Favorite Seed & Bulb Sources

diana chapman rarebulbs@earthlink.net
Tue, 11 Mar 2003 09:22:35 PST
Dear All:

I have bought from Chiltern Seed for years, and will probably continue to
do so.  I have one or two warnings, however.  They do sell old seed, and
with Amaryllids this can be a problem.  I have a little trick to overcome
this.  I buy the rare or expensive seeds when they are listed in the back
in the "Stop Press" section.  That means they have only just got them, and
I have never been disappointed with those seeds.

I have always received my orders from the Archibalds, also.  However, I
have had some failures with their seed also, even Calochortus seed which
keeps extremely well.  I don't think non-germination is a reason never to
buy from a source, especially if that source, like the Archibalds, offers
things that can't be obtained elsewhere.  It's always a risk, but often one
that is worth taking.  Dating the collections, like Ron Ratko does, is
becoming very unusual.  The Archibalds used to do it, but stopped a few
years ago, probably because knowledgeable people wouldn't buy the old seed.

I have had misidentified species from Chilterns and also from B&T World
Seed, although for the most part I have been satisfied.  It is almost
certainly a problem with their suppliers.

Another bulb source that I have bought from (although not recently) is M&C
Willets in California.  I don't have the address.  PLEASE don't e-mail me
for the addresses.  All of my old seed lists are packed away in a storage
locker and are totally inaccessible!!  I hope someone else has them handy. 
I have bought only a few things but I was more than satisfied with the
quality and maturity of the bulbs I ordered.

Diana
Telos Rare Bulbs 






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