Galanthus in January 2017

[annew]

Galanthus 'Eilys Elisabeth Hartley'. Named in the memory of a baby girl, I was hoping to launch this variety this spring, but the potted bulb was eaten! Here are the stock bulbs in growth.


A nice Christmas present from the local cats which they left in one of my plunge frames 

[Rick Goodenough]

We have often discussed the false selling of  expensive, named snowdrops on Ebay etc but  here is  a reminder that those selling  "ordinary 'drops - and other bulbs- can also be crooked.... http://www.hortweek.com/illegal-bulb-trader-prosecuted/ornamentals/article/1419628

Arrgghh...also amazed at the slap on the hand. Such abuse would slow to a crawl if they would throw the book at these creeps. Did authorities or rightful owners ever find the culprits who made off with G. e. 'Carolyn Elwes'?

Most ne'er-do-well here would not know a Snowdrop from a white dandelion.

Rick

[Rick Goodenough]

Galanthus 'Eilys Elizabeth Hartley'. Named in the memory of a Welsh Baby girl, I was hoping to launch this variety this spring, but the potted bulb was eaten! Here are the stock bulbs in growth.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
A nice Christmas present from the local cats which they left in one of my plunge frames 

Anne, those darn cats...that is a beauty and I look forward to the day I can add it here. Is there more you can tell of the Welsh baby girl?

Rick

[Brian Ellis]

Galanthus 'Eilys Elizabeth Hartley'. Named in the memory of a Welsh Baby girl, I was hoping to launch this variety this spring, but the potted bulb was eaten! Here are the stock bulbs in growth.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
A nice Christmas present from the local cats which they left in one of my plunge frames 

A lovely new snowdrop Anne...unlike the present

[Rick Goodenough]

Happy to have drops blooming today 5 January 2017, G. 'Handel' and G. gracilis.

Rick

[johnw]

G. reginae-olgae still in flower here, a tad tattered from one brutally cold day in mid-December but standing tall.

I checked into the usual weather chanel on the internet this morning and clicked short range forecast, remarkably it said snow starting at 9:40 till 9:51 and a repeat at 11:50.  I was stunned as the timing was spot on to the very minute.

john
+1c

[johnw]

A shame he wasn't fined at £20 a bulb.

Plus the return of all monies from eBay transactions and payable to the group that replanted the stolen ones or to the park in question.  The rat got off too lightly.

[Blonde Ingrid]

We have often discussed the false selling of  expensive, named snowdrops on Ebay etc but  here is  a reminder that those selling  "ordinary 'drops - and other bulbs- can also be crooked.... http://www.hortweek.com/illegal-bulb-trader-prosecuted/ornamentals/article/1419628

The pure economics of this fine are hopeless, 5000 bulbs, going rate of £100 for 100 bulbs on Ebay, less fine and costs = £4525 PBT or 91% margin. He has probably already dug them back up!!

Going rate established by a simple check on Ebay today before posting:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-Single-Snowdrop-Galanthus-Nivalis-Spring-Flowering-CHEAP-/131642606639?hash=item1ea682c42f:g:PZoAAOSw~bFWNoBx

or higher

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-Single-Snowdrop-Galanthus-Nivalis-Spring-Flowering-CHEAP-/131889293619?hash=item1eb536e933:g:9BcAAOSwtnpXl0vZ

[Alan_b]

Hold on, I agree the fine seems cheap but the going rate I found for 50 snowdrop bulbs on eBay was £10 or less.  So I think the value of 5000 bulbs is nearer £1000 (of which something like 15% would go to eBay and Paypal in commission). 

The article says:

Magistrates gave Adams maximum credit after hearing that he had fully cooperated with the police investigation. As well as the fines, he must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

So in my estimate he will have to pay about half the sum he might have hoped to make, and that is after the "maximum credit" he got for being co-operative. 

[johnw]

Alan - Are you certain he sold them all as artificially-propagated nivalis?  I'd bet some were sold as expensive named forms given the man's past behaviour.  His assault on this native stand alone merits a hefty fine.


johnw

[Cfred72]

G. reginae-olgae still in flower here, a tad tattered from one brutally cold day in mid-December but standing tall.

I checked into the usual weather chanel on the internet this morning and clicked short range forecast, remarkably it said snow starting at 9:40 till 9:51 and a repeat at 11:50.  I was stunned as the timing was spot on to the very minute.

john
+1c

With us they have just finished blooming. They started in October

[Alan_b]

Alan - Are you certain he sold them all as artificially-propagated nivalis? 

I'm not certain about anything to do with this case.  But nor am I certain that all the named snowdrops we grow ourselves were originally acquired in a manner that is totally above-board.  Some, like 'Three Ships' have a detailed back-story about exactly where they came from and why they are not still there.  Ian Christie's Brechin Castle snowdrops also come to mind.  Many, like 'Green Light' and sister plant 'Charlotte Jean' were collected with the permission of the landowner but from a location that is undisclosed to preserve the site and to preserve the owner from inconvenience.  However I suspect there remain some that were originally taken from locations such as verges where the landowner was not apparent or easily-traced and maybe even a few that were taken without any attempt to ask permission from the landowner or taken in the knowledge that permission, if sought, would not be granted.             

[fermi de Sousa]

Hold on, I agree the fine seems cheap but the going rate I found for 50 snowdrop bulbs on eBay was £10 or less.  So I think the value of 5000 bulbs is nearer £1000 (of which something like 15% would go to eBay and Paypal in commission). 

The article says:
So in my estimate he will have to pay about half the sum he might have hoped to make, and that is after the "maximum credit" he got for being co-operative.

This article states that he was fined £370  plus the £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs - still doesn't sound enough
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news-1265a8ab-d48b-41b5-a7d5-600dac1edcc7-ds
cheers
fermi

[Cfred72]

Who has never been tempted to collect seeds, cuttings, a plant ... In nature or in a garden ... From there to depopulate a site to trade, it is something else ... Not so long ago, plant hunters would have devastated entire regions for trade. However, I agree. Once a species or site is protected, do not touch. This is the problem I encounter with my wooded plot and its Narcissus pseudonarcissus. http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14171.0

[Alan_b]

This article states that he was fined £370  plus the £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs - still doesn't sound enough

I wholeheartedly agree as a general case but in this particular instance the magistrate chose to exercise leniency because the perpetrator had cooperated with the police.  I don't want to criticise the magistrate for that decision because I was not there to hear the full facts of the case.