A different Valentine's Gift!

[Maggi Young]

I don't think this particular issue has anything to do with snowdrops generally - surely it is a really successful marketing ploy for the Nursery - I  can think of no  better way to garner so much free publicity - and it has been "hung" on  the premise of naming a flower for a loved one -  and clearly that premise caught the imagination of all those bidding on the auction.

If I had a nursery that I was trying to get to be as well known as possible I'd be thrilled that I a) came up with the idea and b) absolutely delighted that it took off in such a spectacular fashion.

I am dubious that such daft prices do actually make for more thefts - it is  obsessive collectors who  pinch  prize drops, not some opportunist in a mask and striped jumper and those obsessive thieves will know about rare 'drops regardless of such spectacles on ebay.

Those in the striped jumper brigade are out digging up snowdrops and bluebells in huge numbers from woodlands for  a quick profit ,  not  swiping a rare potful, I'm sure. Sadly, those lowlife types are already well in the know- they must be among us- I think we just prefer not to think it.

[Chris Johnson]

I don't think this particular issue has anything to do with snowdrops generally - surely it is a really successful marketing ploy for the Nursery - I  can think of no  better way to garner so much free publicity - and it has been "hung" on  the premise of naming a flower for a loved one -  and clearly that premise caught the imagination of all those bidding on the auction.

If I had a nursery that I was trying to get to be as well known as possible I'd be thrilled that I a) came up with the idea and b) absolutely delighted that it took off in such a spectacular fashion.

I am dubious that such daft prices do actually make for more thefts - it is  obsessive collectors who  pinch  prize drops, not some opportunist in a mask and striped jumper and those obsessive thieves will know about rare 'drops regardless of such spectacles on ebay.

Those in the striped jumper brigade are out digging up snowdrops and bluebells in huge numbers from woodlands for  a quick profit ,  not  swiping a rare potful, I'm sure. Sadly, those lowlife types are already well in the know- they must be among us- I think we just prefer not to think it.

Well said.

Having been in business for a large chunk of my life, it came across as a pure marketing ploy, and a very clever one at that.

[Martin Baxendale]

I appreciate that this was a marketing ploy to get publicity for the nursery, and a successful one.

I was just looking at it also as part of a continuing trend of sensationalist publicity around snowdrops and trying to make some suggestions for how the popularity of snowdrops as good garden plants could more practically be promoted than sensationalising them in the media, eg by increasing their availability and bringing prices down to a more affordable level.

I'm not sure how it can't have anything to do with snowdrops generally, but if it doesn't then I suppose I'd better shut up as my points have no relevance here.

[Maggi Young]

Sorry if my comments have offended you, Martin.  I quite agree  with your ideas about how snowdrops might be better promoted as garden plants - I meant that this was a one off event that has little bearing on the wider sphere of snowdrops as garden plants - after all, the market for personalised plants at £1600 a throw is not a large one.

Pretty hard not to be sensationalist about a small bulb selling for that price, though, isn't it? The press have livings to make as does everyone - and this is a godsend to them, of course.

[Tim Ingram]

The big question is if people begin to place a higher value on plants and the environment than perhaps they do on high horsepower cars and even high horsepower electronics (however much fun these are to play with). If gardening becomes more important to more people as a result of Tom's clever ploy then that can't be bad. A lot of the press might be better off as gardeners though.

[Alan_b]

I  can think of no  better way to garner so much free publicity - and it has been "hung" on  the premise of naming a flower for a loved one

If it really was free publicity I would be applauding loudly too, but it's not free; it's subsidised to the tune of some £1,600 by the poor mug who bought the snowdrop.   

[Maggi Young]

Nobody forced that bid- there were others chasing the bid- nobody forces anyone to pay a price at auction - people choose to do it. If the winning price is not one we might individually agree with  then we can have our own opinion about that, but no-one HAS to pay an auction price - any more than someone HAS to buy a huge gas-guzzling car to drive 500 yards to the grocery shop - but it is  their choice so to do  - it's my choice to have a flower garden and not a vegetable garden - world is full of choices and I'm glad I'm free to make some. 

[emma T]

It's people's choices to spend what they do , nobody makes them

[Martin Baxendale]

Still a hell of a lot of money for one bulb of what looks like a not-hugely-fantastic snowdrop. Hard to argue that it's great value for money when you could have bought 30 or more superb rare snowdrops for that. Maybe the seller might consider handing over some of the windfall to charity?

[ichristie]

Hello all, When I posted my first G. woronowii Elizabeth Harrison my main aim was that someone would appreciate quite a unique  snowdrop never in my mind did I expect such a high price however it did help me and the Harrison's to employ help in their garden ( both around 80) since then we have  sent some bulbs at a more reasonable price across Europe a great thing to share what we have and sure make a little bit of money, unfortunately I must survive in this inhospitable politically  driven  world,  cheers Ian the Christie kind

[MR GRUMPY]

Good luck to them.Let just hope it's not Fanny Chmelar or Andreas Wank(from the Olympic's) ,because i really wouldn't want to make them two immortal..

[David Nicholson]

Oh, I don't know though

[Martin Baxendale]

Hello all, When I posted my first G. woronowii Elizabeth Harrison my main aim was that someone would appreciate quite a unique  snowdrop never in my mind did I expect such a high price however it did help me and the Harrison's to employ help in their garden ( both around 80) since then we have  sent some bulbs at a more reasonable price across Europe a great thing to share what we have and sure make a little bit of money, unfortunately I must survive in this inhospitable politically  driven  world,  cheers Ian the Christie kind

Elizabeth Harrison is a great snowdrop, Ian, and you have indeed been very selfless in letting bulbs go for more reasonable prices than you could perhaps have got for them if money had been your sole motivation.

[Martin Baxendale]

Also, although Thompson and Morgan paid a very hefty price for the first EH bulb, they themselves got a great bargain in all the resultant publicity they received - no doubt one of the reasons they were so determined to get it regardless of cost. And now we seem to have moved into another order of magnitude compared to the EH auction. 

[steve owen]

Amidst all the tut-tutting about Evolution Plants

1. the market price is the price someone is prepared to pay. As an example, twenty-five years ago I was offered the entire recorded works of the Spanish violinist Sarasate on six single-sided G&T 78s at the apparently-enormous price of £1,200. That set of records has not appeared again for 25 years.
2. any business is entitled to market its products any way it wants within the law and codes of practice.
3. for Evolution Plants to prosper (through acute marketing or whatever) is in the interests of all keen gardeners since their mission is to bring rare or unusual plants into contact with gardeners who want to grow something different to the boring ordinary-ness of the likes of Wyevale.

And no, it wasn't me.