Johannes, there is no agreement between Australia and New Zealand to avoid the quarantine requirements. Greg Ruckert The Passionate Plantsman On 30/07/2020 8:25 am, Johannes Ulrich Urban via pbs wrote: > Hello Bruce and all other members of the PBS in New Zealand and > Australia, > > > Thank you for your mail to the list. You make an important point. I > understand your frustration only all to well! And I did expect some > reactions like yours. It is indeed very frustrating to read long lists > of interesting seeds or bulbs one cannot order from. I feel like this > when I see the many Narcissus on offer right now...... > > It is exactly this frustration which was and is the driving force > behind the idea to create a EU branch of the BX/SX. It is NOT because > the PBS would refuse to send us any goodies. No, the reason is to be > found in our own countries. Speaking for the EU the import of even > small amounts of seeds has been made practically impossible, not to > talk about bulbs. I had some very unpleasant (from the content) > telephone conversations with EU-officials in this sense. And a letter > with a few small seed packets from California stuck in the Portuguese > customs and Plant Health office for several months now, I will > probably never get it. Another issue is that Brexit approaching > creates uncertainty concerning our UK members. > > The Commitee of the PBS has given me all the necessary support for > this new initiative, thank you very much again. > > The EU countries are very diverse which is blessing and curse at the > same time.... we have a very old gardening tradition, each country in > its own right. There are many private plant collections, many > botanical gardens with a long history and many nurseries, often family > run for several generations. And not to forget the many different > climate zones. > > This strength can hopefully be mobilized into the new EU exchange. It > meant meting like minded people in person,speaking, writing and > telephoning with as many people as possible to find out if there is > motivation. And it needs a lot of attention to detail. > > I am not familiar with the situation in New Zealand and Australia. Can > you ship plant material in between the two? If not, you would have to > see in each country separately if there is enough potential to set up > a comparable scheme. I want to state that we do not intended to split > away from the PBS, I do not believe in splitting resources which > normally turns out to reduce them. > > Can you look at your current situation and try to make the best out of > it? I think both of your countries also have a longstanding gardening > tradition, impressive plant collections, good nurseries and well known > botanical gardens. AND devoted people! Not at least you have a native > flora many of us envy you for.... > > I am more than happy to share my experience with you > > > Bye for now > > Uli > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…