It's "The Buying Game"

[Diane]

Okay - here is something I like to do on a rainy weekend, or twice a year, whichever happens more often... (how's things, McSoaked?) I call it the buying game. The judge is the forum, we all vote via PM to me... The prize, an RVO t-shirt. So our non-US members can play too.

THE RULES: You have the equivalent of US $500 to spend. You may 'buy' whatever plants you wish. You must actually find the plants for sale on the web or at a nursery. If you buy on-line you must include shipping. For this competition I waive all import/export laws, including CITES. (It's great to be able to suspend any laws you don't like)

The contest ends 11:59 pm, pacific standard time, on November 11th.

When you have spent your $500, you enter the contest. You will submit the plants you buy including name, size (flask, compot, seedling, NBS, BS, In Bud/Spike, PB - previously bloomed), Price, (include shipping cost) .

Your submission should look like this:

Plant Name - Plant Size - Price

So a Sample:

Bc. Binosa 'Wabash' (any award) In Bud $45

Phal Happy King (AM/AOS) PB $42


The shopping spree the forum votes as best buy will win. Best buy does not mean the most plants for the $$$, but the best use of the $500 - it could be one plant if you find an In-Spike FCC phrag Kovachii for $500!

Keep track of where you find things - others may want to actually buy one of your finds!!

Come on and play! How often do you get to spend $500 on 'chids without having to pay for them????

[Piper]

It's a neat idea, Diane, but with personal criteria so different, each member is judging apples and pumpkins. Aaron Tester will put together a stunning list of little bitty things that I have to squint to see. And Aaron Brothers will have a truck full of municipality-devouring jumbos. All, I'm sure will be spectacular buys and wonderful plants.

But if I can't grow them, should I care?

This one is going to challenge our ability to judge. A $500 list of Phal. Balden's Kaleidoscopes shouldn't win it as the least common denominator.

I'm not worrying about winning - I'm worrying about how to judge.

Any thoughts?

McJ

[orchid-man]

a very good point McJ

[Diane]

Play the game - you'll find out!!!!

[bench72]

actually our forum is full of people who have varied tastes... many are not fussed with the botanicals, whilst others find the big colourful flowers a bit like being hit with a 1 ton basket of bricks...

so, if the judges are the forum... then bring it on...

and frankly, I think it's Diane's way of figuring out where to shop when she goes international... devilish, I say!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Sounds like fun to me. I can never stretch 500.00 out for long, so it will be interesting to see what folks come up with. Good idea Diane!

Cheers!
BD

[Piper]

Want to be clear on the rules...

I shouldn't state where it's from. That's to be left for a PM later, if anyone wants to know the specifics - correct?

Also, I'm assuming we can post photos of said plants? That certainly might step on some toes if we don't accredit the pictures. What's the thinking there?

McJ

[Piper]

The trouble is, if we're buying for ourselves, we won't buy what we already have. And that makes this a moving target to both attempt, and to judge. We don't know each other's criteria.

I'd suggest you choose a growing environment, tell us what it is in detail, and we work on the assumption that we're to set up a competent grower with a collection that will thrive in his or her growing conditions, as you prescribe them.

The collection is our choice, within the budget, but the conditions are set by you.

Waddya think?

McJ

[Diane]

Also, I'm assuming we can post photos of said plants? That certainly might step on some toes if we don't accredit the pictures. What's the thinking there?

McJ

I initially was going to suggest photos, but I considered the same problem with accreditation as you did. That's why folks should keep track of where they find the plants, in case others are interested in what they look like.




The idea is to have fun, but I will go ahead and add one condition:.........good suggestion, McDetails..

Assume that you have a fully functioning hobbiest greenhouse - heater, cooling, watering systems, that is set up to support whichever types of plants you choose.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I keep looking and want to *really* buy what I find. I am thinking about all Blue colored orchids for my 500.00 bucks worth. Ok, back to work..... hehehehehehe

Cheers!
BD