KentGardener's Galanthus Blog 2013

[Tim Ingram]

And there was I thinking our garden was quite large John! The drifts of Cyclamen coum are most impressive - it reminds me of an area just to the side of the rock garden at Wisley, under an Acer. The raised beds with snowdrops are fascinating - I've never seen polygonal beds built like this before and they must provide excellent drainage in the same way that John and Carolyn Millen's do at Spring Platt. Having gone down with a bad dose of flu I missed meeting Margaret MacLennan at the Harlow AGS Show, but we did sell a good number of snowdrops there which was pleasing. However many cultivars of snowdrops does a National Collection holder hold?

[KentGardener]

Margaret is very keen on chipping snowdrops and is one of the guys&gals that help out Anglesey Abbey with increasing their rare bulbs.

I thought I had seen all of the garden and was already completely "WOWED".  But in the words of Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket: "and there's more"!...

Margaret unlocked a gate and led us into the orchard.  Here we found all the overflow and the '2, 3, 4 year old' chips that were awaiting a place in the main garden.  David has been working hard creating net covered wooden framed roofs for the beds that house all of these.   The nets I saw over the drop beds are about a 1cm square and permanently in place to stop big critters (mammals!).  There is also a much finer mesh rolled up in waiting that will be placed over the beds later on to stop the dreaded Narcissus fly.

1 - A pic I just found from earlier in the afternoon that I like.

2, 3, 4 - Nursery beds

After a lovely sunny after the temperature suddenly dropped.  I first noticed people doing the tapping toe heel toe thing.  Then the stamping feet on the spot thing.  And then I suddenly experienced the back of my bald head is hurting thing.  So it was time for Alan and I to leave this wonderful collection and for me to relax for the 1 hour drive and 3 hour train journey home.

[Hagen Engelmann]

It seems, you all had a good time - with some sun .

[David King]

Here are a few of the National Collection visit from another viewpoint. 

1.  Margaret MacLennan and Cliff Curtis.
2.  From left: Joan Curtis, Carole Smith and Sharon White walking through a small part of the Cyclamen display.
3.  Brian Ellis and the Chauffered.
4.  From left: John Foster, Margaret MacLennan, Brenda Foster (top of head), KG and Brian Ellis.
5.  The man in the passenger seat.

[Alan_b]

Even if you were not a dedicated Galanthophile, I don't think you could help but be infected by Margaret's enthusiasm for her snowdrops.

[Maggi Young]

I do appreciate the fantastic effort that has gone into the "housing" of the 'drops and I like the neat raised beds but, goodness me,  those drifts of cyclamen are truly scrumptious!

[David King]

A few more:

1.  Joan Curtis, Alan Leslie, Cliff Curtis, Carole Smith, Margaret and David MacLennan.
2.  John Foster, Brenda Foster, Sharon White, KG, Margaret MacLennan, Cliff & Joan Curtis, Brian Eliis.
3.  Getting down to the real business.
4.  A long way to go chaps.

[emma T]

WOW what a place . Thanks for sharing your wonderful day with us again 

[Lina Hesseling]

What a fantastic place!!
Three or four years ago I met Margaret and her husband when we were waiting in the cue at Kalmthout. We did have a very nice conversation and were invited to visit her garden.
One day we will go there!!!!

Lina.

[Brian Ellis]

Is DSCF5157 the only picture you have of Kit Gray-Wilson and Ann Borrill John, they seem a long way away!

[KentGardener]

They did arrive a little late after getting lost so didn't feature in most of the photographs.  All my pictures with them in seem far away. 

Here is a zoomed one.   

[KentGardener]

4.  A long way to go chaps.

   

[Brian Ellis]

I do not know how big the garden is in square metres

A few acres rather than square metres John, and thanks for the zoom, nice to see them there as we don't seem to have a photo either, they were so far behind us.

[Hagen Engelmann]

John and David too, good pics you made. Thought I was a member of the group too.

[Brian Ellis]

John and David too, good pics you made. Thought I was a member of the group too.

What a shame you were not Hagen, you would have enjoyed it all the more for being well again. It was a lovely afternoon with good company as well as excellent hosts.