Oooh, Last year I said I was in and slaved over my ever changing list. I'm still IN but some on my list are gone and there are some new ones! Who can contact Soultan to see whether he still wants to do this? I know he had contacted Maguires last year. I must say they pics on the website are much better/bigger than last year! CHAD attack!

I dropped an email to Soultan and await a reply. The man must be busy because he's not been around for a while. I'll keep you updated if I have anything to share.

First things First..Respectful to all ,I say this..No one is currently in contact with the Farms owners.Things can change alot in a year.Import/Export laws and regulations.It's quite possible that the Farm Owner is not interested in Exporting to USA nor anywhere outside the Commonwealth of Australia.Furthermore completely impossible because of cost or regulations.It would be rather arrogant to assume that Maguires is hoping and waiting for an order from the USA just because we want some of their bulbs.If you want something it's best to ask for it rather than impose your "entitlement" to it.
I wrote a letter and emailed the Farms Owners(Mick&Nellie Maguire) politely requesting sales to USA via individuals or in larger amounts as a group.I asked if it was a possible Export and also asked if they would consider such a business transaction request.I did also mention there was a BIG and serious interest in these transactions.Bottom line most of us would like to own and grow some of their cultivars.....So I asked and will respect their response.I can also accept no response because that has happened to me recently requesting Bulb Sales from Europe and Asia.Even RC wont sell to USA at this time ...nuff said ...I'm a Team Player and trying.... Peace,Mark

If memory serves, Soultan went through all that already, and had obtained all the necessary import paperwork and certificates... at the time, it had been too late in the season to ship the bulbs from McGuire's to the States. McGuire's had suggested we contact them early this year, and place our group order at the correct time so the bulbs could be prepared and shipped.

If Soultan is still up for doing the group order, I'm sure enough people will be interested to make it worth while for both McGuire's and for us. I can't recall what the minimum order was, but I know it was a good number of bulbs that we needed to purchase.

I'll email Soultan, as well... I know he was having some problems with computers due to massive dust from a large home remodel... but I'm not sure if he's back up and running... I haven't heard from him in quite a while.

We just have to hope for an answer, or we have to figure out another method for obtaining the bulbs we desire, keeping in mind that there will be a time restraint on when an order must be placed by.

Hi all, either way this will be highly appreciate, so in case you are making a list of what each of us want, here is my wish list.
Brendan's flower 17
Grantly 10,50
Natalie 10,50
Surprise 10,50
Geraldine 10,50
Lavander Blue 10,50 (I wouldn't have seen this one if it wasn't for phoenixryan,, so THANK YOU)

Glad to be of assistance, Mariae! ;-)

Mark--

Am I missing something? This entire thread is based, and stated so, as being on an assumption and if that assumption doesn't happen, there is no order-- no harm, no foul. I certainly am not presumptuous or being arrogant to the idea Maguires is waiting around for our order. I understand a lot has to go into this whole idea but never have felt entitled to anything. But given the time constraints, if the deal is to go on, people here who want in need to be ready.

So in review-- we want to order, will be ready to order but will understand if our resident import holder cannot do this of if other circumstances otherwise prevent us from ordering.

Ryan

I step out for just a little while and I miss all the good stuff. lol I'm in like Flynn. I'll just keep my eyes peeled for specifics. Jewel is looking good, Ry. She is yellowing a leaf. Just one, though. I was expecting more than that considering her journey. She does seem happy though :-)

OMIGOSH. I want Watermelon Wine. Go freaking LOOK at Watermelon Wine. It will rock your face off. That would be $22.00 from me plus $3.00 for shipping so $25.00-ish (give or take whatever Soultan wants for shipping) for the bulb.....sounds great to me.

"Go freaking LOOK at Watermelon Wine. It will rock your face off."

I'm seriously cracking up at that one! I love this forum!

Larisa, it is 22 Australian dollars, about 15 US dollars.

Someone get me off this site or a respirator one....OH MY GAAAWWWWD! I don't know if I would be able to pick out just a few...the pinks, oh the pinks!

Ok, Ryan definitely count me IN! It may take a while to make my selections, however. :-)

-Frank

I'm holding off looking at McGuire's website... the last time I went there, I got totally lost and covered in my own drool! I'll only go there if we find out for sure we can obtain an order!

Still keeping my fingers crossed this will happen. :)

I am NOT going back to the website again, every time I do I add one more to my list.

We should work together on our lists, to avoid ordering too many duplicates. Then next year will be a huge bulblet swap! LOL

Ok, I'm determined to conquer this CHAD addiction, I'm going to go back to Maguires website and I'm going to break the cycle... not going to order one more bulb!

Maybe I'll order two more instead!

Oooo....thanks Maria. I didn't even think about the currency difference. Nice! That just makes it even better!

That's still a big IF we are able to get the order placed and receive it! I don't know that much about importing live plant materials from Australia, but I know we need someone with a Phyto certificate, and I believe there's other paperwork, too. It's not as simple as just placing an order.

The last time I visited McGuire's website, I had my list whittled down to 6 bulbs, which is a lot for my budget to handle at certain times! But now, from what I'm hearing, new items have been added to the list, so now I have to go back and get all excited again! And then, after I calm down, I'll have to try to whittle my NEW list down to a reasonable number... again! I swear! I'm never gonna get past this bulb sickness! LOL!

Well... it's gonna have to wait... the dogs are hungry!

Well, I know someone on this forum just applied for an import permit and it is soooooooo easy I'm not sure why others do not do it......then anyone can arrange an import order. Jodi, it is almost as easy as just placing an order (and then hoping they get through the USDA inspection without incident). I do this for internet friends all the time from various countries......someone just needs to step up and take the Hippis by the horn :o) Dan

Hrm, could be quite the lucrative opportunity... Import some of these plants that aren't available in the US and post them up on eBay for sale... I may just have to look into this myself. Dan if you've got info on where I go to start this process, I'd appreciate an email.

Thanks!

seldom post But if I recall
Soultan needed an order of 300 bulbs
before they would ship. Postage was
pricey too.

I've researched on the USDA site, doesn't look that difficult to do this. Fortunately, I do have several years experience importing medical devices from Italy (every shipment required FDA, USDA and Customs approval). I've also sent a fax to Maguires to inquire what their requirements are. Obviously, I would not be able to afford to import 300 bulbs. I figure it can't hurt to ask questions, though.

I'm fortunate to have so much free time to explore this as an option.

I'll keep you posted.

Ryan (Phx)

Ryan, As I told another member here that asked for info on doing this if it takes more than 10 minutes you are thinking way too hard about it...seriously, download the PPQ587 form (I think I am remembering that correctly) and fill it out and FAX it in......You do not need to list every species or hybrid you intend to import, you do not need to include every country......just put in Hippeastrum hybrid and Aus......at that point you can import any plant not protected by CITES from any country in the world the U.S. govt will allow.....that's it, you're done, import away!! So, I said to print it out and FAX it, there is a reason for that......if you do it the other way you need to go to a local USDA office and show proper ID......complete hogwash.....if you FAX it in you do not need to deal with any of this hassle......10 min......do not feel like you need to take longer than that!!

By the way, I started all this 6 years ago importing around 200 Kg of bulbs at once to sell and support my habit of buying very expensive specimen size bulbs so I have some basic idea of what I am talking about......I got tired of it and now rarely sell, but I still import all the time with others who like to get massive specimen size bulbs of rare species.

Best of luck :o) Dan

Holy cow-- lots of activity since I last visited.

I'm currently in San Diego (so gorgeous here!!!!!!!!!!)

Anyway, the minimum order according to the old post I linked at the BEGINNING of this thread says a min count of 100, not 300, unless he restated a higher minimum later in the post.

Ryan if you can work this out then I think we could arrange the ordering. Loads of people are interested on here and though it would be quite a task order and then shipping bulbs to individuals, I think perhaps it could work out just fine.

Email me if you need help-- otherwise, I'm going WHALE WATCHING tomorrow!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!

I recall the minimum being 100. We were close to that, but never solidified the deal. I think there is enough interest for a 100 bulb order. I also recall at that time the situation was that if you ordered like 30? (guessing at this #) bulbs you would get 1 free. Like 1 for every so many bulbs. At that time some posters had stated (me, for one) that Soultan, who was planning to deal with the monkey-business, should recieve those bonus bulbs. Now I'll have to check and see if they still have that deal, but it would help make it worth the middleman's effort. It would be fun. Jodi, quite a few of the ones I wanted are no longer offered, you may find yourself whittling up!

Happy whale-watching Ryan...lucky ducky!

We had snow at the first of the week, but expecting sunny 70's for the entire weekend! After all, what could be finer than to be in Carolina? LOL!

-Frank

If I thought for one second that I could afford to be the one importing, I'd do it without thinking... but I already know my meager budget will only allow me to piggy back on someone elses import certificates. The reason I say this is that I looked into importing some Nerines from England, and I simply can't foot the initial bill, with the quantity required and shipping... I'm only rich enough to be a small part of a group order!

Anyway... I didn't get a chance to go over McGuire's website yesterday... my stiff neck developed into a migraine somehow, and I ended up sleeping the afternoon away. Oh well... these things happen! I'm off to check them out now.

If one of you guys decide to be the importer, I'm definitely in! :-)

The fax number on Maguires website didn't work yesterday, so I'll have to do a little more digging today.

100 bulbs will be much more manageable.

Thanks for the info, Dan. I suppose based on standard business practice for government, I was expecting it to be more complicated than it really was. I have faxed off my application for a permit.

I'll keep you all posted!!

Enjoy the whales, Ryan!!!

I had a look at the new listing yesterday and ...oh dear! I am definitely in for some of them..quite a few of them. I think I could easily buy every green one in commerce anywhere and still not have enough of them! And yes, the fruity colored ones, the spotted and sparkly ones, etc!

I'll tell you the way I do this when I import with fellow enthusiasts......everyone shares the risk and cost up-front.....no way will I take the fall if something goes wrong......that is not fair to the one organizing the whole thing!!

I tell everyone that they give me a list and money up front!! This money must include a reasonable estimate of shipping costs to the U.S. from OZ (or wherever), plus their fair share of the phyto fees (total cost divided by interested parties) and their fair share of the wire transfer fees (total cost divided by interested parties). Then when the bulbs arrive they send me the money to get the plants to where they are in the U.S. before I ship. It is not reasonable to expect someone to pay everything up front on a sizable order after all. I also make it totally clear that if the bulbs are confiscated for some reason I will do everything I can to get the money back, but I can not be responsible for your bulbs.....the way you should think of it is you are doing it on your own (except you got the benefit of wholesale prices and minimum orders being met).....if the bulbs got destroyed you would not get your money back from the retailer (or wholesaler) after all....they got a valid phyto which is their responsibility.....if the people at the USDA inspection station in LA decide to destroy the bulbs it is not the fault of the shipper. As long as everyone understands this up front there should be no problems and everyone gets their bulbs in wonderful condition......at least that is the way I've been doing it for years and never had a problem dealing with reasonable people........others may do it a different way :o) Dan

That is where my thoughts were leading me as well, Dan. Since I have not done this before, I appreciate the input and guidance.

Well said Dan and thank you so much for your guidance.

Importing plants/bulbs is not just like ordering from JS, ETG or Rarebulbs. It will be very risky as Dan has stated even if all the needed paperworks are submitted. Bulbs can bloom out in transit, get damaged, get fungus etc. Rarebulbs had that problem with his bulbs from Holland. That's why it took him forever to receive his bulbs. Usually once bulbs bloom out, they get confiscated or destroyed. ONLY dormant bulbs should be allowed. We got lucky with our RC shipments before that had "bloomed in the bag" hippies as they were not individually inspected. One shipment was confiscated though just for the reason that it had soil which we all doubted.

Will you be willing to pay your share for these damaged and confiscated bulbs if ever? Will you be willing to receive damaged bulbs with NO REPLACEMENT. It will be very unfair for the importer/organizer to be left with leftovers and you get the good bulbs. If this happens, the 10 freebie bulbs that will be given to the organizer might not even be enough to compensate for the headache besides the heartache.

Royal Color's bulbs in their last shipment to US were individually inspected and stamp/sealed in a bag by the APHIS/USDA in Holland. That is why they went through without any problems as they did not need further inspection in the port of entry. They were shipped in small boxes too. If these 100 Aussie bulbs are going to be shipped in a crate, I have a very strong feeling that they will definitely be inspected thoroughly.

I am not trying to discourage everybody. I want those Aussie bulbs too. But these are possibilities that one has to consider and must be AGREED upon before anything else is done.

Just spotted the thread and I haven't had time to read the details but I want some. I'm good for 5-10 blubs based on the prices I've seen mentioned.

So if and when the deal gets done someone please include me.

Thanks
MikeP

I've done this a lot of times and unfortnately have had problems on occassion......rarely, but it does happen. If these are being shipped from OZ they will almost certainly come in to the U.S. throgh LA.......the inspectors there are known to be very, very tough!!! I had a consignment of bulbs come in that I was dealing with for others.....oddly, I was not getting any of the bulbs in the box.....I was just offering to help and the shipper knew me so trusted I would help out in any way possible......the box of bulbs was confiscated with the claim they had a fungus.....so, here is the problem.....they shipped the empty box to me.....if it was a fungus as stated on the paperwork to confiscate and destroy the bulbs then why did they ship me the box......the fungal spores would have been all over that box and they therefore theoretically infected my plants when I got the box........I was so tempted to report this person to the head of the USDA in D.C. because the story just wasn't realistic, but I did not bother......point being, as Maria said, it is not like going to the big box for a bulb or two.....there are real, serious risks where you can easily lose a hundred bucks or more.....eyes wide open if you are going in and do not blame the one organizing the whole thing......it is not their fault if something goes wrong!!!! I was unfortunately CCed on a lot of angry e-mails about the OZ shipment with people saying they were going to report mail fraud and everything else (I supplied the documentation showing the bulbs were confiscated by the way)......these people did not understand the risks....those are the people you need to try to avoid if you are organizing a shipment!! Best of luck :o) Dan

As I mentioned earlier, I've had some history with customs clearance. But that puts me in the minority. It is important for folks to understand that customs is notorious for dragging their feet, and waiting a month to clear a package just because they feel like it. Given that less then 10% of packages are physically inspected, if you're a gambler, those are good odds! LOL

I'm also inclined to think it would be in our best interest to possibly split the shipment into several smaller shipments if Maguires is willing. Odds of all the shipments getting stopped would be greatly reduced (note I said reduced, not eliminated!).

But first things first, I need to hear back from Maguires. I've already faxed in the app for the import permit, but that doesn't mean I'm obligated to use it.

Once we have more information we can collectively gauge the interest, risks, and rewards more effectively. If enough people read through this thread fully and haven't been scared off, we'll be lucky! LOL

Count me in. Risks seems reasonable. We are gardeners, are we not? Risks are inherent, I believe. What I would really like would be some of the mini Japanese hippis. Has there been any discussion about getting some of those imported?

If you can find a source haitidoc, let me know. I've been curious about them as well. Once we get through this import, I may be open to doing it again, if all goes well LOL

I fully understand the risks involved... as gardeners, we assume risk on a constant basis. Every single day can bring risk to our bulb collections or our gardens. Living life to the fullest is risky... but if we don't take some chances, we'll always wonder about what might have been.

It's unfortunate that plant importers are at the mercy of government officials, and whatever their whim of the day might be. I often wonder how much of the confiscated goods are really problematic, and are either taken home or taken and sold. There's no telling who might be honest and who might not be. That's a chance we have to take.

Well... keep us informed, and let us know what costs we're looking at splitting, less the cost of actual bulbs... this will help me to know how much of a reality getting some Aussie bulbs can be.

And a big thanks to you guys for looking into it, and for all the great information!

I heard back from Maguires today. They have no problem shipping to the US.

Minimum Order is 100 bulbs.

**** ESTIMATED COSTS **** **** ESTIMATED COSTS ****
**** ESTIMATED COSTS **** **** ESTIMATED COSTS ****
**** ESTIMATED COSTS **** **** ESTIMATED COSTS ****

Based on the estimates provided by Maguires for their charge to obtain Phyto cert, export cert, courier to inspection station, and freight to the US. We can anticipate adding $7.50AD to the cost of each bulb. Please note this does not include duties and taxes charged by the US upon entry. I'm going to research those tomorrow, and hopefully have an idea of what to expect.

**** ESTIMATED COSTS **** **** ESTIMATED COSTS **** **** ESTIMATED COSTS ****

The estimated charge of $7.50AD brings the cost of the $22AD bulbs up to approximately $19.50US based on the currency rate today.

Ok, so hopefully its clear these are estimated prices, and no one is going to hold me to them :-) Just trying to be crystal clear.

This leaves us at the point of determining the level of interest. I haven't yet received my import permit, but I would never expect the gov't to move that quickly. I don't have any doubts that I will get it.

I don't need the names of the bulbs you are interested in getting, but I would appreciate if anyone who is interested could post the minimum quantity of bulbs they would be interested in ordering. You can always order more, but if we can get the minimum close to one hundred, we'll be doing good. We can always go over 100.

Just in case anyone wasn't paying full attention, the estimated and approximate pricing listed above, is just that... Estimated and Approximate :-)

Thanks!
Ryan

Ryan, thanks for taking the time to check in on this for everyone. I really appreciate it. I am for sure interested in 3 or 4 bulbs. Do you know about when this would take place? (for those of us with budgets) This might make a difference.
Thanks again
Sally

Ryan, that sound good, even with the extra cost, I will be interest in about 4-5 bulbs, I will have to work with my shortlist but it is possible. Do you know if we will have extra cost?, ei. phyto certificate cost, extra posting to your house after inspection, etc. So people understands it may be more cost involve, outside the risk of not getting the bulbs, after all, due to not passing inspection. Even with that risk in mind I am willing to give it a try. Thanks, Mariae.

Ryan, thank you so much for going through everything required for importing bulbs from Australia. I completely understand the risks, as well as the costs.

I'm going to lowball my list right now, just in case, and say that I will be assured of ordering at least 3 bulbs. That's three bulbs. I'm on a budget, as well.

I'll probably be able to get a couple more than that when the time comes, but just in case I can't, I don't want to add a higher number to your gathered list than might be possible.

So, I'm down for 3... committed.

Sally, Mariae, Denver Ryan and Jodi, got your #'s down.

I've emailed Maguires back already to ask about time frame. (Figure some time in April, most likely)

Ryan, thanks for doing all the legwork on this. I'm in for 5 bulbs. Alana

I'm looking at seven (7) that I need like a hole in my head. Maybe being harder to get makes them more attractive?
Vic

I will get a few. Let me know when its more concrete.

Ok, with those last three, puts our count around 35.

It appears we are in luck. Australia is duty free on flower bulbs. So no increased expense there.

Ryan--

In order to get a better...I dunno... advertisement out there, I would think a new post is in order to reach our target 100. If the casual observer has been dropping by here they likely gave up on this post a while ago!!!

So they're duty free... I...uh...I'm so ashamed....should know this but what does this mean to our bulbs? They're not taxed by Australia?

Duty free means the US doesn't charge a tax or tariff on the import. The base rate for bulbs would have been 3.5%, however Australia is exempted.

You probably have a point there, I should start a new thread for this.

I will title it "Maguires 2009 Order" lets let this thread drop. We'll meet on the new one!

You do not pay duty on any plants from any country....at least not the 8 or so countries I have imported from :o) Dan

plants from NAFTA countries are also exempted ;-)