The ebay season begins....... ( includes ikariae/ woronowii comparisons)

[Martin Baxendale]

Noticed one on Ebay I liked descibed as a rare Snowdrop. 'Blonde Inge' Is it rare?

David, 'Blonde Inge' is a nice little snowdrop and quite rare but it is a small one and you might be a little disappointed when you see it in the flesh. It's also not, in my experience, one of the easiest to grow or very fast clumping up. Depends how much you have to pay for it, and I do n't want to put you off if your heart is set on it, but I'd say there are other snowdrops, stronger growers and more showy plants, that you might be better considering when building up  your collection.

[emma T]

my 'Blonde Inge' seems very vigorous,its rapidly made a great little clump,got one spare if any one wants one.i might have a picture taken last year.

[Maggi Young]

Provided Maggi agrees that it is sensible to do so, how about a note here, or in a special thread, of how to complain to Ebay with telephone numbers, website links and any other useful similar information. It's bound to happen again in the future.

  It is really the duty of photographers to take what measures they think necessary to protect themselves against unscrupulous sellers using images without permission  and to seek to ascertain whether a seller is selling what is claimed.... as has been shown on previous occasions, that can be easier said than done and is not a problem confined to Ebay.   

[mark smyth]

There is now a suspect 'Mrs Thompson' listed. The photo shows flowers with only 3 outers

[David Nicholson]

Provided Maggi agrees that it is sensible to do so, how about a note here, or in a special thread, of how to complain to Ebay with telephone numbers, website links and any other useful similar information. It's bound to happen again in the future.

  It is really the duty of photographers to take what measures they think necessary to protect themselves against unscrupulous sellers using images without permission  and to seek to ascertain whether a seller is selling what is claimed.... as has been shown on previous occasions, that can be easier said than done and is not a problem confined to Ebay.   

Good point Maggi.

[Paddy Tobin]

Steve, re your photograph of 'Eccuson d'Or'. I only borrowed it for a few minutes to, as Maggi said, give it a wash. I thought you showed the flower from a great angle which showed the shape perfectly but I felt the indoor lights had put a bit of an off colour on it.

I hope it wasn't one of the snowdrops you say had virus infection. That would be terrible.

Paddy

[steve owen]

Steve, re your photograph of 'Eccuson d'Or'. I only borrowed it for a few minutes to, as Maggi said, give it a wash. I thought you showed the flower from a great angle which showed the shape perfectly but I felt the indoor lights had put a bit of an off colour on it.

I hope it wasn't one of the snowdrops you say had virus infection. That would be terrible.

Paddy

No Paddy, this lady was Mrs Clean and the supplier is Mr Clean.

[Paddy Tobin]

OK, sigh of relief. Hope it grows away well for you now.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

Recently http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2790.45 there was discussion on the forum about Galanthus ikariae on Ebay. There was concern as to whether it was right or not as no flower was shown. The seller, Melvyn Jope, has contacted me to let you know who he is and his seller ID for future reference. His ID is groman4444

Melvyn, in case you don't know, is the grower and supplier of the reginae-olgae selections featured in the snowdrop book.

Melvyn is a name I know, and certainly should know his stuff? I was just surprised to see ikariae in bud at Christmas, but then if he grows reginae-olgae in the greenhouse, perhaps this accounts for it? I would, however, be loathed to bid for something that 'might possibly be' or 'must be this because that's where it came from', unless I knew the seller.

[art600]

Recently http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2790.45 there was discussion on the forum about Galanthus ikariae on Ebay. There was concern as to whether it was right or not as no flower was shown. The seller, Melvyn Jope, has contacted me to let you know who he is and his seller ID for future reference. His ID is groman4444

Melvyn, in case you don't know, is the grower and supplier of the reginae-olgae selections featured in the snowdrop book.

Mark

Is this meant to be an apology to a well known Galanthophile whose integrity you called into question (See Reply 50).  Anyone buying on EBay is told to read the Feedback.  If you read the Feedback for groman4444, it is 100%.
You are right when you expose sellers of doubtful snowdrops e.g. the seller of ‘Flocon de neige’, but it does nobody any good when your remarks are incorrect and are addressed to someone well known to most Galanthophiles, and who will be giving a talk at the Snowdrop Gala.”

Anthony D  In Reply 52 you said  “Too early and the leaves are  wrong to be ikariae.”  When the so-called experts have a hard time identifying a plant from a photo, it is rather harsh to use a photo to judge a seller!

[Anthony Darby]

I am still awaiting a photo of an ikariae flowering in December. In my opinion the leaves weren't correct. So what does that leave us? A flower we can't see because it's in bud, at the wrong time of year, with the wrong (in my opinion) leaves and being sold on EBay by someone, who until today, was anonymous. Need I say more? The seller certainly needed to.

[art600]

I am still awaiting a photo of an ikariae flowering in December. In my opinion the leaves weren't correct. So what does that leave us? A flower we can't see because it's in bud, at the wrong time of year, with the wrong (in my opinion) leaves and being sold on EBay by someone, who until today, was anonymous. Need I say more? The seller certainly needed to.

If you buy on EBay you are a fool if you do not read the Feedback.  Melvyn Jope has a perfect score and the remarks would certainly persuade anyone to buy with confidence.  You can also email the seller for more information.

[Anthony Darby]

If you buy on EBay you are a fool if you do not read the Feedback.  Melvyn Jope has a perfect score and the remarks would certainly persuade anyone to buy with confidence.  You can also email the seller for more information.

I wasn't buying. I merely passed comment, which I am entitled to do.

[Maggi Young]

I believe Arthur makes a very valid point. It has been said here often enough that it is well nigh impossible to ID a plant from  a photo alone.   Mr Jope has a 100% approval rating, with many repeat buyers,who have all been happy enough to buy again.
Why must the photo be of the exact plant/bulb for sale?
If I were selling a rhodo now, which flowered in July, I would still show a photo of the flower now, to let people see what it looked like.  If I haven't got that photo, but onewhich shows it in bud, then I would show that..... not everyone has a full catalogue of photographs, not even all forumists, and we, by and large, are ptretty keen photographers!
There is a danger of seeing "spooks" round every corner .....I urge calmness! If a seller has a good record, then give the benefit of the doubt..... prospective buyers can make up their own minds. As we have seen before, it is more than possible to get a wrongly named plant from ANY seller/nursery, or even a sick plant from a well-respected  seller/nursery. Keep some perspective, please.

[art600]

If you buy on EBay you are a fool if you do not read the Feedback.  Melvyn Jope has a perfect score and the remarks would certainly persuade anyone to buy with confidence.  You can also email the seller for more information.

I wasn't buying. I merely passed comment, which I am entitled to do.

Following on Mark's comment in Reply 50, it could only add to the impression that the seller was trying to pull a fast one.

Everyone is, of course, entitled to their opinion, but when it is shown to be wrong, then an apology might be appropriate.