KentGardener's Galanthus Blog 2013

[KentGardener]

The 'Silly Season' started yesterday in earnest with me on a train just after 7am.

I was on my way to meet up with Arthur and Jennie for the drive to "The Ultimate Snowdrop Sale" being held at Myddleton House, Middlesex.  Bad overnight weather had been predicted so our early meeting time was to allow plenty of time for the traffic disruption that the night-time snow would cause.  There was no overnight snow!  So the roads were completely clear with hardly any traffic.  We ended up arriving at 9am, well ahead of the 10.30am opening time.    Fortunately the cafe was open for teas and snacks so we joined the queue, that had already started, and clutched our warm drinks like hot water bottles.

The 'gate security' took great pleasure in keeping us informed about how long we had to wait - "it's just 1 hour 25 mins until the gates open" - "It's just 1 hour 10 minutes until the gates open".....

Pic 1 & 2 - the queue

The long wait was the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new ones.  It was a wonderful surprise to meet SRGC members and lurkers who had travelled from mainland Europe.  Apparently I am easily spotted in my camouflage clothing!  (Surely camouflage is meant to have the opposite result!    )

There were only 2 bulbs I was particularly after which were 'Glenchantress' and 'Mosquito'.  We had our 10 second count down from the friendly gate keeper and then, as the gates opened, there were people rushing to the various sales tables - my first destination was Wol and Sue's stall.  I don't think anybody actually ran - but there was certainly some comical speed walking involved!     I arrived at the Glen Chantry stand just in time to hear Sue call "All the Glenchantress are now gone".     I had resigned myself to the fact that I was unlikely to get one but still felt a little deflated.  My spirits were suddenly lifted as an arm rose up from the scrum clutching a Glenchantress high in the air like excalibur rising from the lake and I heard Arthur's voice calling "John I got the last one for you".  Thank you Arthur.   

Pic 3 - The Monksilver stall.

Pic 4 - Glenchantry Stall after the initial rush had diminished.

Pic 5 - Jennie shopping at the stall of Anita and Andrew Thorp - with David and Anke Way in the background perusing Matt Bishops plants.

(I've just noticed I can only post 5 pics in a post now - so Myddleton will continue in a second post).

[KentGardener]

There were some great plants to be found - many in very limited numbers - others in great quantity.  Things like 'Green Tear', 'Glenchantress', 'Cider With Rosie' were gone in seconds.  But there were still many fantastic bulbs to be found at the very end of the sale. 

I was really surprised how quickly the crowd died down - after about an hour there were only a dozen or so buyers remaining and it was easy to wander around the sales tables to have a nice leisurely look at what was left.  It was at this point I spotted a 'Franz Josef' and 'Jonathon' which both came home with me (That means I overspent and have to have cheap meals for the next month!  (and I owe Arthur £30 I had to borrow!) Thank you Arthur; Again! )

There were also many other gems, like 'Trumps' and 'Fly Fishing', still available to buy as we left near closing time.

Pic 1 - Emma taking a photo.

Pic 2 - The crowds have gone.

Pic 3 - Wol looking quite happy that a swarm of locusts has cleared out most of their stock for today  (but don't worry -  they told me they have carefully sorted out their plant sales for 2013 so that they will have an equal amount to sell at each of the events they are attending). 

Pic 4 - Still time to stop and talk with old friends.

Pic 5 - What a lovely day it turned out to be.  Everyone was tempted to take off their hats and coats for the photo - but even with the glorious sunshine it was still a little too cold for that!   

[KentGardener]

We left the Myddleton House sale with smiles on our faces and empty wallets!  We now had a 60 minute drive to Arthur's house for tea and scones (and hyperactive kittens!  ).  Arthur's garden was still covered in a thick blanket of snow - but it was great to find that he grows a lot of his snowdrops in covered cold frames which meant there were plenty of little white flowers for Jennie and I to Ooh over.  Oh - and some things that weren't snowdrops...   

Pic 1 - One of Arthur's greenhouses.

Pic 2 - A crocus.

Pic 3 - Another crocus.

Pic 4 - An unidentified Frittilaria.

Pic 5 - One of the cold frames.

[KentGardener]

Some of the 'drops that were in Art's coldframes.

Pic 1 - 'Selborne Green Tips' (showing the double headed scape characteristic)

Pic 2 - 'Ding Dong'

Pic 3 - 'Sutton Courtenay'

Pic 4 - An elwesii in the garden

Pic 5 - 'Elwesii Green Tips'

[KentGardener]

The day finished with both Jennie and Arthur visiting my house to drop me off and for us to look at all our purchases up close.  It was also a great chance to compare their scents in the warmth of my house.  Some smelt of soap, some of bonfires, some nice and some not so nice. 

Stupidly I forgot to take a picture of all the pots of snowdrops spread-out on my kitchen surfaces so dashed outside with my camera just as Jennie and Arthur were leaving to get a pic of the days purchases.

Pic 1 - Jennie and Arthur having a look at my garden - it will probably be another couple of weeks until things are really worth seeing.

Pic 2 - Their purchases in the boot of the car.

Pic 3 - Another box of plants on the back seat!

That's it for this weekends blog.

[Rob]

It's great to see your Galanthus blog has started for this year.

I'm looking forward to more updates as the snowdrop season progresses.

[Lina Hesseling]

I love your posts, John! Thanks!
Glad the sun was also shining and everyone looks so happy.

Jennie, well done. Your collection is growing quickly.

It is always fantastic to put all the new plants together and look back at a great day.

Lina.

[Gerard Oud]

Very nice to see pics of the event and forummembers. Wished i could have been there to join you.

But i will be in Scotland in a few weeks, hope the weather will be good then.

[KentGardener]

Many thanks Rob, Lina and Gerard.  It is always a real, S.A.D. beating, boost to know that the time taken to resize and post everything has been well-spent and is worthwhile.

I don't think I will be getting to as many places this year as I would like as funds are limited this year (and train fares keep going up!)  - but I will hopefully visit some nice places to report on during the coming weeks.

If anyone would be happy for me to pop along and visit please let me know - and, of course, anyone who wants to visit my postage stamp garden is most welcome here if I am free.

Regards

John

[snowdropcollector]

Thank you John for posting the pictures and let us know that many have had their luck to add some snowdrops to their collection. It is good to hear that you all have had a great day, although your wallets are empty  .
I wonder or some of you have longer arms now while you had to carry all the bags  .

[Maggi Young]

Your galanthus blogs are enjoyed by a great many people, John- if you do not get to as many events this year as usual,  it will be a source of disappointment to more than just yourself!
Your comment on rail fares is well taken - can't  myself understand why a ticket to sit  (or stand    ) on a train seems to cost as much as buying the ruddy train 

Happily the SRGC forum and galanthus pages are available for all to read and to be able to join in to contribute so that these experiences can be shared and cheer us all- so even if you miss some events, you should be able to see what happens at others in these pages.

[Maggi Young]

Thank you John for posting the pictures and let us know that many have had their luck to add some snowdrops to their collection. It is good to hear that you all have had a great day, although your wallets are empty  .
I wonder or some of you have longer arms now while you had to carry all the bags  .

It's fun just to see those happy faces of Jennie and Arthur looking out of the car - even if they have now got "gorilla arms"   


 Gerard : for now the snow is melting in Aberdeen- we will hope for dry ground and sunshine  in Dunblane for your Scottish visit   

[Tim Ingram]

John - many thanks for all those photos. Great to see David and Anke at Myddleton House. Would have been nice to come along but I am spending my allowance this year on seeds from the American and Czech collectors. Perhaps next year; it looks one of the best snowdrop events there is for rare varieties.

[KentGardener]

I wonder or some of you have longer arms now while you had to carry all the bags  .

...even if they have now got "gorilla arms"   

From what I have seen at various plant sales over the years I would think that stretched arms might be a useful body modification (unlike most of the body modifications that seem popular with teenagers in recent years.     )

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks John. Almost as good as being there.