Obtaining hepatica plants in Italy??

[Mad]

Hello!
I'm really new (it's my first message! )...
My name is Madalina and I'm living in Italy, in the Maggiore Lake region. My interest for hepatica is a newborn too as I found my first "different" plant (rose instead of blue) some two weaks ago by the woods behind my house. I wondered if it was some special kind of hepatica... and I've searched in the web. Unfortunately, we don't have any information about hepatica culture in Italy and it's not considered as a garden plant but as a wild one. So I've found the SRGC website, wrote and e-mail and... here I am! Thanks to the wonderful answer of Ms. Maggi Young.
So, I'm looking for some cultivar of hepatica and I wonder if you know where I could ask for them (which nursery)?
What about seeds? Are they difficult?
My soil is acid.
Thank you all!
Mad

P.S.: I saw now the Hepatica section, I begg your pardon and please, Admin, could you put my message there?

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Madi,
 I'm pleased to welcome you to the Forum... and for your very kind words! 

I think you will be amazed by the variety of beautiful Hepaticas that you see on the Forum. Sadly, some of these are in very short supply and are very expensive, when they are available, but there are many very lovely types that you will be able to source to begin a collection.

I think you have already found some links through this website, and I suggest you drop any  Nurseries listing hepaticas an email to see if they will send to Italy and it may well be that there are other Forum members who may be able to help you out.... there is a lot of expertise and knowledge in this Forum   
 There is also an archived ( read only, but searchable) version of the Forum, here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi

and these are just a few of the pages  that are full of yet more hepaticas... there are others, too!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/4/7071.html

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/4/27630.html

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/4/24827.html

 I hope you will discove lots of interesting things about these plants!

And Guess who is responsible for moving  your message?!!   I am everywhere!!

[Maggi Young]

I would also recommend you view these websites of two Forumists.... there are lots of superb  plants  to enjoy there,   and both these sites have great Hepatica photos....

Ewelina Wajgert, Poland       http://waja.strefa.pl/

 Hannelotte Kindlund, Sweden    http://www.abc.se/~m8449/

[Joakim B]

Regarding members with nice webpages about hepatica there are two Danes that have nice webpages.
Gunhild Poulsen
http://www.gtpoulsen.dk/The%20Garden%20frontpage.htm

And Kalle-K DK  (Karl Kristensen)
http://www.kalle-k.dk/english1.htm

Many hepatica seems to come true from seeds so maybe obtaining fresh seeds is a good way. Doubles are trickier but singles can be obtained this way.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Mad]

Thank you Maggi!!!
This is my first and only hepatica for now...

[ichristie]

Dear Madalina, I would be happy to send you some small hepatica seedlings which would be a mixed lot, I would put them in some moss and hope they arrive quickly, please contact me at ianchristie@btconnect.com with address etc,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[EinMy]

Dear madalina,
I think the nearest nursery to you will be in Austria, at least when it comes to a wider range of plants for sale. I would suggest that you check out this address and see if it is to your liking: http://www.jldesign.at/sarastro-stauden/german/sortiment.php?le=C&cat=1

Best regards
Einar

[Mad]

Einar, I remained astonished!  Thanks, I will visit one day, be sure of it!  And not only for Hepaticas 

[ChrisB]

Ciao Madalina!  Welcome here.  Your region of Italy is wonderful.  I have only been there once so far, but am hoping to return one day.  I so enjoyed the gardens on the islands, and also Villa Taranto, which was just down the road from our hotel.  Hope you enjoy being here.  If you get a moment, could you add your location to your profile so we all know where you are growing your plants?

[Mad]

Hi Chris. Thanks! Indeed the place is beautiful, especially in some moments of the year.

I am very happy to be here, this forum is wonderful and the people in here are very nice and especially helpful. 

[ChrisB]

Thanks, Madalina!  We all feel like a big international virtual family here, with one special thing in common, we all love our plants!  Please stay and join in the fun...