AGS Narcissi of Iberia Tour

[Jan Jeddeloh]

My Dad (Joe Patton) and I are flying over from Portland, Oregon to meet the group at Gatwick.  I was wondering who else was going and where you're from.  We're arriving on January 25th and staying at a Heathrow airport before taking the bus to Gatwick.  We're done a Naturtrek trip before so we're familiar with this drill.  In the two days before we meet the  group we plan to recover from jet lag, visit Wisley and maybe take in the Harlow Early Spring Show.  The last possibility depends on if we can get there by public transportation.  I have an email out to the show contact but haven't heard back yet.  If this doesn't work out we'll just go to Kew instead.

After the trip we'll stay near Gatwick for a couple of days before heading back to Heathrow to catch the plane back home.  My next project is to figure out what we're going to do while we're at Gatwick.  Suggestions are welcome.

I'd love to hear from other participants on the trip.  I've also cross posted on the AGS forum.

Jan Jeddeloh

[Maggi Young]

Well, with the marvelous Oron Peri  (a man well known and respected in this place!) as one of the leaders it will be a treat no matter what!

[Alan_b]

The Harlow Early Spring Show is on 27th February (so does not seem to fit with a January 25th arrival).  Harlow is served by trains from London Liverpool Street station or it may be more convenient to join the train at Tottenham Hale on the Victoria (Underground) Line.  There are at least two trains per hour to the main station, 'Harlow Town'.  Take a taxi from that station.  Alternatively you could take a slow train to 'Harlow Mill' station and it's about a mile to walk to the venue.  Harlow Mill Station does not have a taxi rank.   

[Maggi Young]

Jan is asking about  places to visit on her return from the trip as well- that is for the few days   after 9th March.
(trip is 28 Feb 2016 - 09 Mar 2016 http://www.greentours.co.uk/Alpine-Garden-Society/NARCISSI-OF-IBERIA/  )

"7th Feb. is the Harlow AGS Show , as Alan says : HARLOW EARLY SPRING SHOW, Mark Hall School, First Avenue, Harlow, Essex, CM17 9LR

Sadly the nearest show to  the later date  is  the KENDAL SHOW AGS/SRGC at the other end of England on the 12th March. A bit far!

There may be some public gardens to visit though?

[cycnich]

Both Nymans gardens and Wakehurst place are only a short distance from Gatwick and either would be a great place to spend a day.

[Jack Meatcher]

Jan,

My wife, Maureen, and I are going on that tour. This is a first time for us. We've been told they are excellent with good accomodation and food. Maggie has told us that the tour leaders are top notch as well. Looking forward to meeting you at Gatwick - trains from our local station go to Gatwick.

Jack Meatcher

[art600]

My Dad (Joe Patton) and I are flying over from Portland, Oregon to meet the group at Gatwick.  I was wondering who else was going and where you're from.  We're arriving on January 25th and staying at a Heathrow airport before taking the bus to Gatwick.  We're done a Naturtrek trip before so we're familiar with this drill.  In the two days before we meet the  group we plan to recover from jet lag, visit Wisley and maybe take in the Harlow Early Spring Show.  The last possibility depends on if we can get there by public transportation.  I have an email out to the show contact but haven't heard back yet.  If this doesn't work out we'll just go to Kew instead.

After the trip we'll stay near Gatwick for a couple of days before heading back to Heathrow to catch the plane back home.  My next project is to figure out what we're going to do while we're at Gatwick.  Suggestions are welcome.

I'd love to hear from other participants on the trip.  I've also cross posted on the AGS forum.

Jan Jeddeloh

Did you mean arriving FEBRUARY 25th?

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Yes, I certainly did mean arriving February 25th.  I'd love to spend a month in Great Britain traveling around Great Britain but January to February would not be the month I'd pick!

If we can get a taxi from the main station in Harlow we should be good in terms of getting to the show.  One reason we're staying at Terminal 4 Hilton is that it offers easy Tube access for getting around.  Also it sound be a comfortable stay which is important since my Dad is 94.  I want to make this trip as easy and fun for him as possible.  Luckily he's still very active-hike, bikes and walks regularly.  He's quite excited to see Portugal and Spain.  After our trip, about 7 years ago, to the Dolomites he went back the following year with Mountain Hiking Holidays.  He still thinks that's the most gorgeous place on earth. 

So the AGS show has plants for sale I see.  Does anyone know if you can get a phytosanitary certificate there?  I don't know if people come over from the continent need a phyto.  You can see the wheels of my brain turning here can't you.  I would have to also find someone to babysit any plants I bought while I was on the tour, however.  The damn bureaucrats make it so hard for use to properly indulge our addiction.

Jan

[Maggi Young]

The AGS did not arrange for phyto inspections for the  2011 international  conference, Jan - there were    USA  folks spitting feathers  in frustration about that. There is  probably zero chance of you  getting any help for plants from the Harlow show  unless you  contact the  actual sellers there - some  professionals MIGHT be able to supply phyto certs.  but the  plant sales of the AGS would not  be able to do so.

 Some AGS  folks (MartinR  ? )  might be able to advise you who the professional sellers  might be at the show.  I'll have a look to see if there is a list  around from last year.

[Maggi Young]

Here are the plant sellers from 2015 at Harlow February show :

Hope you can read this....

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Hi, Jack,

It's great to hear from other tour participants. I've also heard Greentours puts on a good tour.  One of our local NARGS members (Jane McGary) has been on several trips with them and speaks well of them and particularly Oron Peri as a leader.  I've ordered his book from AGS but it hasn't arrived yet.  I assume it will before I leave.

Maggie, in regard to phytos there is still some time to figure out if there is any way to get stuff home legally.  At least in the US it can be a real pain to arrange this kind of thing.  I had to do it for our study weekend/annual meeting in 2009 and about pulled my hair out in frustration getting to local guy to do it on a time frame that would work.  This was right after Sudden Oak Death reared it's ugly head and he was downright paranoid about certifying stuff.  As it was the inspections were on Monday which meant the poor Canadians had to stay over another night to get the magic paper. 

But yeah if I'd spent all that money to go to the international conference and couldn't get a phyto to bring back treasures I would not be a happy camper either.  Isn't SRGC doing an international conference in about 5 years?  I'm hoping to go to the next one.  Kids have pretty well flown the coop so I'm a semi-free woman.  I do have a husband who have the nerve to insist some of the vacation money goes to his bike trips.

Just saw the list of plant sellers from last year.  Thank you so much.  I have no problem reading it and it gives me some places I can contact. Google will be my friend finding email addresses.   I didn't know Tim Ingram had a nursery.  He's responded to me on the AGS forum and he's one of the people I'm hoping to meet at the show.  Do you and Ian go down to the show?  I realize it would be quite a drive for you.

Jan

[Maggi Young]

 No Jan - we seldom get to the SRGC shows these days , let alone be able to  get  as far as Harlow - we have lots of pals who attend the shows though, so we hear the  news - and there are  usually great pix in the  forum to give a flavour of the events.  None of that make s up for the thought of all that retail therapy going begging, of course!

 Yes, an international conference is planned  for 2021 - and  rest assured that phyto  provision is high on  the priority list - as it was in Edinburgh for 1991.

 Cannot understand why your  other half is so unreasonable -  how much can it cost for him to go ride his bike?   

 Tim Ingram is a regular SRGC Forum contributor -  you can get  him through these pages - and you  may find  links to many of the  sellers through the  SRGC links pages .... I'll go see  what I can find for you in the way of email contacts.

Surely  we'll be able to find some  mountain biking trails for him to enjoy in Scotland!   

[Alan_b]

Tim Ingram regularly posts on this thread http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9453.0 which currently runs to 27 pages.

   

[Alan_b]

If we can get a taxi from the main station in Harlow we should be good in terms of getting to the show.  One reason we're staying at Terminal 4 Hilton is that it offers easy Tube access for getting around. 

The trouble with Heathrow is the journey time to central London.  It takes at least 50 minutes by underground.  You can take a fast train to Paddington Station but Paddington isn't particularly well-connected.  It might be 90 minutes to get to Tottenham Hale by underground, wait for a train, 20-25 minutes on the train to Harlow, queue for a taxi then about 5 minutes in the taxi.

[KK-Ann Arbor]

Alan, you are absolutely right about Heathrow, its accessibility to Central London or train service.  I had a heck of a time trying to get to Euston from Paddington with a suitcase.  I would love to hear about the routes fovored by local people to hook up to train system from Heathrow.

Koko