New Seed List

[Susan]

My seed list arrived yesterday.  Thanks for all those goodies. They were inspected by MAF and I had nothing removed, so it was well worth it to use the MAF site and not order anything that was not allowed.

Thank you to all those involved with the seed list, for overseas members it is a marvellous way of obtaining seed and we do appreciate all the effort that goes into the list and its distribution.

Susan

[grannysmith]

My seeds arrived today. How exciting!  All else gets put aside until I see what goodies I have got. The dreaded Q people took 14pkts but thats ok. The others more than make up for it. Cant understand them though.  ???They took 1 pkt of hermadactlys and passed another as ok! Grateful thanks to all concerned, donors and packers and organisers. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

[fermi de Sousa]

Maggi,
thanks for enquiring on my behalf. My worries were groundless as the seed arrived at the end of the week! yay! Only one packet removed by AQIS, so not a bad result. Marjorie, it's worth a 'phone call to AQIS to find out why a aprticular packet was taken, but remember that they are clerical workers not botantists (or probably even gardeners!). Otto had to explain that a certain Frit had changed names and that was why it wasn't on their "allowed" list!
Thanks to all those involved with the SRGC Seedex, from the donors to the packers and the poor compiler who has to deal with late arrivals (usually including yours truly, but I do e-mail a list before the cut off date for printing) and all the vagaries of sequencing, printing and posting the seedlist.
Now I just need some cool weather and enough time to get the potting/sowing factory up and running!
cheers
fermi

[PEAK]

Still no seeds
Does anyone know if all seeds has been sent out by now? Normally mail to Sweden should take no more than a few days.
End of the grumpiness, the journal did arrive today
As always a magnificent piece, I am a member of quite many plant/gardening societys, (too many according to my girl friend), but I would say that this is the most interesting journal of them all! A big thanks to all of you putting effort into it

[Maggi Young]

Per-Ake, your seeds should be on their way to you by now. Unless, you were one of those people who did not write their addresses on the form: there are a few of those waiting to be identified, believe it or not!
Ian Bainbridge tells me "All UK, European and almost all rest of world orders are now despatched.
 
Many US orders are ditto.
 
We have about 40-50 orders to compile lists of species for customs in US Aus and NZ; these will be sorted this week
 
We have about 20 other US orders waiting for resolution of their documentation. "

We do not all have our Journals, yet, even in this country, so the post can be odd!
So, that is how things stand: wait a little longer, perhaps there is just a postal delay.

[PEAK]

Thanks a lot Maggi
I sure hope that I am not one of these absent-minders So there is still hope, this evening I can approach my mail box with new energy!
The journal will surely make the wait easier
Again thanks!
Per-Ake

[Maggi Young]

My pleasure, Per-Ake... and today our Journal has arrived !

[Cgull49]

I'm happy to say that I received my seeds about two weeks ago and managed to get 22 out of 25 first choices.  I'm thrilled.

Then on Tuesday of this week I received my surplus seeds and on Thursday I received the Journal. It's been an exciting 2 weeks.

I wanted to thank the seed distribution team who thoughtfully went through my second choices on the main seed list and were able to fill some of those requests while putting my surplus requests together.  Altogether I received another 11 of my second choices - fantastic.

The only thing that dampened my spirits what that my surplus seed shipment was opened by Canada's Border Services Agency who subsequently slapped a $10.00 fee on the shipment, import tax, GST, sales tax, which had to be paid before I could pick it up.  I wasn't too pleased, especially since the shippment was identified as having NIL value.

I'm in the middle of requesting a full refund at the moment,

Regardless of the minor hiccup at the border a BIG BIG thanks to all those who help with the organization and distribution of all those seeds to all us members.

[Lesley Cox]

Rob, be grateful that it was just $10. When my seeds arrived a very few packets were retained by MAF and can either be destroyed at no cost or returned to sender at $76 for the pleasure. It it were just a matter of paying $10 for taxes etc in order to receive them, I'd have it paid like a shot, never mind a refund!

[Lesley Cox]

And about the new Journal - I think it's the best ever!

[PEAK]

Rob, I would happily pay more than 10$ if that would bring me my lost exchange seeds
I have now officialy given up waiting for them! Because of this I would like to bring up a bit off topic discussion (moderator warn me if I am pushing the limits to far). I am a member of quite many different plant societys and also order many things from abroad (mostly seeds), these last years more than one out of ten of the things sent to me are lost in the mail
Internet and e-mail are wonderful inventions but at least here in Sweden the ordinary mail (or snail mail as we call it) has declined! When I were a kid the mail-man arrived twice daily except sundays, now I recive my mail once every weekday, if our mail-man is not sick or on leave. If thats the case the mail will arrive more seldom. Whene I speak to postal authoroties about this they only answer that if you are expecting something of importance you should have it send as registered mail or by a courir
So, do other forumers of different countrys have the same experience?
I can only second Lesleys opinion about the latest journal

[Lesley Cox]

That does sound quite a cavalier attitude to the mails doesn't it? While I moan plenty about ours, it is reliably delivered 6 days a week, (not Sundays and only once a day) come rain, hail or mailman's illness. We don't get it on public holidays like today (Feb 6th, Waitangi Day, anniv of signing of Treaty of Waitangi between the English crown (Queen Vic) and the Maori tribes of NZ, in 1840) or Christmas etc but otherwise, yes. I remember my Ma telling me that pre WW2, the mail was delivered twice daily but not since then. My main gripe is the quantities of junk advertising material that comes with it.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem possible here to send a registered item overseas. One either insures if really valuable or takes one's chances. But so far, even cash or cheques that I've sent to places like the Czech Republic, have duly arrived safely at their destinations.

[grannysmith]

I was very lucky to be able to get Lilium sherriffiae in the seedlist. I had been looking for this species for my friend Essie Huxley for some time and was very pleased to see it on this years list. I have recieved the seeds and yesterday I took these precious seed over to Essie. She was thrilled to get them and asked me to tell the ones involved how much she appreciates them. She has been seaching for them for many years and at 90+ she didnt think she would ever find them. Here is a photo of her in her garden, holding the seeds, also one with me - I am the fat one. Once again, thanks to all involved for making a wonderful old lady so happy.

[Maggi Young]

Marjorie, you must give Essie our warmest wishes, please. It is a pleasure to see such a happy result of the Club's efforts.  Thanks indeed to the Seed Exchange team and, of course, to the grand donor of the seed in the first place! Without those wonderful donors where would we be? It is growers like Essie who keep so many plants alive for the next generations and so good to see someone with a long lifetime of enjoying her garden. Cheers, Essie, and thanks to Marj for being her go-between. Does the heart good to see!

[Lesley Cox]

Ah Marjorie, so you like coffee and walnut cake too? I see you use that little strategy that I myself often employ, i.e. placing as much of me as possible behind someone else, when the pics are being taken. Works quite well generally.

Lovely to see a pic (2 pics) of Essie too (with very servicable boots!) as I expect to meet her in April with my friend and hers, Don Schofield. Perhaps you'll be able to be there too? Will let you know a date later when I know. It will between April12-16.