill Clark and Primrose Warburg are counter-examples where this supply/price effect has yet to benefit buyers.
One final comment; full marks to one or two nurserymen who are working hard to produce sufficient stocks of desired bulbs.
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I was watching Ebay last night and noticed the reduced prices also
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Steve, Mark, my eyes have been on Orchids this winter, and though I can't quote stats the degree of trade in orchids within Europe on eBay has been very much lower than last year. Both quantitiy and variety seem somewhat 'depressed' as compared to 2009, maybe with the exception of trade in Pleione. Prices where open auctions take place 'feel' lower than 2009 but remain on the whole higher than purchasing from established off eBay sources. Always the hope of a bargain though I guess!
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I recall one lucky possessor of a clump of well over fifty plants (at a conservative estimate) of a scarce snowdrop variety who assured me she would be sharing them only with her friends.
I suppose it depends on how many friends she has as to how many she would have left! I know someone who will not split a clump until she has at least a dozen, her experience in the past has been that her generosity left everyone else with her snowdrops and her original clump just disappeared. Again I believe it was Richard Hobbs who had a huge clump of Yaffle, split it in half to sell some (around 20 I think) at the Gala and the next year he only had one which he has had to nurture back to a decent sized clump of his own. Most snowdroppers seem very generous as you say, and thank goodness for that.
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Alan Street told me one ime dont part with any snowdrops until I have over 10. Problem is my snowdrops dont bulk as fast as I see in other gardens
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Try some horse-fertilizer Mark it really works!
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Too many weed seeds in horse manure.
Buying snowdrops also relates to how deep the pocket is. If I have a limit of £40 someone who saves better/has a good job/pension might say £80-100 is OK for a rare one.
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If I have a limit of £40 someone who saves better/has a good job/pension might say £80-100 is OK for a rare one.
...and all you need is a couple of them vying with each other to push the price through the ridiculous ebay roof ::)
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true
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...well,but I "need" Diggory so I bid (but not too much so I do not get them usually) on Ebay
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...well,but I "need" Diggory so I bid (but not too much so I do not get them usually) on Ebay
Of course you need it Loes, any self respecting galanthophile does, but if you keep trying you will eventually get it at a cheaper price ;D
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It will probably be available at a snowdrop event for about £16
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That is a nice thought Mark,I shall have to keep my eyes peeled
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Chas,
You are obviously a man with passion (Mini 40s!) and I'm sure you will get your snowdrop!
Paddy
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...well,but I "need" Diggory so I bid (but not too much so I do not get them usually) on Ebay
I was in pursuit of "Diggory" last year (not on Ebay) but it didn't happen :'(
I like "him"!
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smile nice Maggi
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smile nice Maggi
Hang on, I'll go look for a better set of teeth..........
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I have been doing some tests the last years and found out that with ordinary horseshit you have a 20 to 30% extra growth and much better plants! The second year of use you can see a certain resistance against all kinds things, because of the better soil, humidity etc.
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I found a nivalis with a Diggorylook last year Loes! When its flowering at the 20th of February i take it with me to the Gala.
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I have been doing some tests the last years and found out that with ordinary horseshit you have a 20 to 30% extra growth and much better plants! The second year of use you can see a certain resistance against all kinds things, because of the better soil, humidity etc.
Just think what you could get with extraordinary, erm, you-know-what!
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Sorry Annew but i really dont know what erm is ???
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The only thing i can find is Environmental Resources Management :o
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Gerard it's a pause while speaking when you think what you will say next. What do Dutch say/write?
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Gerard - Are you top-dressing with horse manure or digging it in before planting? I find if it is used as a top-dressing any weed seedlings are very easily pulled out and the worms do the rest. I will have to start patrolling the Bengal Lancer stables down the street. Thanks for the tip.
It's -2c here and milder temps are on the way until Sunday. Already the greenhouse is heating up to 20c when it's sunny.
johnw
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I am told that elephant manure brings the dead back to life.
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eh!!
Its a pity there are not that many elephant stables around Steve. ;D
John i use it a while before planting and work it through the soil with a small machine. The year after i use it as a top-dressing before winter(September/ October)
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I remember a friend getting some lion dung from the nearby safari park. He used it on his runner beans. They died, but the willow poles he was using as support rooted and started to grow! :o
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Have been watching some lately,....................and prices seem on the up now
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130357530852&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130357530852&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
I hope mine comes up this year
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Yes, I may have spoken too soon. Bill Clark, Wandlebury Ring and Mr Blobby all scored Ebay prices yesterday that were markedly higher than last year. It may of course just be two collectors having a bunfight. Time will tell.
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Have been watching some lately,....................and prices seem on the up now
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130357530852&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130357530852&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
I hope mine comes up this year
It may of course just be two collectors having a bunfight. Time will tell.
Crikey - £97!
Looking a the bidders list it seems to have been 5 people bidding against each other.
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Well I don't think I will feel so bad now, I thought those South African Bulbs were reaching amazing prices on EBay but £97 for a snow drop even a rare one is amazing. I have loads in the woods at the back of my house ,I thinkthey were thrown in when someone lived here over fifty years ago. I wonder if any could be rare ::)
Angie :)
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It's very annoying when most are labelled as "rare". Maybe I'll list the rare form of Galanthus nivalis ssp hibernicus
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Mark
How would you define rare?
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If it cant be obtained from the Gala, event with suppliers present, catalogue or list I would assume its rare. From those listed on Ebay I would say Clovis, Ecusson and maybe Greenfinch are the rarest
These aren't rare - Alison Hilary, Castlegar, Blewbury Tart, Bill Bishop, Walrus. If they are it's about time I had mine lifted and listed
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Godetia and Tagetes are rare here and sell very well in summer ;)
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Here's a few Castlegar that might be available at rare prices
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Mark
Plenty of varieties have never appeared on Ebay (including Castlegar, at least over the past two years), and hundreds of varieties that have been listed in the Snowdrops book which has after all been out for quite some years now don't appear in growers catalogues or anywhere else. Some recent finds probably truly qualify for the "rare" description in the sense that not may plants have been grown yet; but many other varieties are not rare in the sense that plenty of plants exist. So (at the risk of boring by repetition) why are they not available to would-be growers?
Steve
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Steve,
It seems to be a case of certain snowdrops being unavailable for sale rather than being rare.
G. 'Castlegar' has been available previously. I have found it not the fastest to bulk up and, though I have had it in the garden for ten years, I feel I don't have enough to divide yet. Three bulbs bought at that time now number only nine, a very slow increase indeed.
Paddy
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bidding on Diggory has not been stopped yet... but I have
(Is it on the Foxgrove list???)
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Unfortunately not, Loes.
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Hi Paddy
I was really just citing Castlegar as an example (partly because Mark had posted his pic) of this large group of galanthus cultivars that never surface (as chance would have it, Castlegar is in fact on Ebay at the moment). But there are plenty of other examples. I do wonder whether certain varieties arrived in the Snowdrops book in haste and have since proved unsuccessful or unworthy in cultivation. Only the owners/namers know!
Steve
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.... So (at the risk of boring by repetition) why are they not available to would-be growers?
Steve
I don't know the answer, Steve, but I'm inclined to feel it is a good thing. We see that snowdrops that are commercially available can fetch crazy prices. I like the idea that some are only available by swapping or getting to know the owner and gently persuading them to donate one to you. You might say this excludes the novice but many snowdrop growers actually have a generous streak and will give away a few of their spares to others with a genuine interest. Once a snowdrop has a price attached to it then it becomes harder to give away because you become aware that it would fetch £xxx on eBay, or whatever.
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Does someone have a picture of plicatus Ben Warrick?
I cant find a thing.
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I havent heard of it? Have you seen it in a garden?
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I have Ben Warwick. Syn. E B Anderson no.3. I'll check tomorrow if it's in flower for a pic.
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Does someone have a picture of plicatus Ben Warrick?
I cant find a thing.
Gerard - no picture I am afraid but Jim Almond sold some on ebay last year, when he posted the following details “Shropshire gardens have had a long history of maintaining important Snowdrops. This plant is a good example – preserved in cultivation as ‘EB Anderson No 3' for many years, it is a fantastic plicate! Very dwarf in stature, the very large flowers (two per bulb) have well marked green inners. It increases well and will surely gain an instant reputation! I spotted it from afar, the moment I entered the garden which had preserved it in cultivation. Someone may be able to correct me but I have never seen this grown elsewhere!"
Hope this helps
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I have bought it with lots of other snowdrop from a friend sellling his house and garden after divorce.
I noticed the name on the list and could not find any information on the net.
But this was autumn and i was wondering how it looks like.
Thanks Steve and Chris
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Does anyone know where I can get Galanthus 'Fanny'. I noticed this while looking at Mark's gallery of photos/
My maternal grandmother was named Fanny, not Frances, as shown on her birth, marriage and death certificates. I would like to obtain it in her memory.
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Does anyone know where I can get Galanthus 'Fanny'. I noticed this while looking at Mark's gallery of photos/
My maternal grandmother was named Fanny, not Frances, as shown on her birth, marriage and death certificates. I would like to obtain it in her memory.
Arthur - if you want to PM me, I am sure that I will be able to let you have a bulb when I repot in the summer.
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I have Ben Warwick. Syn. E B Anderson no.3. I'll check tomorrow if it's in flower for a pic.
Not in flower then Steve?
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Brian
No it isn't, although a flower spike is visible. Give it a fortnight and some SUNSHINE and I'll post a pic soonest.
Arthur - if you want G. Fanny now, try Alan Street at Avon Bulbs.
Steve
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Look forward to seeing it Steve 8)
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Curious how that name seems to have lost favour. :-\
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Well I would really like one of these..................but :o :o
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130359823707&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
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who said silly season hadn't started :)
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I'll take that back. Ecusson is only £74 with 12 minutes to go.
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130359829040&autorefresh=true
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130359829040&autorefresh=true
Well Steve I think you were wrong
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I'll take that back. Ecusson is only £74 with 12 minutes to go.
Mark,Sold for £124-60. Madness ::)
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Yes a good rush of bids at the end
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I wonder if any forum members got an adrenaline rush tonight? ;D
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At least 4 bidders willing to pay over £100.
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At least 4 bidders
...who need serious help! I thought I had it bad ::)
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They might be footballers. Or bankers. :-\
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..... or even bonkers! ::)
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;D
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130359829040&autorefresh=true
Well Steve I think you were wrong
Hi Chas
Of 64 varieties sold on Ebay in 2009 and 2010 so far, 22 showed ann increase over the 20098 price, ten stayed at about the same and 32 showed a decrease. Overall an average decrease of 12%. Two yellows (Bill Clark, Wandlebury Ring) showed big increases but there were other examples where the Ebay selling price is markedly down. The Ebay prices are being pushed up by (probably just a few) continental buyers.
Popped into Wisley over the weekend, they have over fifty Galanthus varieties for sale at v reasonable prices; eg Gracilis can be had at well less than Ebay price.
Those who don't want to pay inflated prices are of course free to avoid Ebay. As the Good Book says; thou shalt not cover thy neighbour's ox, nor his ass, nor his wife, nor his snowdrops, nor anything that is his (if I remember correctly).
Steve
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Did you make a list?
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Impressive statistical reporting, Steve. :o
A word of caution that there were discussions previously,in these pages, did we not,about varieties not always being true from Wisley shop? Did you think that this does not seem to be a problem this season?
As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
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As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
If you had seen my neighbour you would agree with 'it' being covered! ;)
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;D ;D ;D
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Impressive statistical reporting, Steve. :o
A word of caution that there were discussions previously,in these pages, did we not,about varieties not always being true from Wisley shop? Did you think that this does not seem to be a problem this season?
As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
Maggie
Wow, just shows you how a moment's carelessness at the keyboard can land you in a whole lotta trouble..... :( :( :(
Steve
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Did you make a list?
Mark
Sorry no, but there wasn't anything particularly exotic, just quite a good choice of well-proved reliable varieties.
Steve
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Impressive statistical reporting, Steve. :o
A word of caution that there were discussions previously,in these pages, did we not,about varieties not always being true from Wisley shop? Did you think that this does not seem to be a problem this season?
As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
Maggie
Wow, just shows you how a moment's carelessness at the keyboard can land you in a whole lotta trouble..... :( :( :(
Steve
Ain't that the truth!!
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As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
If you had seen my neighbour you would agree with 'it' being covered! ;)
Isn't 'cover' something to do with reproduction? ???
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;D ;D
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Impressive statistical reporting, Steve. :o
A word of caution that there were discussions previously,in these pages, did we not,about varieties not always being true from Wisley shop? Did you think that this does not seem to be a problem this season?
As to the biblical quotes..... I think you are not supposed to covet your neighbour's ass etc!! ::)
Maggie
Wow, just shows you how a moment's carelessness at the keyboard can land you in a whole lotta trouble..... :( :( :(
Steve
Haha,
We had a bull here that was a bit naughty about covering our neighbours heifers :o It would have been much less of a disaster if he'd just stuck with coveting.
So coveting is OK in my book ;)
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I suppose it depends on the quality of thy neighbour's ass? :-\ (Some people never mind the quality! ::))
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I suppose it depends on the quality of thy neighbour's ass? :-\ (Some people never mind the quality! ::))
;D ;D ;D
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Nothing as scary as a bull bellow at cows especially when you cant see him
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A seller on Ebay used a link to my snowdrop web site to show what a snowdrop looks like. I have never thought how many people follow the Ebay auctions. The link resulted in 210 hits on my web site
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Some numpty on Ebay is selling Sharlockii with a photo showing a different snowdrop
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Some numpty on Ebay is selling Sharlockii with a photo showing a different snowdrop
I believe there is one born every minute and they walk among us!
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30 nivalis just sold for 55p. One day waaay in the future it could be something special
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Galanthus reginae-olgae Autumn Snow currently at £157! :o
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It is lovely. I had begged the use of a credit card just incase the price was lower
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Galanthus reginae-olgae Autumn Snow currently at £157! :o
I've been drooling over it since yesterday.
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Some numpty on Ebay is selling Sharlockii with a photo showing a different snowdrop
I only see one Sharlockii listed and it has 'donkey ears'... which is right, isn't it? the one shown has got green tips... that's unusual ,isn't it?
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Maggi the spathe should be split.
http://www.snowdropinfo.com/galanthus%20nivalis%20scharlockii.html (http://www.snowdropinfo.com/galanthus%20nivalis%20scharlockii.html)
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On the one I'm looking at the spathes are still both upright, but I think I see two parts there...... :-\
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If not Sharlockii, then what is it? Scharlockii is common and priced accordingly, but if it is something different......
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It looks like Warei which is like a huge spathed Viridapice
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Galanthus reginae-olgae Autumn Snow currently at £157! :o
I've been drooling over it since yesterday.
It went very cheap at only £162. 8) 8) 8)
Eric
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Does anyone have a pic from Galanthus Minchinhampton?
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Gerard I dont know the name. Where did you see it?
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I have not seen it, but heard of it and was curious if someone has a good pic of it.
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Hi All,
I see another Ecusson d' Or went for almost £150 on ebay tonight. If I wanted to get my hands on one with out having to sell limbs or my family, where would be the best place to look? I have possible swaps but wether it would be enough of an exchange I don't know!
Jane
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I don't see anything wrong. Split spathe, green tips. Spot on! 8)
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Galanthus reginae-olgae Autumn Snow currently at £157! :o
I've been drooling over it since yesterday.
It went very cheap at only £162. 8) 8) 8)
Eric
At least you won't have to wait a year to see it flower.
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Galanthus reginae-olgae Autumn Snow currently at £157! :o
I've been drooling over it since yesterday.
It went very cheap at only £162. 8) 8) 8)
Eric
At least you won't have to wait a year to see it flower.
Will you be posting pictures in the Autumn then Anthony ;) ;) ;)
Eric
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Hi All,
I see another Ecusson d' Or went for almost £150 on ebay tonight. If I wanted to get my hands on one with out having to sell limbs or my family, where would be the best place to look? I have possible swaps but wether it would be enough of an exchange I don't know!
Jane
Hi Jane,
Just in case your posting gets lost in the present discussion, I don't think there will be many bulbs of 'Ecusson d'Or' available for swapping as of yet. This is the reason for the high prices this bulb commands - supply V demand.
Best of luck in your search. Paddy
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Will you be posting pictures in the Autumn then Anthony ;) ;) ;)
Eric
;D ;D ;D
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been collecting snowdrops since 1986 and bought my first on ebay last month,but as you say the rarer ones prices are out of my price range,but also collect snowdrop ephemera from ebay which comes out on our snowdrop sunday each year to suport the snowdrop lunch. have enjoyed reading all the info, used to be a SRGC member years ago when I had more time. Dianne Nichol-Brown. Polemonium Plantery.
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Hi, Dianne, good to have you join in the forum.
Snowdrop ephemera is popular isn't it? I know Brian Eilis has a good collection of old cards ... really very interesting to assemble such a collection to complement the plants.
I'm keen on snowdrop ceramics, too... and trilliums......oh, I'm just an inveterate collector, I'm afraid.... got a frightful weakness for flower brooches .... silver, leather, any material really. No wonder the house is a full as the garden!
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:-*
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That's a cute one, Brian...... and delivered right on cue.... we could get work as a double act!
I'll wear the sequins and go in the box, you can wield the saw.....
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Its nice to have paintings and plates and tablemats of Galanthus to look at as all myne in the garden have disappeared under the snow again -but the ones I bought on ebay last month are potted up and sitting in the mist propagator until I can get them lanted, so at least I can admire them as well as discuss them with my RHS students (mist propagator is in our classroom) Dianne
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That's a cute one, Brian...... and delivered right on cue.... we could get work as a double act!
I'll wear the sequins and go in the box, you can wield the saw.....
My you are brave Maggi, you realise that rather than sawing you in half I might attempt to twin-scale 8) :o 8)
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I might attempt to twin-scale 8) :o 8)
I thought someone had already. At least another Maggi Young must be the one that replies to my emails at 2 am GMT!
And three more monitoring our every posting. ;)
johnw
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I might attempt to twin-scale 8) :o 8)
I thought someone had already. At least another Maggi Young must be the one that replies to my emails at 2 am GMT!
And three more monitoring our every posting. ;)
johnw
This may explain the voices in my head...........
or is that just the sleep deprivation? :-\
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Here is my first photo of Ben Warrick
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What happened to the soil Gerard? It looks like it has been jet washed. :-\
Has the weather been that bad over there? ;D
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Melted snow and rain after it John :-[
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"New Snowdrop Bulb Galanthus no name raised from seed" - bidding has started on an elwesii bulb
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"New Snowdrop Bulb Galanthus no name raised from seed" - bidding has started on an elwesii bulb
There are kids dying all over the world from starvation, somebody needs to get a grip here. Disgrace!
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Fortunately Pat snowdrop people are generally so kind and generous that they no doubt do their bit for the various charities which help with these problems. I think we are also allowed one or two treats for ourselves.
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Fortunately Pat snowdrop people are generally so kind and generous that they no doubt do their bit for the various charities which help with these problems. I think we are also allowed one or two treats for ourselves.
Point taken Brian, it just winds me up thats all, Pat
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Fortunately Pat snowdrop people are generally so kind and generous that they no doubt do their bit for the various charities which help with these problems. I think we are also allowed one or two treats for ourselves.
Point taken Brian, it just winds me up thats all, Pat
Perfectly understandable with tragedies like the Haitian earthquake etc Pat.
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Fortunately Pat snowdrop people are generally so kind and generous that they no doubt do their bit for the various charities which help with these problems. I think we are also allowed one or two treats for ourselves.
Well the charities benefited by the National Gardens Scheme got a little money out of me and my party visiting Kent gardens to see snowdrops last weekend. And Jo in Devon raised over £1200 by opening her garden last weekend under the NGS. So an interest in snowdrops is luring people out of doors to make charitable contributions at a time of year when they might otherwise have stayed at home.
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At least snowdrops are not fetching the prices of Giacometti's! Yet.......
One sculpture has just sold for £58 million.
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At least snowdrops are not fetching the prices of Giacometti's! Yet.......
One sculpture has just sold for £58 million.
Was that on ebay?
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At least snowdrops are not fetching the prices of Giacometti's! Yet.......
One sculpture has just sold for £58 million.
Was that on ebay?
Sotheby's, London
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At least snowdrops are not fetching the prices of Giacometti's! Yet.......
One sculpture has just sold for £58 million.
Was that on ebay?
Sotheby's, London
Good old Del boy.
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Our school had a non-uniform day (we had to wear red and/or blue) and raised £1400+ (fourteen hundred pounds plus) for Haiti. Lucy's primary school had a "hats for Haiti" day and raised £700.
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someone just bought a spikey, Alburgh Claw, on Ebay for £155.
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::) ::) ::)
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??? ??? ???
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I thought things were going a bit crazy on ebay when wendys gold was going for £44 etc but this morning takes the biscuit Cordelia at £41 plus p&p. I need to lie down and have a stiff drink.
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The auction for Cordelia hasn't ended so the final price will be even higher. However, this is an aberrant auction. Four bulbs of Cordelia have sold on Ebay earlier this season for an average price of £16. What we have here is a bidding war between two bidders. When you get this situation and the red mist descends, logic goes out of the window. But generally this is a good time to buy on Ebay because ther early-season testostorone has disappeared and prices are tending to reduce.
To restate my earlier point, the £16 average price for Cordelia would be lower if some of the people who grow sizeable clumps of Cordelia were prepared to make some of them available. For example, Cedric's Prolific and St Annes (both super snowdrops) are available on Ebay at 3 or 5 bulbs a time for very reasonable prices. Its all about supply and demand.
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I'm adding to the frenzy next year and hope to have an excellent selection of pot grown bulbs available on Ebay ::)
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Here's another, sweet (though french ;D) 19th century snowdrop VTC, Brian:
(http://i60.servimg.com/u/f60/11/80/17/15/perce_10.jpg) (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1224&u=11801715)
Zephirine
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Don"t think ebay prices have dropped that much as someone is selling "Grumpy and with over four days left is already over £90 :o :o :o
Eric
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Don"t think ebay prices have dropped that much as someone is selling "Grumpy and with over four days left is already over £90 :o :o :o
Eric
The current Grumpy auction is another aberration (13 Grumpy sales on Ebay this season have averaged £38) and another example of a bidding war with red mist. And generalising from one aberrant auction to "ebay prices" in general seems to me a pretty risky extrapolation. Overall, Ebay prices this year are down on last; unsurprisingly when there's a word-wide recession. I keep the score.
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Don"t think ebay prices have dropped that much as someone is selling "Grumpy and with over four days left is already over £90 :o :o :o
Eric
The current Grumpy auction is another aberration (13 Grumpy sales on Ebay this season have averaged £38) and another example of a bidding war with red mist. And generalising from one aberrant auction to "ebay prices" in general seems to me a pretty risky extrapolation. Overall, Ebay prices this year are down on last; unsurprisingly when there's a word-wide recession. I keep the score.
Hi Steve
Certainly the prices on the few I have listed this season were much lower than in the past . :'( :'( :'(
Eric
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Here's another, sweet (though french ) 19th century snowdrop VTC, Brian:
Lovely card Zepherine.
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There's also something pretty topical about this card: have you noticed the name of the store it was advertising, in the top left corner?
Well..."Bon Marché" means...."cheap" in french... ;D
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Very clever Zepherine, although I thought Au bonne marche meant 'a good walk' which I think is a bit of a laugh in the snow ;)
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....I thought Au bonne marche meant 'a good walk' which I think is a bit of a laugh in the snow ;)
I think you may be confusing 'marché', which (I think) has the same root as the English word 'market', with 'marcher' which has the same root as the English word 'march'. The pronunciation of both French words is much the same.
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French never was my strongpoint Alan!
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If anyone has 'Grumpy' to sell, they can make a fortune on EBay. Currently stands at £102.10 with 3 days to go. Surely this ranks as the most paid for a good, but not spectacular snowdrop. ??? :o ??? :o
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I would happily sell mine at that price. :o
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It relation to the e-bay bidders it might be suitable to quote Oscar Wilde: "The cynic (insert snowdrop maniac) knows the price of everything and the value of nothing"
Compare the £105 price on a bulb of 'Grumpy' to the generosity of a forum member who sent on a clump to me - free, completely free, a gift.
It shows the great contrasts which exist in the world of snowdrops and the world of gardening in general for that matter.
Of course, I am not going to mention the name of the person who sent on the snowdrops; it wouldn't be appropriate but I do believe it is important to mention it so that people realise there is another side to snowdrop collecting (gardening in general) than that seen on e-bay.
Likewise, I have a circle of friends who are interested in snowdrops but who are even more novice that I am and I pass on snowdrops to them. I have had the good fortune to receive many, many (the vast majority) of my snowdrops from kind friends in this manner and they have the value of being intrinsically beautiful and the reminders of fond memories and kind friends.
Paddy
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Or settle for a 'look alike'.
£1.45 in an unselected pot of elwesii at the local garden centre [sorry the picture is blurred - I was a bit excited!].
Chad.
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- I was a bit excited!].
Chad.
Not grumpy then? ;D
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Or settle for a 'look alike'.
£1.45 in an unselected pot of elwesii at the local garden centre [sorry the picture is blurred - I was a bit excited!].
There's nothing wrong with that. My Grumpy-look-alike (see avatar or Galavatar as McMark called it) came as a surprise in a garden centre pot of elwesii seedlings too, and I have had great pleasure from its company. It produces a huge bulb so I will try to twinscale this year so that I can give it to friends who have admired it. It flowers around Christmas so it should save a lot of Christmas shopping which I hate.
I was excited to find some elwesii this year with nice heart-shaped marks, as they are my favourite, and again only for a few pounds.
I wish you and your new snowdrop will be very happy together :) :)
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Hi Vivien, It's great to hear that your snowdrop is a Christmas flowerer - early flowering 'drops are a good thing in my book (I am trying to extend my garden's season in that direction as that is the time that the S.A.D. starts to take hold :( ).
I rather like the name McMark has unofficially chosen for it ;) Galanthus "Galavatar" ;D Will you be using that name when you are santa?....
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It's not that hard to find Grumpy-alike snowdrops. What I'm waiting for is one called 'Happy' like this (apologies to Vivien whose avatar I modified).
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Funnily enough I saw 'Smiley' today, Matt Bishop seems to rate it so you never know!
...and I think John Finch may have posted a pictrure of it last year?
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Galanthus 'Smiley'
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Cheers John ;D
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Alan
Just imagine how much you would get for a full set of Galanthus 'The seven dwarves' on eBay ;D ;D
John
I'm sure the experts would say it's not distinctive enough to name but I'm going to call it Galavatar as it's better than calling it 'Grumpy-looking-thing'. I have it in a pot so I brought it into the house during the bad weather to enjoy the flowers (my house is very cold so it probably thought it was still outside and did not shrivel up). If you would like a bulb I can send you one in the summer as I intend to try to twinscale a bulb and put the rest back in the garden.
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When you order elwesii Late scented you get Grumpy!!!
There were not just one but 10!
Any offers ;D
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
Equally, I have been round gardens that have so many of a particular snowdrop you wonder how it could possibly sell at £30 a bulb on the nursery stands. Personally, I have on average 5 bulbs of each different snowdrop in my collection so I would not be able to contribute. When the numbers I have of a bulb reach double figures I generally swap them or give them away to friends.
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
When the numbers I have of a bulb reach double figures I generally swap them or give them away to friends.
Alan
I agree with you - it is good to swap and even better to give them to friends. At least you know they are going to good homes where they should grow and multiply. My collection has benefitted through the generosity of friends, and sensible buying at local Shows.
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
On the other hand, I know lots of people with large art collections... I don't see them flogging their stuff off on ebay ( or anywhere else) at fixed prices so others can acquire them! :-X
Of course many gardeners swap plants... and I hope that is always the case, but it seems there is an element of the galanthophile set that are into compulsion....perhaps that's a hope that could be aimed at the Banking Sector, or the pricipal of Aberdeen University, who is about to get a 17% bonus in his final year!! ::) :o :-X
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Yes, Gerry assumes we could saturate the market but who knows if he is right. The thing that really would cause the bottom to fall out the ebay market if if people gave up buying snowdrops at inflated prices on ebay.
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Not quite so simple. There's another factor- the must-have new whizzo variety always commands a high price. Example? E A Bowles. Plenty of others. So the other side of this demand/price equation is this; should there be some control on the naming of new varieties, especially when one can scarcely tell any difference between the new whizzo and other existing cultivars? Example; how many different yellows are there, really? Or greentips? Once in a while a Green Tear or an Elizabeth Harrison appears, but are there really thirty distinctive new cultivars each year that are worth naming? Because that is what it seems to be running at. :'( :'( :'(
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A very good point, Steve, but at the same time we really need to rationalise the old cultivars and get rid of the ones that don't cut the mustard. What's really needed is some sort of Award of Galanthus Merit granted to really good and distinctive snowdrops. Of course, then you get into who should decide, what criteria should be used, should it cost money to apply for an award and other cans of worms.
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The other point is that the people who sell snowdrops commercially have a huge vested interest in maintaining a steady flow of new snowdrops - provided they can do this whilst maintaining their credibility.
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Someone going under the name Thunderbug is selling Green Man but the photo doesnt match
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282)
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Another e bay rarity here,with abuy it now price of £60 ,millionaires by the end of the season?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9)
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Is she taking the P? One nivalis for £60. Is she a forum member?
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Another e bay rarity here,with abuy it now price of £60 ,millionaires by the end of the season?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9)
Gosh. £60 for a nivalis dug from her orchard does seem 'slightly' overpriced..... :o
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If you look properly its 16th century and made of glass ;D ;D
So its a bargain ;D
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If people are willing to pay lots of money for snowdrops and when they have no friends to swap with, or no friends left, Ebay is a good opportunity!
I do want more attention to the fact that i do notice more and more virus in some very popular hybrids/ cultivars.
I found virus in Trym, South Hayes, Primrose Giant, Spindlestone Surprise, Edingburgh Ketton, Freds Giant, Celadon, Rodmarton, Marjorie Brown.
And there are some that i keep in observation! When people do twinscaling they should take the best plants and dont look at the ebayprices that get payed for it!
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Gosh. £60 for a nivalis dug from her orchard does seem 'slightly' overpriced..... :o
It doesn't actually say how many, could be thousands :o :o
What's also odd, is that she doesn't know how to spell her home town - Machynlleth ::)
If people are willing to pay lots of money for snowdrops and when they have no friends to swap with, or no friends left, Ebay is a good opportunity!
I agree, there's nothing wrong with Ebay, it's an open market and prices will be what people are prepared to pay. I've had a few bargains over the years 8) and a lot of fun ;D
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I do want more attention to the fact that i do notice more and more virus in some very popular hybrids/ cultivars.
I found virus in Trym, South Hayes, Primrose Giant, Spindlestone Surprise, Edingburgh Ketton, Freds Giant, Celadon, Rodmarton, Marjorie Brown......
Is there a definitive test for virus? For example, you might be able to prove snowdrop A has a virus by using it to deliberately infect snowdrop B and observing that snowdrop B goes on to show the same symptoms. The only symptom I am aware of is a striped appearance to the leaves and if this is not very marked then I worry that the diagnosis becomes subjective.
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Alan, the signs are dark or light green to yellow lines or stripes on the leaves. Different hybrids show different signs of virus. You can spot it on the pedicel and sometimes on the spathe too.
Do check the small ones near the motherplant if they show the same signs, most times they do!
There is a possibility of a Elisacheck but that is expensive, if you look good at the whole plant you dont need it.
When the plant show a bit twisted leafs or misshaped these can be the first signs of virus too.
I do keep the virused plants at another area to show people where to look at and how virus looks like, lots of people still dont.
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If you look properly its 16th century and made of glass ;D ;D
So its a bargain ;D
Gerard
Are you referring to the expensive nivalis? If not, which one please
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The buy now 60 GBP from Ebay
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But the description says NEW and growing on her Welsh hillside.
Why not sell it as your description, when it would easily achieve the Buy It Now price ???
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When its on a vaase you cant say its new and growing anymore Art.
I had not read the description, i only had a look at the photos and it looked like swarovsky, thats how snowdrops are on a vaase.
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Another e bay rarity here,with abuy it now price of £60 ,millionaires by the end of the season?
Fascinating! After I saw this last night I sent the seller a question about how many bulbs were included.... one or many? No answer so far!
If you have a look at her feedback, this is her first sale and her feedback as a buyer is none too great :o :-X
These ebay anomalies are nothing if not entertaining!
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Another e bay rarity here,with abuy it now price of £60 ,millionaires by the end of the season?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snowdrops-Galanthus-Nivalis_W0QQitemZ290415268553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item439e1952c9)
I have just had a reply from the seller and I see someone else has asked the same question of her....:
"I have 6 lots of 1000 green bulbs thankyou, Kath
-kath6587"
So, £60 for one thousand bulbs doesn't seem too bad, now, does it? ::)
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Someone going under the name Thunderbug is selling Green Man but the photo doesnt match
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282)
Mark you are correct,this is nothing like "Green Man"
I have sent a message ,so will wait for an interesting reply. ;D
Eric
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From today one snowdrop found by my friend Ian Christie
"Tinkerbell"/ Cinderella
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That's a cute one. Which is it?
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That's a cute one. Which is it?
I think it had to change it's name Mark due to the first choice being already taken?
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That's a cute one. Which is it?
I think it had to change it's name Mark due to the first choice being already taken?
Yes, but which is correct : Tinkerbell or Cinderella?
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Cinderella? It doesnt look like that in a garden I visited last week but maybe the gardener made the mistake
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That's a cute one. Which is it?
I think it had to change it's name Mark due to the first choice being already taken?
Yes, but which is correct : Tinkerbell or Cinderella?
My guess though is this one came from Ian the Christie kind... so, is this Cinderella Scottish?
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Someone going under the name Thunderbug is selling Green Man but the photo doesnt match
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Galanthus-GreenMan_W0QQitemZ180482818690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item2a059d4282)
Mark you are correct,this is nothing like "Green Man"
I have sent a message ,so will wait for an interesting reply. ;D
Eric
Has addmitted mistake on first photo but says second is correct ,but it is so poor it could be anything !!!!!
Eric
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yes it's difficult to tell :-\
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
On the other hand, I know lots of people with large art collections... I don't see them flogging their stuff off on ebay ( or anywhere else) at fixed prices so others can acquire them! :-X
Possibly not quite the same, however expensive the snowdrop ;) My point, which won't be lost on readers, is that this thread is self fulfilling. It allows us to bemoan prices in a public market, while quietly congratulating ourselves that we are 'the right sort' of people who don't need to stoop to mere money ::)
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Just a suggestion, but if everyone on this forum sold snowdrops on e-bay in quantity at fixed sensible prices then we should see the bottom fall out of the market. Sense would prevail 8)
On the other hand, I know lots of people with large art collections... I don't see them flogging their stuff off on ebay ( or anywhere else) at fixed prices so others can acquire them! :-X
Possibly not quite the same, however expensive the snowdrop ;)
yes, well, not QUITE the same, I grant you! ;)
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Possibly not quite the same, however expensive the snowdrop ;) My point, which won't be lost on readers, is that this thread is self fulfilling. It allows us to bemoan prices in a public market, while quietly congratulating ourselves that we are 'the right sort' of people who don't need to stoop to mere money ::)
Who's bemoaning? Well you are, Gerry, but I'm still not sure why. The eBay prices are "silly" because they often exceed the price you could pay for the same snowdrop from one of the specialist nurseries. Presumably the people who bid don't know this. This is the theme behind this thread.
But then we who pay more than £10 for a single bulb (and a small bulb at that) from the specialist nurseries are also silly because a bulb surely cannot be really worth that much? It's a bubble and one day it will burst and we will find the snowdrop we paid £50 for this year can be bought for £5 next year.
Most of the people on the forum like to swap but most of us also buy snowdrops. We may marvel a little at the prices we pay but we still pay them!
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The first name Ian used for this snowdrop was Tinkerbell. And i think he had the best rights on that name because the writer from Peter Pan came from Kirriemuir. Later we heard from Chris Sanham that this name had been choosen before. Now we have changed it into Cinderella, and yes its a Scottish one!
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Just joined this thread so apologies if it's been covered before but where is a good place to buy snowdrops (from specialist nurseries) at a "reasonable" price and how far in advance should one be ordering?
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I've been impressed with Avon bulbs plants and prices this year. They have even reduced the prices of some of the older but still very good varieties and they are offering free delivery on snowdrop orders.
This isn't to say there aren't a number of other good and reliable nurseries.
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Many snowdrop growers and nurseries issue "lists". In the first instance, have a look in the "2010 Catalogues" thread to find out which lists people are getting excited over.
Then some nurseries have sales tables at events. For example, a big part of Joe Sharman's "Galanthus Gala" is the scrum round the sales tables after the talks are over.
Gardens that open to show-off their snowdrops often have sales where you can buy some of the harder-to-find cultivars.
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A wee bird told me Ronald McKenzie sent out non flowering bulbs again.
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A wee bird told me Ronald McKenzie sent out non flowering bulbs again.
Perhaps if everyone sent them back things would improve.
Eric
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A wee bird told me Ronald McKenzie sent out non flowering bulbs again.
7 out of 8 plants were in flower... so no complaints from this quarter. Can't speak for the other three!!
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He sent me two of the variety that was non-flowering, so I'm not complaining either!
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A wee bird told me Ronald McKenzie sent out non flowering bulbs again.
Yes Ron did Mark, but for me I appreciated being sent two smaller bulbs of Ron Mackenzie in place of a flowering size bulb than getting none at all. This way I know I have it for next year and don't end up ordering the same cultivar from more than one source not knowing what will be available at the time of dispatch. In like manor Colin included a non flowering size Rosemary Burnham for £10 which again I much preferred to none at all.
John(M)
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Colin who? He sounds like a generous man!
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wow, very generous :o
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Colin who? He sounds like a generous man!
Colin Mason of Fieldgate Snowdrops. Colin issues a list in June and sometimes doesn't have enough flowering sized bulbs by the time he supplies his orders so reduces the price of the bulb accordingly.
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What did Grumpy sell for?
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102.10 ::)
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Loes you can have one from me for 20 % of that price! 8)
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Okay 10% then ;D
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Cheap at half the price! ;D ;D ;D
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Does Colin Mason supply by mail order?
How can you get his list for this June?
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Does Colin Mason supply by mail order? How can you get his list for this June?
Colin doesnt do mail order but brings bulbs to snowdrop events like the CGS snowdrop day and the Gala. My guess is his available list goes only to people he wants to send it to. I have asked a few times for the list but the answer is always the same "I don't do a list".
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5% Gerard,post free(and include a CHEAP Diggory)
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You drive a hard bargain Loes ;D
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Sorry Loes, cant get any lower, and i have sold out the cheap Diggory, i do have some expensive ones ;D
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Talking about Grumpy. I saw these last year in Scotland. Its not a elwesii but a plicatus :o :o
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I know Gerard.too bad. ;)
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I told Thunderbug on Ebay his Green Man isnt. S/he said
"You are very sad, I suppose you wrote the book , wore the tea shirt etc, just let the Ebayers decide. Find something better to do."
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It is that response which is sad, Mark..... given the trouble some Ebayers are getting into for flogging counterfeit merchandise, one wonders what the seller's reaction would be if a similar sanction was liable to be imposed for mis-representation of plant material!
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Just report them to Ebay. The "Ebayers" can "decide" all they like, if it's wrong it's wrong and they can't change that!
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E-bay for galanthus isn`t worth, to speak about it. Why do you do it?
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Unfortunately this is what will happen more and more,When people see how much certain drops are making,they think ah I have one like that in the garden,put it on the bay and some un witting person buys it,then when they have a good clump, decide also to sell it,
Easy money for the unscrupulous,and even worse on the bay is that now bidders are hidden you can not tell if the seller is actually bidding the price up of there own item
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even worse on the bay is that now bidders are hidden you can not tell if the seller is actually bidding the price up of there own item
I think that ebay will be monitoring for that type of behaviour, though, chas.... for it is illegal to do that in any auction format! I am sure I have read Ebay Terms and conditions were it is stated that checks are in place to prevent that.
Hagen, I think the reason some of us are so interested in the Ebay situation is the high prices soem snowdrops are fetching there, and the fact that in several cases, the plants being pictured/offered are not correctly named... it is a cause for concern that some people may be paying large amounts of money for something that is not what theuy think it is!
I realise that " caveat emptor " is the essence of such transactions, but it seems a shame that folks may be being cheated.
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Maggi, I can understand you. But in my normal life, I also would never have affiance to a anonym person. Do you would give 100€ without thinking to an unknown person, who want to sell you the blue from the heaven???
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Maggi, I can understand you. But in my normal life, I also would never have affiance to a anonym person. Do you would give 100€ without thinking to an unknown person, who want to sell you the blue from the heaven???
Maybe I would, if the blue looked the best blue! ;D ;) ;D
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Well Mark if you can't get on Colin M's mail list then I'm sure I wont :'(
Thanks for responding to my query.
There is someone offering a nice looking snowdrop on Ebay from an unnamed clump in their garden. I think it sold for £30ish.
I see now they have listed half a dozen of them starting at £20 each!!
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Look further back in the clump and there is at least one normal one!
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E-bay for galanthus isn`t worth, to speak about it. Why do you do it?
Totally agree, I have tried not to reply to this thread but it really winds me up and I am scared to say what I really think because If I do I may not be able to stop, its a really sad situation and not what growing plants is about, not just Galanthus but any plant.
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E-bay for galanthus isn`t worth, to speak about it. Why do you do it?
Totally agree, I have tried not to reply to this thread but it really winds me up and I am scared to say what I really think because If I do I may not be able to stop, its a really sad situation and not what growing plants is about, not just Galanthus but any plant.
Pat
I understand this thread as being a laugh at how ridiculous the prices are, so I see all the posts as being fun.
John
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I don't know if this is relevent to this thread but I think it is and bear with me as it is a bit long. Many years ago when I first started growing alpine plants before I had an interest in cyclamen and bulbs I was growing primulas, androsace and dionysias. Dionysias were very rare then there were no hybrids only a handful of species kept going by a few top growers. After obtaining all I could from people like Ron Beeston and Lismore Alpines (Brian Burrow) I wanted to get my hands on the really rare stuff. I contacted the people who grew them with mixed response. Only one person seemed willing to help and that was the late Eric Watson. I wrote to Eric and received beautiful hand written replies on brown paper which I still have and treasure to this day, this was followed by several phone conversations in which Eric flatly refused to put these plants in the post, if you want them then come to Newcastle and get them was his reply, so I did. I caught the overnight coach from Brighton to London and then to Newcastle. Eric picked me up at Gallowgate bus station at 6 30 am and drove me to his house where he made me breakfast. I spent the whole day with Eric at his house and in his garden, I was taken to another persons garden to look at his plants, I was given dinner and treated to a slide show in the evening before Eric took me back to the bus station at 11 pm to go back to London and Brighton . I came away with some beautiful rooted dionysia cuttings in 2in clay pots and little bags of cuttings of anything I had admired in his garden. I treasure the memories of that day and I have a tear in my eye as I am writing this. I was lucky enough to visit Eric again before he passed away to join his beloved wife nan in gods rock garden. What a contrast to this whole e bay thing where beautiful plants are sold to the highest bidder, everything Eric gave me was for free, just for the interest I had shown and the effort I had made. The great plantsman like Eric, Duncan Lowe, George Smith and others must be looking down and shaking their heads at what is going on now. I have never been on e bay, never wanted to and probally never will, I know life moves on but if this progress then you can keep it. If I have a plant that somebody wants then I would rather give it to them post free then sell it, just like Eric would have done god rest him.
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Could I just put in a word in defence of people buying on eBay, please? I have recently discovered the wonderful world of snowdrops. Our garden (and woodland bank and field) are full of singles and doubles and funny looking variations, but I wanted to get hold of some "real" varieties that I, as a beginner, can recognize and appreciate. I asked my friends and anyone I thought might know, where to get some, but I was met with blank faces all round. I rather naively put out a request on freecycle and at the same time offered anyone whom might like some singles or doubles from my garden. I had plenty of takers and gave away 8 ice cream boxes full of snowdrops, but not surprisingly, no offers of anything out of the ordinary came my way. Being the mother of a demanding 3-year old, I don't have much time to spare, so I have bid on a few snowdrops on eBay, as that is one way I can get hold of a few without travelling. Until you have some interesting snowdrops you don't really have much to swap with. So I apologise if I help fuel the snowdrop frenzy on eBay, but I've got myself three nice varieties so far, which is three more than I had a month ago!
Susanne
PS My snow drop monograph has finally arrived, so when my daughter goes to bed, I can get down to some reading. It should cut down on most of the obvious questions a novice would otherwise direct at the forum, you'll all be pleased to know!
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I'm a newbie here. Someone please help...
Is "Galanthus !!! LOST LABEL !!!", as seen on ebay, highly collectible?
Regards, Malcolm <sarcasm emoticon>
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I'm a newbie here. Someone please help...
Is "Galanthus !!! LOST LABEL !!!", as seen on ebay, highly collectible?
Regards, Malcolm <sarcasm emoticon>
Excellent, great stuff !
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Pat,
I and, I am sure, many members of the forum have been the recipients of generosity similar to that you experienced and feel that it is the best and proper way to go with plants - to share them with those who would appreciate them and enjoy growing them.
Susanne, buying from e-bay is an extraordinarily expensive way to obtain snowdrops. Although some of those who sell snowdrops commercially might be regarded as being expensive they ask nowhere near the prices on e-bay and they will post the snowdrops direct to your door. Don't let your rush to get a few new snowdrops rush you into e-bay. Deal with the many reputable snowdrop dealers instead.
Malcolm, Galanthus 'Lost Label' is a commonly grown cultivar in almost all snowdrop gardens. It is, however, very variable and seems to be different is each garden in which it is grown.
Paddy
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Malcolm, Galanthus 'Lost Label' is a commonly grown cultivar in almost all snowdrop gardens. It is, however, very variable and seems to be different is each garden in which it is grown.
Paddy
Lost label or lost it completly ?.
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Susanne, buying from e-bay is an extraordinarily expensive way to obtain snowdrops. Although some of those who sell snowdrops commercially might be regarded as being expensive they ask nowhere near the prices on e-bay and they will post the snowdrops direct to your door. Don't let your rush to get a few new snowdrops rush you into e-bay. Deal with the many reputable snowdrop dealers instead.
Paddy
Wise words Paddy, Susanne I am only a beginner like yourself but next year I will have some things to split and if I have anything you want you can have it for nothing, anything that helps to bring this galanthus ebay thing down is worth it. Plants for friends not for profit. Pat
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Thanks for the advice Paddy, but I don't think I've been hard done by so far. I've got an Augustus (or more like three bulbs) for £6.00 and 5 Ophelia for £7.00. As a Yorkshirelass (if only by adoption) I wouldn't leap into anything without a bit of research first.... It was the Boyd's Double that blew the budget, but then I really REALLY liked it...
Susanne
PS thanks for the offer Pat - likewise!
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Lovely story Pat.
I also agreed with what Susanne said re snowdrops on ebay - I have both bought and sold there (I sell a few each year in order to be able to justify buying more...) You just need to be a bit careful who you buy off but that applies anywhere not just ebay. Some of the experts forget that ebay is not all evil, it is an easy accessible place to buy from - I tried to get a ticket for the Galanthus Gala (posted my application by return of post) and they'd sold out and orders with 2 snowdrop specialists this year came back 'sold out'.
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If you've ever bought a plant at all then I don't think it fair to disapprove of people who buy plants on eBay. You may wish to disapprove of the people who sell but if they are reputable sellers then it is a very good way to reach a wide market. There are some very kind and generous plantsmen and women out there who will give away some of what they grow but equally there are nurserymen who must make a living selling the plants they raise. You might make money out of a garden centre but many specialist plant nurseries struggle to get by.
But eBay has two big problems:
- Snowdrops sold on eBay are frequently not what they purport to be and eBay offers very little protection against this type of fraud. For example I don't think the snowdrop depicted here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-Very-Rare-Galanthus-AILWYN-Snowdrop-Flowering-Bulb_W0QQitemZ250599994959QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item3a58ec764f#ht_1950wt_1137 really is 'Ailwyn' (though I could be wrong).
- As others have observed, snowdrops often fetch higher then their 'market' price.
So eBay buyer, beware.
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I am a buyer and seller on ebay, and I'm afraid I can't afford to give away all the plants that I've spent a lot of time, effort, skill and initial expense on over the three or four years it takes to raise them to flowering size. It is a part of my income as a very small nursery. Friends will know that I also exchange or give as gifts plenty of bulbs too, and to put a couple of interesting snowdrops onto ebay is a way to grab buyers' attention and help to sell other plants that they might not otherwise notice.
It is a matter of personal choice for anyone to buy a plant, at whatever price they feel they are prepared to pay. Even the price paid for the most expensive plant probably pales into insignificance next to what plenty of people would pay for a designer garment or even a meal in an expensive restaurant. And next year you will still hopefully be getting pleasure from your purchase, and it will have multiplied too!
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By the way, I bought some of those Ailwyn, I think....
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If you've ever bought a plant at all then I don't think it fair to disapprove of people who buy plants on eBay. You may wish to disapprove of the people who sell but if they are reputable sellers then it is a very good way to reach a wide market.
I agree with Alan_b but add that even if you haven't bought a plant it isn't fair to disapprove of people who buy (or sell) plants on eBay. Ebay is an open market, the prices are set by what people are prepared to pay for something they presumably cannot get any other way. I also couldn't get a ticket to the gala as it was sold out before I received my letter, and I can't get to other events that happen on weekdays or other times I am busy. I have bought very good plants for what I consider good prices. I have often received more plants than I expected, not all eBay sellers are disreputable, indeed several are forum members ;)
I have had very generous gifts from forum members for which I am very grateful but I feel guilty in accepting a plant for which I cannot send anything back. I have sent out plants and seed myself although not always to the same people so try and pay it forward if I cannot pay it back. I am also grateful for the knowledge here and the ability to consult and check that plants are what they say they are.
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If you've ever bought a plant at all then I don't think it fair to disapprove of people who buy plants on eBay. You may wish to disapprove of the people who sell but if they are reputable sellers then it is a very good way to reach a wide market. There are some very kind and generous plantsmen and women out there who will give away some of what they grow but equally there are nurserymen who must make a living selling the plants they raise. You might make money out of a garden centre but many specialist plant nurseries struggle to get by.
A reasonable point.
Maybe what disturbed Pat is the existence of a special thread on Snowdrop prices. Why? There is no comparable thread on Crocus or Narcissus prices. Or even on Hepatica prices which can be grotesque. Why are Galanthophiles so concerned with the cash value of their plants? It strikes me as bizarre.
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Maybe what disturbed Pat is the existence of a special thread on Snowdrop prices. Why? There is no comparable thread on Crocus or Narcissus prices. Or even on Hepatica prices which can be grotesque. Why are Galanthophiles so concerned with the cash value of their plants? It strikes me as bizarre.
I've never seen crocus, narcissus or hepatica on eBay except ordinary garden centre varieties. Galanthus on eBay is a unique phenomenon, and for some, an intriguing spectator (or participatory) sport.
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There seem to be two stems to this thread: (1) the prices people are prepared to pay for them and (2) people jumping on the band wagon and selling something they have found it growing in their garden and as it looks like a rarity they advertise it as such. Many people are unaware that a named clone must be traceable back to the original bulb. I sometimes wonder why 'Grumpy' is regarded as special when so many elwesii look just like it. I agree Alan, the plant on Ebay isn't 'Ailwyn'. Probably just another bog standard double. 'Ailwyn' is so beautiful when viewed from below.
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Why are Galanthophiles so concerned with the cash value of their plants? It strikes me as bizarre.
If you read this thread and other similar earlier ones you will see time and again that the galanthophiles here are not concerned with the cash value of their plants but with the two issues I mentioned previously. There have been several occasions when concerted action from this forum has forced the seller of a misnamed snowdrop to withdraw, but we cannot do this every time it happens.
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It happened last year with someone selling plicatus from their garden as 'Sophie North'. They appeared unaware that you can't apply a name just because something looks like it. I wonder how many garden centre 'Grumpy's' have been sold on Ebay?
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I can understand & sympathise with a concern over the correct identification of plants. But if this is the real issue, why is the thread headed "Snowdrop prices 2010"?
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It is about snowdrop prices 2010. This misidentification problem just makes it worse. At least I haven't heard of anyone selling 'Flore Pleno' as 'Flocon de Neige' this year.
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It is about snowdrop prices 2010. This misidentification problem just makes it worse. At least I haven't heard of anyone selling 'Flore Pleno' as 'Flocon de Neige' this year.
No, just 'Ailwyn', perhaps?
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This thread was named by the thread starter....... who began it by stating ...
:D
I thought I'd try some good news as an antidote to the "Withdrawal Symptoms" thread whilst waiting for the thaw being hinted at for the end of next week.
Ebay selling prices for 44 different varieties of snowdrops sold over the past four weeks show an 18% drop over the 2009 prices for the same varieties.
A health warning; the main Ebay buying season is yet to come and white fever may yet push prices up again. Or maybe the recession is actually having an effect. Or it could be that more sellers such as "galanthusboy" are slowly emerging and producing a more diverse market place. As I have commented previously, part of the inflated market is down to individuals who have good stocks of certain wanted varieties but won't share or sell them to the people who want to grow them. I recall one lucky possessor of a clump of well over fifty plants (at a conservative estimate) of a scarce snowdrop variety who assured me she would be sharing them only with her friends.
Fortunately I have encountered far more snowdrop enthusiasts who will readily share, swap or sell plants where they have spares.
Wendy's Gold is an interesting example of a variety whose price has steadily reduced as a good supply of bulbs has become available, but Bill Clark and Primrose Warburg are counter-examples where this supply/price effect has yet to benefit buyers.
One final comment; full marks to one or two nurserymen who are working hard to produce sufficient stocks of desired bulbs.
So, you see , any other discussion re high prices and misnamed bulbs has evolved from a simple beginning ......Steve might have chosen to call the thread anything...."Today's thoughts from Biggles" for instance ;D.....it seems to me that the title does cover roughly the main subject matter as intended. Yes, there may be a preponderence of posts re ebay.... hardly surprising since the most outrageous prices have been seen there, but when I hear of the £150 EA Bowles bulbs at the 'drop events, it seems there is no shortage of pricey 'drops to discuss....and the balance of opinion seems to be that forumists prefer the " forum way" of swapping wherever possible....so there is actually very little disagreement in that area.... it's a subject of conversation, just like any other. :D The discussion of mis-selling wrongly named bulbs came about because forumists see bulbs being offered ...and bid for, at high prices when it is pretty evident that the buyer is being sold a dud.... that is a matter for reasonable concern, I think, and is a simple divergence in the thread, on a related point.
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Yes Alan the Ailwyn's look just like good nivalis flore pleno
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I told Thunderbug on Ebay his Green Man isnt. S/he said
"You are very sad, I suppose you wrote the book , wore the tea shirt etc, just let the Ebayers decide. Find something better to do."
Thunderbug is also offering a 'Jamie Broughton' he claims has been "established in my garden for over 60 years".
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Ah, thanks guys re Ailwyn - what a laugh we'll all have next year when they flower! :'( :'(
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Thunderbug is also offering a 'Jamie Broughton' he claims has been "established in my garden for over 60 years".
Would one need to rent a Tardis?
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Joe says Thunderbug is selling crap!
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I have bought off Ebay but have only placed bids slightly over the normal catalogue price & have had some very good snowdrops.
Beth Chatto Gardens on Ebay have always supplied me with superb snowdrops & often when you are bidding on only one bulb they will send two bulbs or one bulb that could easily have been divided & made into two before dispatch.
I remember reading on this forum last year of people who said one of their collections would make a very good start for a novice galanthophile.
If only all sellers were as good.
PS I have no financial interest in Beth Chatto Gardens. ;D
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Have to second what you say about Beth Chatto's, Mike. I have found them to be always generous with their snowdrops. One means one and an offset, two means three, three means four or five and always good quality and healthy.
Paddy
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It was , I think, Art600 last year who posted pix of the great packages of snowdrops he's got from Beth Chatto Gasrdens via Ebay.
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I successfully bid for "3" 'Baylham' last year. I stopped counting when I had separated bulb 15 from the clump! 8)
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Thanks for remembering that info Maggi, I think I've said this before.........What would we do without you? :-*
And yes Paddy always such healthy, robust bulbs & very well packed.
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>Beth Chatto Gardens on Ebay have always supplied me with superb snowdrops & often when you are bidding on only one bulb they will send >two bulbs or one bulb that could easily have been divided & made into two before dispatch.
Ditto, but then Beth Chatto Gardens is an established business with a reputation to lose
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and my response...
I have bought a few times in the past snowdrops on ebay.from forum members,or now-forummembers or known nurseries.always got the real thing and for a good price.and the reason?
some specialist nurseries do not sell to Holland,some nurseries have ridiculous sending costs,some nurseries want a large order which I dont always want and some snowdrops are not sold at the online nurseries.
My purchases were to my satisfaction but I did not bid on very expensive/rare drops.
This year however I only bought one drop and when it came I had my doubts for the correct name.I told the seller and got ,all,my money back.(I suggested to share the costs but got it all).
so,I had one misnamed drop but that also happened with a very well known and respectable nursery.
ebay can be fun and you can buy a nice drop but you have to be carefull and wise.
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and my response...
I have bought a few times in the past snowdrops on ebay.from forum members,or now-forummembers or known nurseries.always got the real thing and for a good price.and the reason?
some specialist nurseries do not sell to Holland,some nurseries have ridiculous sending costs,some nurseries want a large order which I dont always want and some snowdrops are not sold at the online nurseries.
My purchases were to my satisfaction but I did not bid on very expensive/rare drops.
This year however I only bought one drop and when it came I had my doubts for the correct name.I told the seller and got ,all,my money back.(I suggested to share the costs but got it all).
so,I had one misnamed drop but that also happened with a very well known and respectable nursery.
ebay can be fun and you can buy a nice drop but you have to be carefull and wise.
Hi Loes
I am sure you have been satisfied with purchases from me in past years. ;)
It is a shame that I have had to stop posting outside of the UK this year due to very long postal delays causing plants to arrive in poor condition.
Eric
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Hi Eric,
yes I was! ;D
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Hi Eric,
yes I was! ;D
That"s good. ;)
If you are honest and supply good quality ,correct named plants customers always return.
Beth Chatto gardens are not the only ones who send out extra plants. ;)
I do not sell many snowdrops these days and consentrate mainly on orchid sales which self finances my heavy spending on plants during the year . Everyone gains from my Ebay sales - the nurseries and other suppliers to forum members who look at my photos.
Good job for Ebay in my opinion. ;) ;) ;)
Although it is a pity some sellers can give the rest of us a bad name that is not deserved. :'(
Eric
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Proves that honesty is the best policy Eric.
I have never used EBay for buying or selling and I doubt if I ever will. Really it's the anonimity of the process that puts me off. I like to know who I'm dealing with and I like who I am dealing with to know me.
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Proves that honesty is the best policy Eric.
I have never used EBay for buying or selling and I doubt if I ever will. Really it's the anonimity of the process that puts me off. I like to know who I'm dealing with and I like who I am dealing with to know me.
David many customers from ebay have become good friends and I have made many contacts also.
Eric
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I do sell to the Netherlands/Holland ;D
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> and even worse on the bay is that now bidders are hidden you can not tell if
> the seller is actually bidding the price up of there own item.
I have to confess to buying the odd item off ebay, but DO prefer seeing the whites of the eyes of the person selling.
Once or twice, I have had a 'You have a second chance to buy this item'. ebay indicates that this might be because the buyer has failed to cough up.
I've always thought why can't I buy at the price before this mystery buyer started pushing the price up?
As said before, buyer beware.
Malcolm.
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Once or twice, I have had a 'You have a second chance to buy this item'. ebay indicates that this might be because the buyer has failed to cough up.
I always thought it indicated that the seller had at least a few, if not a few hundred of the item, but wanted to push up the price by making it appear that there was only the one available.
"When to use a Second Chance Offer
You can make a Second Chance Offer to someone when:
Your item didn’t sell because the reserve price wasn’t met
You have duplicate items for sale
The winning bidder didn’t pay you"
Of course, it can also be a total scam http://www.safefromscams.co.uk/EbaySecondChanceScam.html
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Once or twice, I have had a 'You have a second chance to buy this item'. ebay indicates that this might be because the buyer has failed to cough up.
I've been offered a "second chance" several times when I haven't won an item. On the whole, it's seems like a dodgy practice, it could be due to someone pushing the price up, or just that the seller has more than one and is trying to get the best price rather than relisting and risking it not going so high. On the whole I don't go along with this as I wouldn't want to encourage the practice. However, I did succumb to a second chance recently, and actually ended up with 5 bulbs when I thought I was getting one. I do judge the seller from the feedback and also from the quality of the photograph and text in the listing (don't trust people who can't get a picture in focus and certainly not if they can't spell!!)
I've noticed an increasing trend (or maybe it's the same person several times) putting a link in to a picture on Mark's site which I think is dodgy as this is not the plant for sale, just what they think it might be. Are you OK with this practice Mark?
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Not all EBay sellers are as bad as might be inferred from this thread.
I established a good relationship with one seller who always sent more bulbs that stated in the lot description. They were excellent quality, packed very well and arrived in good time. I was offered two 'second chances', at my bid, both at a considerable discount to the winning bids.
As Diane said, read the feedback, scrutinise the information and photo(s) and then make a bid. Of course, know your snowdrops and their availability from recognised sources, and do not bid up to silly prices.
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Anne I only allow the link to stay if I know the person who is selling but I have to trust them to sell the actual plant. I have asked for the link to be removed many times.
My photos appear very often. If the person hasnt asked I give them two options 1. remove it or 2. I report them to Ebay. I get requests to use photos but only allow people I trust/know
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I do sell to the Netherlands/Holland ;D
Hi Gerald.
I found post between the Netherlands and UK to be the worst with regards postal delays in either direction. Often mail would take two weeks or more which is OK with dormant orchid bulbs, but certainly not worth risking with snowdrops .Final straw came last year when a package of around twenty snowdrops of mixed ebay and private sales took well over two weeks and arrived in a mush .I decided this was the last time I was prepared to replace like this.
This year postage to the EU seems even worse with two weeks + deliveries to all countries quite normal.
Eric
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Once or twice, I have had a 'You have a second chance to buy this item'. ebay indicates that this might be because the buyer has failed to cough up.
I've been offered a "second chance" several times when I haven't won an item. On the whole, it's seems like a dodgy practice, it could be due to someone pushing the price up, or just that the seller has more than one and is trying to get the best price rather than relisting and risking it not going so high. On the whole I don't go along with this as I wouldn't want to encourage the practice. However, I did succumb to a second chance recently, and actually ended up with 5 bulbs when I thought I was getting one. I do judge the seller from the feedback and also from the quality of the photograph and text in the listing (don't trust people who can't get a picture in focus and certainly not if they can't spell!!)
I've noticed an increasing trend (or maybe it's the same person several times) putting a link in to a picture on Mark's site which I think is dodgy as this is not the plant for sale, just what they think it might be. Are you OK with this practice Mark?
As a sellers point of view - Second Chance offers are a good way of increasing sales of items that you may have many off and can easily double ones evening sales without paying any listing fees. I find only about 50% take up on these even though the price offered can be much lower than the original selling price.
Eric
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Eric, when they are posted on a monday before 5pm and not signed for, but with priority, it takes 6 days or at least 8 days. From the Uk to the Netherlands and diverse it takes the same time.
I try next time to post them on a friday before 5 pm and see if it takes less time!
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The Seed Exchange has been beset this year by postal problems..... some packets taking well over a month to arrive :'( >:( The deliveries of Seedlists and Journals seem to be affected too.... goodness only knows what the postal service is thinking off.... not concentrating on delivering mail, that seems certain!
As to posting plants or bulbs; I would never post on a Friday or Saturday. I wouldn't post on a Thursday unless it was for a guaranteed next day delivery in the UK.
At least with a weekday posting one has a fighting chance of the parcel starting out on its journey in good time.... the prospect of it sitting in a depot over a weekend in who knows what temperatures is not a good one!
I know that our Canadian Forumists have highlighted a problem with the chance of seeds etc being frozen in transit.... it's a tough old world out there for a parcel, and no mistake!! :-\ :-X
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Post seems to be getting slower and slower. 30 years ago I had some butterfly eggs posted from Queensland Australia on a Monday arrive on the Thursday the same week.
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> and even worse on the bay is that now bidders are hidden you can not tell if
> the seller is actually bidding the price up of there own item.
I have to confess to buying the odd item off ebay, but DO prefer seeing the whites of the eyes of the person selling.
Once or twice, I have had a 'You have a second chance to buy this item'. ebay indicates that this might be because the buyer has failed to cough up.
I've always thought why can't I buy at the price before this mystery buyer started pushing the price up?
As said before, buyer beware.
.
Malcolm.
Second chance has just produced two primrose warburgs for the price I was willing to pay for one
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Post coming in to N Ireland from England is usually next day excluding Christmas and Easter
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nivalis April Fool is at £20 on Ebay. What the bidders dont realise is it tends not to do what the name suggests
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What the bidders dont realise is it tends not to do what the name suggests
I would say it does exactly what the name suggests. By which I mean that if you believe it will flower in April (in the UK) then you have been fooled!
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;D ;D ;D
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phew! I thought you were going to say your plant/s always flower in April
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Is it an idea for having a list somewhere in the forum of really bad ebayers
those who you almost can call criminal
because they are fooling newbee,s like me
Not just for snowdrops
I don't mean the serious ones who sometimes make a mistake
Roland
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Is it an idea for having a list somewhere in the forum of really bad ebayers
those who you almost can call criminal
because they are fooling newbee,s like me
Not just for snowdrops
I don't mean the serious ones who sometimes make a mistake
Roland
No, I don't think this is a good idea. We can point out the snowdrops we think have been "misidentified" although there are limits to what you can tell from a photograph. But we cannot know if the seller intended to deceive of just made a genuine mistake. People buying on eBay must know that they are taking a much greater risk than if they are buying from a regular shop or, for plants, a regular nursery. So buyers should be very cautious. It is against eBay rules and against the law to advertise one item for sale and then send something different so sellers need to be very careful also.