Galanthus - Ebay digression 2012

[chasw]

And oh how they keep coming ,we now have a Mr Grumpy and Alien Face,whatever next, it will certainly mess the snowdrop scene up if all these so called Grumpy's get sold on and on and on,and all because they have seen it on the TV and News

I did have a chat with Joe Sharman a couple of years ago and suggested that some sort of regulation be placed on the naming of drops ,such as some kind of regulative commitee to look to see if a drop was worthy of naming,good idea or not I do not know ,but at least questions could be asked to the e bay sellers as to whether or not their snowdrop had been registered which maybe would put off some of the more dubious people out there

Anyone have any other thoughts?

[ScotsmanInKent]

What sort of snowdrop do forumists thing this is........

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galanthus-snowdrop-/290674915403?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item43ad93384b

[Anthony Darby]

Galanthus elwesii? I have sent a question: "It's not 'Hoverfly' unless you bought it as such. You CANNOT "find" a named snowdrop varieties in your garden. ALL NAMED SNOWDROPS COME FROM CLONES THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AND REGISTERED by a snowdrop grower. If you can't trace it back to the original named clone, regardless of how close it looks, it isn't that variety. It's a imitation worth about 50p. You can call it what you like, but not a named clonal variety. That's the equivalent of selling fake copies of a Picasso painting."

[Alan_b]

I wonder if we are getting a bit too caught up in the misdemeanors here, when it is the crimes we ought to worry about?

If somebody finds a snowdrop with some funny marking and offers it as such on eBay (e.g. "alien face snowdrop") I see nothing wrong with that.

And it doesn't take a lot of snowdrop knowledge to know that a snowdrop you find in your garden that vaguely resembles a named snowdrop is not that named snowdrop.  So "possibly hoverfly" is not possibly hoverfly and more fool anyone who buys it as such hoping to get hoverfly.

What we need to be on a guards for is people setting out to deceive, deliberately selling one snowdrop as another.  Don't sweat the small stuff. 

[Brian Ellis]

Galanthus elwesii? I have sent a question: "It's not 'Hoverfly' unless you bought it as such.

This is at least the third time she has been told, but as I said "...but someone will buy it."  Let them.  No real collector will fall for this, and it really is a case of buyer beware.  It doesn't seem as though anything else can be done.  As Alan says:

So "possibly hoverfly" is not possibly hoverfly and more fool anyone who buys it as such hoping to get hoverfly.

It's those trying to make a quick buck pretending to sell the rarities that are the real worry.

[annew]

ALL NAMED SNOWDROPS COME FROM CLONES THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AND REGISTERED by a snowdrop grower.

Although I agree with the sentiment, I didn't realise there is register of snowdrop varieties, as there is for narcissus. Is there one, and how does one register a plant with it?

[Rob]

Although I agree with the sentiment, I didn't realise there is register of snowdrop varieties, as there is for narcissus. Is there one, and how does one register a plant with it?

pm Gerard, he voluntered to help people last year.

[mark smyth]

another reply

Hi,I appreciate your comments but I have to disagree, although I haven't personally bought 'Blonde Inge' myself my woodland was once owned by someone who had a passion for flowers, many different species were planted over the years. Over time labels were lost so I have no idea exactly what is what. I am clear in my ad that I'm not certain it is 'Blonde Inge' and have listed it as a yellow petal snowdrop but it definitely looks like the picture on the link I provided.You seem to have more knowledge of snowdrops than me, if you can you please identify it from my pictures I will happily revise my listing?Kind Regards- mrbmoon1

[daveyp1970]

another reply

Hi,I appreciate your comments but I have to disagree, although I haven't personally bought 'Blonde Inge' myself my woodland was once owned by someone who had a passion for flowers, many different species were planted over the years. Over time labels were lost so I have no idea exactly what is what. I am clear in my ad that I'm not certain it is 'Blonde Inge' and have listed it as a yellow petal snowdrop but it definitely looks like the picture on the link I provided.You seem to have more knowledge of snowdrops than me, if you can you please identify it from my pictures I will happily revise my listing?Kind Regards- mrbmoon1

Mark at the end of the day if they can put a name to it they are quids in,even loosely to look like a known  drop,but well done for getting on to him.

[Martin Baxendale]

Although I agree with the sentiment, I didn't realise there is register of snowdrop varieties, as there is for narcissus. Is there one, and how does one register a plant with it?

pm Gerard, he voluntered to help people last year.

It might be useful if Gerard posted a link again to the register so we can see how it's coming on with regard to the registration of existing cultivars.

[Martin Baxendale]

Anne, here's the link to a thread from last year where the galanthus registration authority issue was discussed at some length.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6885.60

[Maggi Young]

Gerard gave the  Galanthus registrar details again earlier this month:

http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8571.msg230084#msg230084

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks Maggi. I meant a link to the actual register so we can see how it's coming on.

[JoshY46013]

I just started looking into Galanthus, I really like them, they're cute to say the least but WHY in the world are there so many named varieties?   How can you possibly keep track of all that and know what you're growing is correct if you can find other snowdrops that could pass for the other?

I really like them and I think I'm going to start growing them but WOW is this all confusing!?   This e-bay thread has deterred me from using auction sites, well at least until I know what I'm doing!

[mark smyth]

WHY in the world are there so many named varieties?   

Why are there so many named daffodils! They are all yellow LOL