National Plant collections
Mark BROWN (Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:53:23 PST)

Here in France where we may not have alaskan freeze but certainly have a floridan orange belt ;climate is very different from Lille,Strasbourg,Cherbourg and Nice.Plant collections flourish here.I had one until recently- Galanthus,but decided that through lack of interest from the organisation and the gardening public that I was better off going solo.I have great contacts in the galanthophile sphere since 30 years and C.C.V.S. (Conservatoire des Collections Vegeteaux Specialisées) is much younger and more bureaucratic,not really tuned to concretely aiding us collectioneurs.For years they have been talking about providing a labeling service...I have decided that my time and money is better spent looking for the plants and not on administration and fees that have no return.I have no doubt that for most collectors and enthusiasts to be registered as national collection is helpful.Snowdrops just don't take off here as yetThe situation is as it was some time ago in England.Galanthus are only incidents in a french garden and have no real value beyond that.A few wise souls know of the double form of nivalis but nothing more.Variuos nursery collegues have fledgling collections aided often by me,but they just can't get people interested in buying them at realistic prices.They are not lawn daisies and need some care in the more slow and fragile forms.

Message du 12/11/07 22:05
De : "Diane Whitehead"
A : "Pacific Bulb Society"
Copie à :
Objet : Re: [pbs] Time travel and ancient plants

On 12-Nov-07, at 11:42 AM, Robt R Pries wrote:

British System of National Collections -
Unfortunately The USA seems adverse to this type of effort.
=================================================

I don't think the lack of National Collections in North America is
the result of unconcern for the public good. Rather, I think our
geography is the reason. The U.K. is so compact that it is easy to
visit gardens and flower shows all over the country. Even travelling
by bus, I was able to go to a flower show in Wales, visit a national
collection of snowdrops mid-country and go to a London flower show,
all within a few days.

Also, their climate does not have the extreme differences found in
North America. Therefore a national collection in the U.K. provides
useful information for gardeners all over the country. That could
never be the case here - just think of the differences between only
two of our areas: coastal Alaska and coastal Florida.

The North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC) registers
collections at botanic gardens and arboreta. All the plants must be
of known wild provenance. It is an expensive program, as the
institution must pay the expenses of an expert to come and certify
the collection.

Diane Whitehead

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