Fall Croton Meeting and Tour

I will be there with 1 guest and a bottle of strong Jamaican Rum.I will just need some ice and chaser :) I am also hoping with a chance of a big silent auction we may see some really cool crotons appear,maybe even another Monarch :)
 
I will be there with 1 guest and a bottle of strong Jamaican Rum.I will just need some ice and chaser :) I am also hoping with a chance of a big silent auction we may see some really cool crotons appear :)

I knew I could count on you Mike! That's music to my ears. The rum sounds good, and I'm already thinking about pulling out some of the big "dogs" out for a silent auction. Small, but ohhhh so rare!
 
Jeff I think you already know that Doris and I will be there. I will plan to bring some small but very rare crotons for a silent auction or possible trade. Of course We'll bring something for imbibing and other treats. Not sure of what yet. Looking forward to it. Chris
 
Count me in x 2. I think the Silent Auction is the way to go.
We can have a premade template sheet for each croton for sale. If need be, I can make the templates and bring them. Croton name, Owner, Starting Bid (determined by owner), Name and denomination of bidding entries, Closing bid.
Done.

Jeff would just need to know about how many that are going to be displayed for table purposes. I guess it could all be just lined up on the edge of the driveway with clip boards, etc.
 
Rick - that would be an excellent idea. From the amount of plants we had at the auction at Mike Harris' Croton Garden Tour, I would suggest having about 50 bidding sheet forms.

I am bringing about 17 plants. Originally I made these air layers to donate to the Society for the auction. I need the room for my own plants.

List I plan on bringing:

Eburneum
Charles Rutherford
Queen Victoria
Yellow Mrs. Iceton
Twist & Point
Pink Eburneum
Robert Lavalois
Lord Bellhaven
Andreanum
Davis #1
Fishbone
Mrs. Fred Sanders
Frank Brown
Lemon & Lime


and The Trifecta: Will be done as a set - three plants. All came from the same plant.
Golden Glow - mother plant
Reliance - sport on mother plant
Yellow Golden Glow - sport on mother plant

Kind of unusual to have two different sports on the same mother plant. :)
 
Sounds great,I will be making some space also.I will be bringing 3 gallon Maculatum,Rudy Bachman,Wilma,General Paget,White Satan and a Big Frank Brown all at tlhe low starting price of $5 :)


Count me in x 2. I think the Silent Auction is the way to go.
We can have a premade template sheet for each croton for sale. If need be, I can make the templates and bring them. Croton name, Owner, Starting Bid (determined by owner), Name and denomination of bidding entries, Closing bid.
Done.

Jeff would just need to know about how many that are going to be displayed for table purposes. I guess it could all be just lined up on the edge of the driveway with clip boards, etc.
 
Here is a draft of a silent bid form. What do you think? :confused:


Croton Silent Auction

Croton Cultivar Name: __________________________________
Owner: __________________________________
Starting Bid: __________________________________

Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Name: ___________________________ Bid: _______________
Closing Bid: _______ High Bidder Name: ____________________
 
Group,

People are starting to get restless,great! Rick L. recently offered to me to make a silent auction sheet, pretty much similar to Ron's copy above. He would make several for all of us to use, I think. Maybe Ron, or someone else could run off some copies as well. And yes, he suggested to put increments of $2 for a bid, which I thought was fine.

Also something to think about, everyone probably should bring their own pen or pencil. Also, unless you bring a clipboard for every one of your plants, the paper will just be placed on the ground somehow w/ the plant. Also, there will not be tables to place all these plants on.
 
Jeff - Claude has been using my tables at the palm sales. I will retrieve them this coming weekend at Fairchild. Should have at least 3 - 8 foot tables.

Minimum $1 increments should be just fine, bidders can always go higher if they choose. Some people may not want to raise their bid $2 on a relatively common cultivar. Its not as if we attempting to raise funds for a Society. If bidding space runs out on a few highly sought after cultivars, flipping the paper would be a easy solution. After all, my experience with these croton get togethers is that people are very friendly and courteous. A great time will be had by one and all. :)

Anyone bringing an extra table would be a great help. I am getting too old to be bending over to look at plants - its a pain in my back.

Randy just got his 2 cents worth in. LOL - he did bring up a valid point however. :eek:
 
I will provide 3-4,8' long tables myself. And remember, you can bring plants with a price on it just to sell. First come, first serve. I have right about 35 people that have verbally said their coming. I have no idea what and how much food will be there, very few have told us what their bringing. I have one case(36,small size) of bottle water that I picked up the other day.

Ricky....pulled pork still on the menu ?
 
I will probably be bringing guacomole made from my avocado tree cultivar 'Lula', a tomato and cucumber salad, and homemade pico de gallo. :)

Question: If a plant is put into the silent auction and bids have already been made, is the owner allowed to withdraw the plant if someone offers a trade? :confused: I have been mulling over this question. It is they owners plant and realistically can do whatever they please with their property. However, from the standpoint of a bidder - it would seem unsavory for that to happen on a plant they were interested in. If someone offered to trade me an Exotica for one of my plants (highly unlikely), that would be a difficult offer to refuse.

Should we make it a requirement that once a plant has been presented for the silent auction and a qualifying bid made - it must remain in the auction and go to winning bidder? Just seems to be the reasonable thing to do.

What do you guys and gals think?

Jeff - any idea at what time the silent auction will commence?
 
I will probably be bringing guacomole made from my avocado tree cultivar 'Lula', a tomato and cucumber salad, and homemade pico de gallo. :)

Question: If a plant is put into the silent auction and bids have already been made, is the owner allowed to withdraw the plant if someone offers a trade? :confused: I have been mulling over this question. It is they owners plant and realistically can do whatever they please with their property. However, from the standpoint of a bidder - it would seem unsavory for that to happen on a plant they were interested in. If someone offered to trade me an Exotica for one of my plants (highly unlikely), that would be a difficult offer to refuse.

Should we make it a requirement that once a plant has been presented for the silent auction and a qualifying bid made - it must remain in the auction and go to winning bidder? Just seems to be the reasonable thing to do.

What do you guys and gals think?

Jeff - any idea at what time the silent auction will commence?

Ron,

I'm just the host for the day, not the ring leader. Lol! First of all, the food you've offered sounds delicious and I look forward to trying some. As far as pulling an auction plant OUT of the auction, especially if there have been some bids made, would not seem fair. I would not recommend this at all. I think somebody would be asking for trouble. The deadline for the auction plants probably should be around 1:00pm to maybe 2:00pm. There's always late arrivals, so we should give ample time to tour,talk a bit in the garden, AND graze over the plants.
 
I agree once an item is in the auction that's it.No sellers remorse :)
Also Jeff in addition to the bottle of rum I will be bringing one of my wife's "world famous" pineapple upside down cakes.
I can't wait to see what turns up in the auction.My guess is there will be some stuff not usually seen.
 
I think there should be some preliminary rules if you plan to enter a plant into the silent auction OR be a participant in the silent auction.
PLANT OWNERS:
1. It should be a healthy plant. That is free from insects (to your knowledge) and rooted well.
2. Once it is entered, you can not withdraw it from the auction.
3. Once the starting bid has been met, if even over $2, you must agree to sell the plant to that highest bidder.
4. Have a good idea (or educated guess) as to the cultivar you are selling. If unknown hybrid, state that.
BIDDER:
1. As the highest bidder, you have agreed to purchase this plant in good faith.
2. You must increase your bid by nothing lower than $2 increments, no half dollars or dollars.
3. You must make arrangements with the owner for payment PRIOR to removing the plant from the table.

Sample Template...I could bring golf pencils.



Croton Silent Auction Entry Plant

The name of this croton is believed to be:


The opening bid shall start at:
$_____.


The owner of this croton is:




Bidding entrants
You must bid in increments of $2.00, nothing less.

Your name Your bid in whole dollars.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

And so forth to about 50.....
 
Minimum $1 increments should be just fine, bidders can always go higher if they choose. Some people may not want to raise their bid $2 on a relatively common cultivar. Its not as if we attempting to raise funds for a Society.
 
Ron, I feel that the bidding could go on and on at only $1 increments. I know that the money is going to the owner of the plant, but, I think that even a silent auction needs to be kept in check.
I envision two people standing side by side and when one writes $1 more, then other steps up and writes $1 more...we will be here all day. Another dollar separates the men from the lookers. LOL.
 
Rick - it appears that the silent auction is in your good hands. Your experience is a valuable asset. Golfers pencils: Brillant.

I can bring a bunch of avocados for use as bid sheet weights. Then the attendees can take the fruit home after the auction. That is really going Green. ;)

Mike - No sellers remorse, LOL: Brillant. Upside down pineapple cake - oooOOOOH!!! :eek:

Beautiful plants, awesome garden and a cornucopia of food offerings being made - it don't get much better than this. :cool:
 
I plan on bringing the following for the auction:
Thos. Edison - 3 gal
Col Bob Bullock - 3 gal
Wootens Beauty - 3 gal
Blotched Wootens Beauty - 3 gal
Fish Bone - 3 gal
Dr Lin Yu Tang - 1 gal
john Soar - 1 gal
may stuff a few more in the car if room permits.

Will bring a big salad.

Auction guidelines look fine. Checks are fine for payment but don't expect me to crack a C note for a $5 item.
 
Wow,Col Bob Bullock,I have been looking for that for some time.I will be bidding on that one for sure :)


I plan on bringing the following for the auction:
Thos. Edison - 3 gal
Col Bob Bullock - 3 gal
Wootens Beauty - 3 gal
Blotched Wootens Beauty - 3 gal
Fish Bone - 3 gal
Dr Lin Yu Tang - 1 gal
john Soar - 1 gal
may stuff a few more in the car if room permits.

Will bring a big salad.

Auction guidelines look fine. Checks are fine for payment but don't expect me to crack a C note for a $5 item.
 
Thank you very much, Rick, Mike, Ron and Phil, for all of your recent comments. The hair just raised on my back! All kidding aside, I am getting excited and think this could turn out to be the best meeting of croton peeps of all time. I thought of something that might be important, that I will make a very loud annoucement around the yard 15 minutes before the pre-determined time of auction closing. Or maybe Andrea. That way everyone can be reminded to get to the tables quickly and place that last winning bid. I also think it might make things much easier if your bringing plants to the auction, each seller will keep their plants somewhat together, or in one group. This could really help when people at the end come to pay you. Keep the ideas coming...

Trying ohhhh so hard to secure a very special guest to attend. Keeping my fingers crossed! I'll leave it at that...
 
Croton Nerds,
I will bring about 100 bidding sheets with enough golf pencils for each station.
I wish I could find cheap clip boards, but I think we can suffice.

Looking forward to this....could turn out to be even more fun than a traditional auction (not that we don't enjoy your voice Jeff!).

Let's hope for good weather.
 
a few pics of stuff to schlep to the party:
UL - Wootens Beauty UR - Col Gilbert Cutler (not Bob Bullock)
LL - Blotched Wootens Beauty LR - John Soar
 

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...and a few more:
UL - Dr Lin Yu Tang UR - Pink Eburnum
LL - Thos. Edison LR - Philadelphia
 

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Are there plants that no one has mentioned that they're bringing to the auction that you'd like to have? I'd like to bring cultivars that people are looking for if I have them available.
 
Thanks Marie,I love my pinks do you have any of the following??

Bob Bullock,Barbara Bush,Louis Dupuy,Cameo or Confetti ??

Are there plants that no one has mentioned that they're bringing to the auction that you'd like to have? I'd like to bring cultivars that people are looking for if I have them available.
 
Leaves are about the same size as a Charmer in the yard but definetely not a yellow Charmner. I've got another one that is doing some wierd blotching but may degenerate into all yellow (not good - no chorophyll). Starts at a buck.
 
Thanks Marie,if you can squeeze a Ben Alexander in that would be great also.I am not sure that i have seen this one before,I have the other 2.

Mike

The other pinks that I have available are Delores, Stained Glass and Ben Alexander. None of them have large leaves though.
 
Thanks Marie,if you can squeeze a Ben Alexander in that would be great also.I am not sure that i have seen this one before,I have the other 2.

Mike



Mike...

Have you spoke to our mutal friend Reggie lately? I don't have his number, if you do, could you give him a call please? I know he would want to come. Thanks!
Jeff
 
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