Wild collected seed from Nepal available - pm me.

[andy_pennington]

I have asked a friend to collect some small quantities of seed whilst he is leading treks in the Eastern Himalaya during the Autumn. He generally knows what he is looking at. 

At the moment he is just collecting very small quantities just for me. However, if anyone is interested in trying some for the cost of postage and packing to you, please pm me and I can ask him to increase quantities a little and look for specifics if you want to ask him to try to get something specially.
I am expecting/hoping for Meconopsis/Primula/Gentiana plus I don't know what else. Won't know until November/December 2008 what will arrive.  These will all be collected from outside the National Parks, and quantities will be small to moderate, so I don't think can be construed as being too harmful to the floral environment.

So, if you want to try some Cremanthodium or those woolly Saussurea let me know. :-)

Andy.

[Carlo]

...a generous offer.

Why not just collect a bit more and donate to the SRGC exchange? This makes it much easier for anyone outside the UK to participate (albeit vicariously) in the treks.

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Andy, welcome to the Forum.

If there is responsibly collected seed available, then I can only second.... most heartily.... Carlo's suggestion to make a donation of that seed to the SRGC seed exchange!!

[andy_pennington]

Point taken: I will definitely do this, if it is moderately successful, and I can arrange it again.

The seed won't be received (for definite) until after the SRGC seed exchange is 'finished' (November at best) - and I can't predict what will be received. So I'm not sure how it would work getting it into the seed list.

I can donate for the following year, depending upon what my friend sends, but by then the seed will be a year old or so, which is not good, is it? I'm sure the really fresh seed is most likely to be successful.

I also thought this would be a nice way of making contact with some like-minded people, and perhaps people who would be willing to share their successes and failures with me as well.

I do take the point, though. If it works out, I will endeavour to do that next time around, or if there is too little interest from the forum, I will certainly send it on to the SRGC exchange.  Seed won't be going on the compost heap, you can be sure.

I also have a contact who lives on the Alto Plano of Bolivia.
Does anyone know anything of the flora of that region? Is it suitable for European 'alpine' gardening?
He lives at about 4000m in the Oruro region.

Andy.

[Maggi Young]

Andy, it is great that you have taken our message about the exchange on board so wholeheartedly, thank you! But, as you say, if seed is received too late for the exchange, then getting it fresh to like-minded growers is the best idea..... I don't doubt you will find some happy recipients in these pages!!

[admin]

The seed won't be received (for definite) until after the SRGC seed exchange is 'finished' (November at best) - and I can't predict what will be received. So I'm not sure how it would work getting it into the seed list.

I took part in 2 expeditions to Nepal in 1995 and 1997 and we had the same problem. Perhaps a more dynamic  online seed exchange would help although it might not be too  popular with more traditionalist  members.

[Giles]

Dear Andy,
I'd love any primula seed going.
I'll 'pm' you,
Giles