Thank you, Laurier! Since no one who participated this time has done this before, we were all just kind of hoping for the best. No one really knew what to expect. I'm even more excited now. Thank you so much for posting the photos.

Ryan

Aaaand there was much rejoicing. I'm really glad your ordered arrived so safe and sound! But jsut for clarification, is this a Maguire's order? I assume it is but figure I better ask.

Can you list the varieties you chose (or are there too many)?

Ryan, Part Deux.

Yes, that was a Maguire order. Rejoicing? The word is too weak to express the feeling of safely getting the first hippies mass order out of Australia. But this is little compared to getting some unique bulbs, unavailable anywhere else and to be able to bring some new blood in my hybridizing program.

Chances are I wont keep them all, but I want to see them all in bloom before I decide if I keep it to breed with or if I sell it. Pictures are nice on a web site, but sometimes the reality is something else: it is better or it is worst or it is just like the picture. Time will tell...

The list? Do you really want the list? I ordered the most and I have 67 different ones. Others ordered several that I didn't order, so that is possibly more or less some 80 different cultivars altogether. Do you still want the list? I have it if you want it and it is easy to post, but it will be a very long post... Let me know!...

Laurier

LOL Laurier--

No, unless someone else asks for it, no need to post, I'll just look at the maguire's website and assume you or someone else bought it. LOL

I cannot WAIT to see your blooms though so hopefully you'll post pics.

And I agree-- having these new genes in the pool will be exciting to see. congrats again on your successful order!

Ryan

This is getting exciting... there are going to be so many great pictures posted soon! Can't wait for all the blooms. Alana

Darn, I wish I had known about this. Im in Canada too!
Oh well, next time.

Félicitations Laurier!!!

Thank you every body!

Don't be surpised if your bulbs do have some bruises. Maguire had to scrub them real hard in order to free them of any thing that could have prevented them from being accepted for export. Just in case you are worried seing your bulbs with some "scars".

On second look, a few bulbs, not many are bigger than what you buy in the stores but some are smaller too. Is it because they are young or are they smaller bulbs by nature? In my opinion they are all blooming size for sure!

Laurier

As Rocky Mountain Ryan said, the big thrill is getting some new genes in the gene pool. I can't wait to see some of the crosses people create using these new varieties.

I'm certainly ok with some of the bulbs being on the small side. We certainly can nurse them to health without a problem. And I certainly understand about some bruising. Whatever Maguire's does to get them speedy passage through customs I'm ok with. Given the size of the order, and how rough most shipping companies are with boxes, bruises are expected. Thankfully, so many experts on here have shared their techniques for proper bulbs preparation/planting, we should be able to handle most anything.

I'm so excited!! Ok, great, now I have the Pointer Sisters stuck in my head.... LOL

Our group ordered 67 different varieties as well. By far though, the most popular was Lavender Blue (11), followed by Party Pooper (8), City of Grafton (6), & Surprise (5).

Latest and last update...

After 2 days of sorting, cleaning and checking, I just finished potting up my 73 Aussie bulbs. Here is the Aussie family portrait: {{gwi:411885}}De Divers

I would add one word about the state of the bulbs. Considering what they have been through, they are in excellent condition in most cases. These bulbs were harvested fresh, only days prior to shipping. The Maguires took every precautions to make sure they would travel safely and arrive in the best possible condition. Yes, they have bruises from being cleaned but more from the way they were handled on their way to you I would say, but nothing bad at all. The bulbs were dipped in pesticides and fungucides before being shipped.

Unlike Dutch bulbs which have weeks to dry before being shipped, the Aussie bulbs contain a lot more moisture than Ductch bulbs and that could easily be felt upon opening the box. Having freshly dug bulbs has its advantages, but it also has its drawbacks. One of them is rot that can occur while traveling. There is one very specific place where it can occur mostly: at the neck where the leaves were cut off, and it is not Maguire's fault as far as I'm concerned, only the long travel time and the freshness of the bulbs.

Out of the 112 bulbs in my order, around 25 of them had this problem. In most cases, it was very minor and very easily treated. Just cut some of the neck off till all the rot is gone and treat the wound and all will be OK. But in 4 cases, I had to do some "major surgery", even carve some of the rot out of the bulb. I woud't bet on the survival of the bulbs, but having done nothing meant a certain death for the bulbs. Which is better, killing the bulb while trying to save it or kill it out of doing nothing?

I suggest that you have a very good look at the neck of each bulb and in doubt, cut off part of it. I'm letting them dry a bit before shipping the remaining bulbs to their respective owners next week.

Laurier

Quite an impressive production you have there! Thank you for sharing with us.

Also, thanks for the info on the bulb condition. I will definitely be looking for this when our bulbs arrive.

Ryan