UK Hardy Plants ??

[Alan_b]

Does anyone have any advice for someone just starting to buy snowdrops?

Yes, don't buy from eBay!  eBay has far too many charlatans who will sell you a cheap snowdrop purporting to be an expensive one.  100% positive feedback may be because the seller normally sells, for example, toys and has decided to branch out into fake snowdrops.  It's not that there aren't reputable snowdrop sellers on eBay but you cannot work out who these are from a feedback rating.  My advice is to take yourself along to a snowdrop "event" where the items on sale are subject to peer review.  You will also find that prices there are cheaper than they tend to be on eBay.        

[bulborum]

100% positive feedback doesn't say anything on the true named plants
if he is sending fast non flowering plants
people can give 100% positive feedback

This isn't the first time that the year after
there are ordinary snowdrops flowering
see last years discussion on Galanthus ailwyn

Roland

[KentGardener]

Hi Scotsman in Kent - welcome to the forum.

If you do a search for 'ebay' on SRGC and you will find many posts from previous years covering good ebay sellers and bad ebay sellers.  When I started out collecting snowdrops I had a horrible experience with someone selling 'Wendys Gold' on ebay that turned out to be a plain green nivalis.  She was very unpleasant to me and basically told me that I was trying to steel from her!  That really put me off buying plants from ebay.

There are many reputable nurseries that sell snowdrops via mail order.  (lots of previous posts on this subject too - a place to start is the thread on snowdrop catalogues - http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6179.msg170590#msg170590 )

But as Alan has said - the best way to be 100% sure of what you are getting is to see them in flower for yourself. 

During February there are likely to be some events in Kent that you can buy snowdrops at.  Keep an eye on the 'events thread' to find out what is going on when.  The RHS London spring show in Mid Feb will also have various nurseries selling snowdrops in flower.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

John

[steve owen]

My suggestion would be to check out the Feedback comments.

[Maggi Young]

ScotsmaninKent.... the snowdrop events or plant stalls at shows ( I'm thinking AGS shows since you are in England) are a great source and nurseries like Beth Chatto (who also sell on ebay!) have great reputations for providing good plants at reasonable prices.  Have a root around the forum and you will find lots of comments about good deals to be had.

Problem with plants like snowdrops that have become so fashionable , with names given to flowers with every minute difference is that it is possible to scam endlessly and even innocently! A nightmare, frankly, and as Kent Gardener says, there are some very nasty pieces of work out there. 

For enjoying as little beacons of floral delight, they are ACE but  I'd avoid the stamp collector trap if I were you!

[Paddy Tobin]

For enjoying as little beacons of floral delight, they are ACE

I think we should commission a plaque to put this statement on record.

Paddy

[ScotsmanInKent]

Hi Everyone

Many thanks for all the good advice. I am glad I asked for some advice.

I wont be buying any snowdrops from Ebay.

Some very kindly members have PM,d me with offers of swops and donations.
Also I plan to go to a local event down here in Kent in February and buy some then in person.

[Anthony Darby]

I have had various snowdrop adventures with Ebay, but also got some very good snowdrops from well known, reliable sources that could be checked. Getting them in bud is better than getting them after the flowers are over. You see what you've got sooner.

[bob worsley]

As this is the first time we have posted an entry on the forum I should perhaps offer a few words of introduction.  Brenda and I have been keen gardeners for many years in our garden in Stockport.  Recently we have started to become particularly interested in galanthus and cyclamen which is why we became members of the SRGC.  Even before joining we were drawn towards the forum entries on galanthus , especially the Ebay entries as we have bought (and occasionally sold) snowdrops on Ebay.

My own entry here relates to Mark Smyth’s question about UK Hardy Plants.  I had occasion to look through my Ebay purchase history for 2009-2010 and I was surprised to see that I had bought snowdrops from *ukhardyplants.com*.  On looking at my own records I find that these were bought from the Ebay id justplants.  It would appear that the justplants id has been changed to UKhardyplants.com (I didn’t know that you could do this).

The snowdrops I bought were corcyrencis, Lady Elphinstone, Lady Beatrix Stanley, Hill Poe and r-o vernalis.  All seemed fine - incidentally, the r-o vernalis is just beginning to flower and the leaves did appear alongside the flower spike. 

From my own experience, I am sure there are some genuine, reliable sellers on Ebay, but unfortunately this is not the case with everyone.

Bob Worsley

[Maggi Young]

Welcome, Bob! ( edit..... and Brenda!!)

Good to hear you had positive experience of that seller.
As to the ID change... it is possible to do that and changes are usually listed in the seller's profile area, if I remember rightly.

 

[Hagen Engelmann]

A warm welcome from a mild Germany too, Bob and Brenda.

[ScotsmanInKent]

Hi All

I thought I would chance it with UKHARDYPLANTS on Ebay for a very reasonably priced Sam Arnott.
Arrived today well packed and large sized bud jin good condition just nosing out into flower shoot.
It looks right to me, just like my Current S. Arnotts (though mine have just stated flowering leaves and bulb size look OK.
I think this might be one of the OK sellers.

The Wandleburt Ring being sold by one of the other current Ebay sellers must be a very rare snowdrop indeed. I have never heard of it 

[steve owen]

my pot of r/o ssp vernalis from UK Hardy Plants are flowering their heads off and I have just ordered some Pusey Greentip from them.

[Anthony Darby]

Good to hear some positive feedback. I bought some wonderful snowdrops from Barrie Carson Turner on Ebay. He advertised them in groups of three or more. When they arrived I had to take my shoes and socks of to count them!

[Kallie]

I've just been googling ukhardyplants and found this thread.
I 'won' a Galanthus elwesii Grumpy from them a week or so ago and it arrived this morning.  It is hard to tell what markings are on the flower as it is fading but the plant's leaves are explicative not supervolute suggesting that the galanthus I have is some form of Plicatus.  (I think - from reading my Snowdrops book.  I'm quite new to snowdrops - only been collecting them for a couple of years and I'm just learning all the terms).  I usually get my snowdrops from a  very reliable source and I didn't spend too much on the bulb.  I'm waiting for a reply as Ebay advised me to contact the seller.  The picture on Ebay only shows the flower and the tip of the leaf.
There's some very good advice on here - wish I'd googled them before parting with my money.

Sorry - should have said hello!