New snowdrops from Dryad Nursery 2022

[annew]

Our spring listings are fast approaching, so it is a good time to introduce the latest members of the Dryad snowdrop family.
The first new arrival adds to the pantheon of our collectors’ favourite Myths and Legends series of inverse poculiforms, and has brought many requests when I’ve shown the flower in my lectures – it is truly eye-popping!
I remember seeing the first bud, obviously containing multiple flowers, and being astonished that when it opened, each of its three flowers was perfectly formed. Immediately, it was given the name of the three-headed dog of Greek legend – DRYAD CERBERUS.
Of course, I wish I could tell you that it will do the same regularly, but although it has since had several twins, there have been no more triplets so far.
Nevertheless, even as a singleton it is a stunning plant, up to 30cm tall on sturdy stems over short plicate leaves which display the flowers well. The vigorous mature bulbs usually bear two scapes, with the flower on the secondary scape of different appearance to the primary, so you will still be getting at least two flowers for the price of one!
The outer segment mark is a beautiful deep emerald, formed from an apical inverted V, which is usually, but not always, joined to an oval zone almost reaching to the base. When fully open, the apices of the outer segments flip outwards at the sinus. The segments are of heavy texture with longitudinal corrugations. The inner segments are similarly marked.
Secondary flowers can come in many different variations, making a clump very intriguing and a real talking point.

[Eric Rainford]

Galanthus Ronald Mackenzie. It is only 12/13 cm high grown in a cold greenhouse, I am told it does not like being grown in the open.

[Maggi Young]

Lovely to have you join us to share your photos of the fine plants you grow, Eric!

[annew]

Galanthus Ronald Mackenzie. It is only 12/13 cm high grown in a cold greenhouse, I am told it does not like being grown in the open.

I wouldn't be surprised if you could grow it successfully, Eric!

[annew]

After the success of our well-known Dryad Gold yellows, and then the Dryad Myths and Legends group of inverse poculiforms, our breeding programme here in the frozen north has appropriately delivered the brand new ‘Dryad Snow’ series.
Our second new introduction for 2022, DRYAD BLIZZARD, is the inaugural member of the Dryad Snow group, named for their exceptionally pristine bright white flowers.

The Blizzard lineage started  in 2008, when I was generously sent seeds of a poculiform G. elwesii from Canada. When they flowered in 2013, none were poculiform, which was unfortunate but not unexpected. The seedlings were intercrossed to produce 6 seeds. These F2 seedlings began to flower in 2017 and to my delight, the result was one perfect poculiform.

After 5 years evaluation, this has proved to be a tall and graceful beauty, growing to 30cm under glass, the leaves only half that height at flowering time. The dazzling, large flowers are in perfect proportion at 40mm long including the ovary, and open into an elegant parasol shape. A clump in flower in your garden will make a glorious and breath-taking focal point.

[annew]

We return to our perennially popular Myths and Legends series of inverse poculiforms for our third new introduction for 2022, DRYAD ZEUS.
Dryad Zeus has been a nursery favourite since its first flowering, easily spotted amongst all its peers due to its bold streak of deep green running down the centre of the outer segments, leading to it being named after Zeus, the god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology, well-known for sending down bolts of lightning from the heavens. This snowdrop is equally striking!
Flowering at up to 270mm high (under glass, probably shorter outside), the flowers are held on upright pedicels above arching, plicate leaves which are half the height of the pedicels at flowering time.
The mark on each outer segment is a parallel sided, rich green longitudinal stripe covering the central one third of the segment, rounded towards the apex, at which there is a white notch, and fading to paler yellowish green just before reaching the base. The stripe usually has a very slight ‘waist’ halfway along, occasionally breaking into a double mark.
The bulbs increase well and will soon become an electrifying feature in your collection!

[annew]

For comparison, you might like to see Dryad Zeus and Dryad Demeter side by side. Zeus was bred from Wendy’s Gold x South Hayes and is easy to tell apart from Demeter, which is from Trymlet x South Hayes. Note the shapes of the outer segment marks and very different leaf habit.
You may have noticed that Zeus has a yellow as a mother, so it is worth pollinating with another yellow to see what you get!

[annew]

DRYAD TERPSICHORE (pronounced Terp-SIC-ory)
The last of our 2022 introductions for this spring, and one of our Myths and Legends series of inverse poculiforms, DRYAD TERPSICHORE is named for one of the nine Muses of Greek legend, who was also the goddess of dance.
Her snowdrop has long been a favourite here due to the fluid, informal bearing of the flowers, each adopting an individual pose with slightly twisted segments giving the impression of whirling movement, skirts flaring as if they are dancing, even when there is no breeze.
The artistry continues with the outer segment mark which is a painterly ‘splash’ along the lower third of the midline, stopping short of the up-tilted apical sinus, while the inner segments bear an inverted deep green heart. The flowers are sweetly scented.
The plants are neat and compact, with upright, plicate leaves which are short at flowering time, with the large flowers borne on upright stems reaching to 20cm in height.
In the legend, Terpsichore was thought to be the mother of the Sirens, whose haunting song lured sailors to their doom, but the siren-call of this romantic flower can only lead to delight as the flowers appear to swirl and spin in a silent dance.

[Maggi Young]

Dryad's snowdrops are  live on Ebay : https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=dryadzny&_sop=3&fbclid=IwAR0AelMAI67F8-fj6-cZ4O41ydC80mWMOrGDqi9TjRmegTFPRbcooWnIYFI
 This batch finish on Sunday evening - 6th February 2022.