Snowdrop Gardens visited during 2008

[KentGardener]

Morning All

yesterday was that time of the year where I convince my designated driver that he really wants to drive me to Gloucester and back in a day.  Fortunately he said yes, and we set off for another most enjoyable day at Colesbourne Park.  I wrote a full review of last years day out ( http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=233.0 ), so this year will just post some pics for your enjoyment.  I know there was at least one other SRGC'er in attendance yesterday and others are planning to visit over the coming weeks, so hopefully some more pictures may be added in due course.   

A Gloucester Old Spot? (just for Maggie)



Rosemary Burnham (doing very well)



Ding Dong



A strange one among thousands



Mixed Elwesii seedlings - these looked like a couple of French men to me



I met many interesting people at Colesbourne and, of course, sang the praises of this forum so hopefully there may be some potential new posters lurking today....

regards

John


 

[David Quinton]

John,

Glad we finally got a chance to meet up yesterday. Hopefully I will get the time to post some photographs later today.

See you at Glen Chantry.

David

[Paul T]

John,

Very nice!!  That 'Rosemary Burnham' is really something isn't it?  Other than on this forum I've never seen anything with anywhere near the green as that has.  Very desirable!!  And those little frenchmen are adorable.  Another unique one I haven't come across before and would love to grow here.  Beautiful!!

Thanks for taking the time to post your pics. 

[KentGardener]

Hi Paul

As you liked the French men - here is a little gang that looks like they are having a right gossip!

elwesii 'Edward Whittall group'


regards

John


 

[Paul T]

Not quite as striking as the dark markings on the main flwoer in the first one, but cute none-the-less.  I don't think I've come across markings with the little eyes and mouth (or should that be eyes and moustache?) like that before, or else they haven't been so obvious and therefore I haven't noticed them.  Definitely not like anything I grow, that is for sure.  So many Galanthus and so little space (and quarantine restrictions too of course!  ).

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks John, some nice photos, Rosemary Burnham is getting even higher up the wants list!  Any more pictures?

[Anna]

Thank you John - I really enjoyed your photos. After seeing them and a little snippet about Colesbourne Park on the Beeb's 'Countryfile' programme just now, I have decided that I must get myself there in the future. The petit French men are quite enchanting - I wonder what they are chinwagging about ?

[KentGardener]

Hi All

I have just spotted this in the newspaper on the way to work.  May be of interest for anyone in London.

(though 75 varieties of snowdrop doesn't seem very large compared to todays standards)

John

[Alan_b]

For anyone living in the London area I would strongly recommend that they take a trip up to Myddelton House in Enfield.  This is E.A. Bowles' former garden and it is open to the public (but not on weekends  ).  You can see thousands of snowdrops amongst other spring flowers and a wide range of different species and cultivars, without the distraction of labels to tell you what they are.

http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/content/cms/Leisure/Gardens/myddelton_house/myddelton_house.aspx

[David Nicholson]

Hi All

I have just spotted this in the newspaper on the way to work.  May be of interest for anyone in London.

(though 75 varieties of snowdrop doesn't seem very large compared to todays standards)

John

just out of interest what's an 'Oyster Card' referred to in the article under the picture please??

[Paddy Tobin]

John,

Good postings above, great to see the photographs.

G. 'Rosemary Burnham' is certainly an excellent snowdrop.

Also, I am tempted to add a little quotation to my photograph along the lines of your one, something like this: "Every day's a school day, damn it!"

Paddy

[Alan_b]

just out of interest what's an 'Oyster Card' referred to in the article under the picture please??

As you are probably aware, the latest fast-food craze in London (or perhaps it's a revival of an earlier craze) is the eating of oysters and oyster bars have popped up all over the capital.  If you want to get a discount at these establishments you carry an 'Oyster Card'.

OR

It is a prepayment swipe card for regular travellers on the London Underground.


Choose the explanation you prefer.

[David Nicholson]

just out of interest what's an 'Oyster Card' referred to in the article under the picture please??

As you are probably aware, the latest fast-food craze in London (or perhaps it's a revival of an earlier craze) is the eating of oysters and oyster bars have popped up all over the capital.  If you want to get a discount at these establishments you carry an 'Oyster Card'.

OR

It is a prepayment swipe card for regular travellers on the London Underground.


Choose the explanation you prefer.

Thanks for that Alan. A great proportion of my working life was spent travelling by train to endless meetings in London. When I retired I swore I would never visit it again and, so far, have managed not to venture past the M25. Oyster cards are a new one on me but I shan't let it worry me

[David Nicholson]

Regular readers of the 'other' Visits thread (and I've forgotten where it is!) will be aware that the Nicholson family are creatures of habit. Bedrooms are always Hoovered on Thursday, loos and baths etc. cleaned on Friday, and Wednesday is day out day.

Today we visited East Lambrook Manor in Somerset with a journey of about an hour and a bit from Devon through the rolling Blackdown Hills. The Manor was the home and garden of the late Marjorie Fish and although it is not a large garden there is always something to see. We go to ELM at least three times a year and always in the early part of February to see the Snowdrops.

The Manor is currrently up for sale (at in excess of £1.6 million if I remember rightly!) and quite frankly it showed. The tea room was closed (we were told not to re-open until new owners are obtained!) and there was possibly the worst selection (and smallest selection!) of plants for sale of any garden I have ever visited. Some parts of the garden showed the need for work. Instead of our usual bowl of soup in the tea room we had to head for the pub across the road, along with all the other visitors to the garden where we waited for an hour and ten minutes for a couple of sandwiches and chips. Had I not been driving many of the real ales on sale would have been heavily sampled!

Still no matter- here are a few! pictures.

The first a shot of the Manor House, the next two views up and down the Rill that runs through the garden; a patch of Eranthis, and a couple of Snowdrops with out name tags. Others will follow in other posts.

[David Nicholson]

More East Lambrook- and all of these are Snowdrop pictures.