I've just read something very similar on the net that I feel applies here too from a very good trader. I think we've had this discussion before on the forums but it's always worth a reminder once in a while. (No, I haven't plagerised her words *G*) The same could be applied to plants too.
As summer progresses, more and more plants are going to be setting those seeds we all love to trade. Those of us who also sell know the importance of getting the name right on the packet or plant, we all like repeat custom and that goes for traders too!
It's a big disappointment to find the plant you've babyied through some rough times and sometimes for a number of years, to find that it's something you could buy down the road for a few pennies already in flower. I'm sure I've made the occasional mistake and sent the wrong seeds out, I would hope that my trading partner would point out my mistake, I can usually rectify it easily since I try not to trade out the whole lot in one go.
I know that botanical names aren't quite so important to some of you, but they are paramount to many of us who already have gardens full to bursting but have been searching for ages to find that one plant.
If you don't know the name, there are plenty of avenues to try to find out. We've a pretty good ID rate on the ID forum here and there is always Google. No one is going to laugh, even if it's something like a Lawn daisy, we all start somewhere, none of us knows everything, last year I posted a photo of what was a peculiar plant to me, only to find it was very common weed in the USA.
If you find you lose tags or they fade, a paper or computer list made with all the plants you have is a quick aide memoir. On a number of occasions people will say they can't remember the botanical names but as soon as you mention something similar the memory is jogged, you probably know a lot more than you think you do!
One thing that Poppysue and some other traders have done is to post links to photos of the plant the seeds are from. This allows everyone to see what they are going to receive without having to thumb through endless books and make that all important choice for their garden.
This isn't meant as a ear bashing for the use of botanical names soley, I like common names too, but I rarely accept a trade from a common name list only. This spring I sold my Papaver somniferum var. paeoniflorum - Peony Flowered Poppy seeds, a lady bid quite a high amount for a packet which had me puzzled until I received an email saying how much she was looking forward to receiving the Paeonies! EEEK, it turned out well in the end, I lost a sale and she didn't get her longed for paeonies but at least we had an understanding about it.
Some Thoughts for the Trading Season
Baa-I really like it when people post pics of the plant. Not only does it eliminate any misunderstandings on what the trade is for, but for newer gardeners (such as myself) it helps me find new plants to try. Eclipse posted a beautiful pic of a blue columbine a week or so ago and while I was looking for columbine I discovered it completely fit a bill for a blue I was also trying to find! Brenda
P.S. I don't see yr post as a lecture....merely wise comments from an experienced gardener/trader.
Amen to all the above. And if there are any members "out there" who don't know about our Trading Primer here's a link: http://davesgarden.com/trading_primer/ You can share this link with others you trade with - it's accessible by anyone, whether or not they subscribe to our forums or even have a username here.
It's a fairly quick read, and you can skim just the sections that are of most interest to you if you don't want to digest the complete text. For new traders, it should answer a lot of the questions you'll have; for experienced traders, it has some good reminders on the finer points of being a good trader. If you still have questions that aren't covered there, please ask! We're here to help :)
Well, while I don't always include scientific names when mailing things, my journal here (which includes photos), lists virtually everything I have, with scientific names and cultivars when available. I figure if I have it up here, everyone can look and see what the plant is I'm offering. I realize that it would be time consuming for everyone to do it, but I think it makes my life easier when doing trades. And I always tell folks to reference my journal.
naturepatch