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From Glen Decker:
Dear Fellow Slipper Lovers,
I have asked Heather to post this for me ... Since I would like to clarify some "facts" and hope to put all the bad blood on the forum behind us all.
First, I would like to say the Piping Rock Orchids is solely owned and operated by me, Glen Decker. The partnerships that are discussed are with Alfredo Manrique, Centro de Jardineria Manrique, Lima, Peru, not Piping Rock Orchids. There are a few agreements in place regarding Phragmipedium kovachii. The first agreement is between Alfredo Manrique, Fritz Schomburg of Tropical Propagations and myself. This agreement allows Piping Rock Orchids in conjunction with Tropical Propagations to sell kovachii and all of its hybrids produced by Alfredo Manrique for the exception of Canada. With this, there is a second agreement with Peter Croezen, Green Canyon Orchids Laboratories, Canada. Peter is a good friend of Alfredo's and when we made our agreement, it was Alfredo's wishes that Peter have control of the Canadian market, which we felt and still feel is more then a reasonable request. So, the second agreement is between Alfredo Manrique and Peter Croezen, which extends to an agreement between Green Canyon Orchids and Piping Rock Orchids ... basically stating that Green Canyon has all rights to kovachii in Canada. I offer all this information, since it seems that clarification was needed ... We all work together when it involves kovachii, but none of us interfere with each others businesses.
The real purpose is to offer some defense to Peter and the information he offers, whether you want to hear it or not, Peter will offer it to you. I have never met Peter and outside of e-mailing with him, is the only thing I know. I could be standing next to him getting coffee and I would not know who he is. My point ... from my experience with dealing with Peter ... Peter does his homework! I'm not going to go as far as to say that everything he posts is 100% accurate, because we are only human and all are entitled to make mistakes, but generally speaking his information is usually factual to the best of his knowledge and mine. I will tell you that Peter would never maliciously post false accusation just to get a rise from others, however, I do know that his postings can sometimes stir the pot a little, especially if it is something you don't care to see.
Moving on ... Since I brought kovachii into this country, I have been attacked and accused over and over. I have let most of it slide of my back, but sometimes venting is required ...
So, here are some "facts" ...
- Piping Rock Orchids has 14 legal hybrids growing stateside, with all approved paperwork.
- We flowered the first kovachii hybrid (2/25/07) ... kovachii x Saint Ouen = Haley Decker
- We flowered the second kovachii hybrid (2/28/07) ... kovachii x besseae = Fritz Schomburg
- Phragmipediums can flower 10 months out of flask
- The first hybrids that we flowered were out of flask 13 months
- Both registrations were approved by the RHS on March 7, 2007
- The first posting of HP's plant (as far as I know) was on the Slipper Forum on 3/9/07 - two days after the registration was approved. The applications were sent out on 2/28 and the slides for both registration were imprinted right on the slide as 2/28/07 ... over a week before HP's plant was posted.
... HERE IS WHERE IT GOT UGLY ...
- It was posted that I, Glen Decker used HP's photo to register the hybrid of kovachii x besseae
- The accusation was second hand, and the poster retracted his post to wait for further clarification of information, but the damage was done and isn't going away.
- It doesn't seem to matter how much information is sent to HP, he is convinced that his picture was used
- I have personally sent HP four e-mails and called him twice to receive one partial message on my answering machine, frankly stating that he didn't like my e-mails. The first two e-mails were quite civil, but what else did you expect, you accused me of plagiarism!!!
- Since the first two hybrids, he has since flowered three other kovachii hybrids and are presently awaiting approval of their registrations.
- In Redlands, we received our first flower quality award ... kovachii x Cape Sunset = Suzanne Decker 'Piping Rock' AM/AOS
- Finally, there was the RHS final decision in favor of Piping Rock Orchids on our registration ... e-mail attached.
To this point, I have always considered HP Norton a friend, so it surprised and upset me that he would accuse me of stealing the picture of his plant. My first couple e-mails to him was as a friend and I placed no blame on him for his actions, but blamed Monolo Arias for feeding him (HP) bad information. However, as time has gone by, I find that only three weeks ago (+/-) he was in Pittsburgh speaking of the situation and continuing to accuse me of wrong doing. I was approached by three different people in Redlands about HP's accusations only last week. So, am I to stand here idle while being accused by a man who many think can do no wrong ... well, the answer is NO and I have waited three months for it to go away. All correspondence with the RHS have also been sent to HP, so HP is up to date with the findings from the RHS validating my registration, however it seems that he refuses to acknowledge it. It was requested that the slide I used to register my hybrid be sent to Arias, and I gave permission for the RHS to do so. If HP has any further question, he can contact Monolo and see it for himself. As much as an apology would have been nice from either HP or Monolo, it is not expect nor do I think I will ever get.
Finally, I hold no ill feelings from anyone who has attacked me ... I'm a big boy, so for the sake of being civil with each other, the forum should be an avenue for all slipper orchid lovers to converse freely, whether you like the subject matter or not.
"Can't we all just get along"
Thank you, Glen.
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