Collectors' Plant Auction

Paeonia DaFuGui
The Collectors' Plant Auction is held every two years at the UBC Botanical Garden.  The next auction will be held in April 2011 with spectacular array of unusual plants and an exciting live auction.  

A gala evening of great food, wine and plants!

More than 400 exciting trees, shrubs, perennials and alpines are offered in silent and live auctions throughout the evening. This is a unique opportunity to acquire rare and specimen plants, some of which grow in UBC Botanical Garden. Many individual plant collectors, nurseries and other botanical gardens are generously supporting this event through donations of choice and difficult-to-obtain plants. In adpaeonia-lactiflora-jin-zan-dition, an array of fabulous live and silent auction merchandise and services will be available. This is a gala evening of food, refreshments and music, combined with a unique opportunity toacquire rare plants and to support the garden and its research.

Click here for the complete 2009 Catalogue for an indication of what's in store for 2011!!!

Telephone: 604-822-4208 for information.
ABSENTEE BIDDING IS AVAILABLE
Import paperwork will be available on the night for visitors from USA

The Collectors' Plant Auctiontakes place every two years in April. To have decent sized rare plants to offer in the three silent andlive auctions work has to start 18 months prior to the date. At this time a plant acquisition team is formed. Most of the plants cannot be bought, they must be propagated by the UBC Botanical Garden, other botanical gardens and individual plant donors. In all, the event requires over 100 volunteers with most actually volunteering for the gala event.

paeonia-lactiflora-qiao-linpaeonia-lactiflora-dahongch
While enjoying live entertainment and a delicious hot and cold appetizer buffet, gardeners can shop for all their new garden “upgrades” while supporting the Botanical Garden. Net proceeds from the 2009 evening will support the completion of the Garry Oak Meadow and Woodland (Phase 2) This project requires significant funds to complete and maintain. The success of this event is important for both the overall development of the garden and its research.

The Peonies on this page are just a selection of those available in the Auction. They are part of a collection of more than 40 varieties cultivated in China and collected at the University of Nanjing. They were generously donated to the UBC Botanical Garden in 1992. They are unique and not available commercially.

paeonia-lactiflora-luhong-

peonia-lactiflora-zhao_yan_hongPaeonia lactflora -
Above top left: ' Da Fu Gui' "Great Prosperity"
Above top right: 'Jin Zan Ci Yu'
"Golden Hair Strung Jade"
Above Left: 'Qiao Ling'"Smart Girl"
Above right: 'Da Hong Chi Jin' "Great Golden Red"
Left: 'Zhao Yan Hong" Early Glorious Red"
Right: 'Lu Hong' "Lu's Red"
Below: 'Qing Kong Wan Li'
qing-kong-wan-li

OTHER AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS:

Magnolia ‘Pegasus’is a beautiful floriferous hybrid of M.cylindrica and probably M.denudata. The candle-like flowers are 10cm (4”) long and are pure white with delicate rays of pale pink at the base of the six tepals. They open in April. M.’Pegasus’ is a small tree, reaching about 9m (30’). The bright red fruiting cones are an attractive autumn feature. The Auction tree is a clone of one growing just as one reaches the Botanical Garden courtyard. Pegasus blooms very early in life. Trees are hardy to USDA zone 5 or cooler.

Epimedium sp. nov. ‘The Giant’ (Cc. 012063)

A genetic marvel of a species new to science collected in Sichuan Province by plant explorer Darrell Probst . From a 2’ tall flower stem emerges what can be up to a 4’ tall flower panicle, (creating a plant as tall as an average man) that produces thousands of extra large spidery flowers up to 2-1/2” across over a 3 month period. Unlike all other Epimediums, this clone has indeterminate tips on the main stem and lowest branches which continue to grow and form more branches and flower buds as they elongate. The lowest branches grow to about 2’ long with hundreds of flowers each. It has re-blooming bracts like those present on E. membranaceum as well as extra flower stems that grow from the leaf axils. Flowers are bronze with a purple rim around the spur opening. Large, handsome evergreen leaflets with undulating margins and slight spines underpin the long-blooming flower panicle.

While the stems are very erect as they begin to grow in spring, the sheer size and weight of the giant panicle requires it to be staked or situated next to supportive plants through which it can grow. It survives in Zone 5 winters, but is probably best planted outside in warmer climates where it will achieve its most impressive size.