Re: Obscure Astelias, and not so obscure Hebes.
Richard - Re your query
>
>What's the "AGS" (and where does one find them)?
>
>> BTW, you can almost certainly get seed of at least some of the NZ
>> species by joining the NZ AGS.
>
AGS = Alpine Garden Society. Sorry. When I try to save time I become
incomprehensibel and when I don't try to save time I burble! I'll try
to find their address and send it later - though perhaps Moira or Tim
can help? Steve Newall, the NZ seed collector, also used to be a good
source of unusual NZ plants, but I believe he now only collects for
one of the large German seed companies, alas - Jellito, I think.
Though of course if the Rio accord goes through (as it shows every
sign of doing) all such seed-collecting in the wild will soon be
illegal. Or so I understand. Technically, even the 'holiday memento'
pinch you slip into your pocket before going home. There has been some
heated (and fascinating) discussion about this whole knotty question
recently on Alpine-L. I imagine many contributors here, too, are keen
growers from seed. Any feelings about not being able to acquire
wild-collected seed any longer (even of the commonest species,
apparently)?
Tim
Tim Longville
