obtaining special hepaticas

[robsorchids]

i really love the special double/anemone forms of these little plants, but the only nursery i know of that does them is edrom nursery.

sadly they are extremely expensive, one i recall was 125 pounds or more (a gorgeous double blue)

so i wonder, is there any cheaper, easier ways of obtaining them?

[Michael J Campbell]

I think the only other way is to swap something with those who already have them, unfortunately they do not multiply as quickly as the single forms, but I am quite willing to swap if I get any offsets.

cheers

[mark smyth]

Rob they have some varieties that are around £30. Beeches Nursery down your way also sell them

[EinMy]

You seem to refer to Hepaticas collectively when you talk about prices. The gorgeous blue double at £125,- I suppose this must have been a Japanese double? European doubles tend to be cheaper than the Japanese plants. When looking through Jurgen Peters price list £125 is actually the price for one of the cheaper clones on his list  .
I have otherwise seen H. transsilvanica "Elison Spence" at €35, which I do not think is too bad.

[mark smyth]

I see you have added a photo of yourself

[Luc Gilgemyn]

The'yre really expensive things Rob and what Edrom charge is really not exhuberant in "Jap. Hepaticaland". 
125 or even 175 £ is nothing record breaking...
On the other hand, Edrom do offer some at 15-20-25 £ as well - no doubles at that price though.

To keep everything into perspective.... at the site of Jueren Petersen (Hamburg), last time I looked, the most expensive specimen, believe it or not, was 2.500 €... 

Looking around and swapping does help though !

[mark smyth]

Luc can you post a link so we can see why it costs so much?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I'm no real specialist in these doubles Rob - for obvious reasons... 

I know they're not all that easy... and definitely not to be grown outdoors here, but if you go through the Hepatica threads of 2008-2007-2006 you'll find masses of information.

[Michael J Campbell]

I wouldn't say they are delicate,just slower to clump up, and they usually do not produce the double flowers for a year after potting up.
They probably would survive outside but who would plant them out in the garden at that price. They would make a nice expensive lunch for a slug.

[Gunilla]

I have heard that yellow hepaticas are highly priced in Japan.    2 500 euro     I have a few Japanese hepaticas outside, don't tell the snails, but they are not expensive double ones. 

The double forms I grow are H. nobilis and they are not at all fussy but they are slow growers.

[EinMy]

I do not think I would start growing Hepaticas if the entry ticket is £125 for a plant. For beginners it would be much cheaper to buy single-flowered European plants and build up one's experience along the way.
In my garden doubles tend to clump up faster than singles as the doubles do not waste any energy in producing seeds. It all depends on the clone whether it is a slow grower or not. The main reason why doubles are expensive is that they are rare and can only be propagated vegetatively.
As for slugs we do not have the Iberian type where I live which is a really aggressive type of slug. Occasionally slugs eat seedlings in the outside garden but they leave mature plants alone generally.

Hi there Guilla, fancy meeting you here 

[Gunilla]

Good to see you here too, Einar 

[Joakim B]

Rob and every one else at plant fares there are sometimes plants that would normally cost a lot at better prices since most plants are sold at low prices they can not /will not charge the "internet marking prices". They might still not be cheap but not extremely overpriced for a "normal" gardener.
I think Gunilla has bought some of her doubles at these plant fares in Sweden and maybe she can tell more about that.
I do not know if You have similar sales by non-professionals that sells the plants that are divided in the garden or the extras from sowing and so on. There is no guarantee to find something extra ordinary there but if You do they are generally affordable.
So far I have only managed to get something not expected when buying 5 or 10 Anemone nemorosa plena for 2€ in total. They where not in flower (bare rooted) and I have missed their flowering so I might have been fooled but that was a low cost to get something interesting.

These plant markets are fun to visit so even when leaving without a double hepatica You will most likely not leave empty handed.

Good luck finding someone
Joakim

[Joakim B]

I am thinking on the nobilis type rather than the Japanese in the Nordic countries but maybe in some part of the UK they grow also the Japanese so well that they need to divide them.
Have anyone seen them on plant fares / plant markets?
Kind regards
Joakim

[Gunilla]

Hi Joakim.  I am a member of the Swedish garden society "Trädgårdsamatörerna" and I use to attend the plantsale arranged by our local group every spring and autumn at Alnarp.  This is a great opportunity to meet and talk to people with a big interest in plants.   I usually have something to sell but somehow always manage to buy more than I sell.  The prices are often very low and you are right Joakim, I have bought most of my hepaticas there.   I couldn't possibly afford them at normal marketprices.   
Have you ever been to Alnarp, Jokaim? Maybe we have met.