Botanic Gardens and Seed Exchanges
Judy Glattstein (Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:13:48 PDT)

I remember when the New York Botanical Garden used to have an Index
Seminum, ditto the Leyden Botanic Garden. Budget cuts, staffing changes
- seem to be a thing of the past.

I used to belong to the Cyclamen Society, in large part for their seed
exchange. USDA rules made it so onerous for them that I was told members
from the USA could no longer participate. Someone offered to collate
requests, receive on bulk shipment and resend but that never worked out.

As many members are well aware, the best seed exchanges are those run by
NARGS (North American Rock Garden Society), AGS (Alpine Garden Society,
SRGC (Scottish Rock Garden Club.) Their net is wide flung and includes
numerous plants that grow below the tree line. Superb sources for many
diverse plants, including geophytic genera.

Still, it is a pity that botanic gardens with Index Seminum are a
vanishing / vanished option.

Judy in New Jersey where the last 3 days have produced over 4 inches of
rain, no end in sight as forecasts for the remainder of the week are for
more rain - and this is not even a hurricane. We need better
distribution, would love to send some of this to Texas where it would be
received with delight