Margaret Owen's snowdrop day

[mark smyth]

One of the best snowdrop collections is open for viewing this Sunday. All money lifted - door, cakes, soups, snowdrops - is going to charity. This year the charity is aimed at children. I cant rememeber which one.

From memory doors open at 2pm and close at dusk.

The address is Acton Piggot near Shrewsbury. There will be signs up pointing the way. See you there!

[mark smyth]

doors open at 11am!

[Martin Baxendale]

Will Margaret still have a good selection flowering this late, especially given the earlieness of the season. My (rather poor and weather-battered, muddied and flattened, dreadfully disappointing) season is almost over! Have you had an update from her about what there'll be to see? I might actually manage a few hours to go a-visiting this weekend. And of course Ashwoods is nearby isn't it?

[mark smyth]

Ashwood is about 40 miles away. I havent heard what her garden is like this year. Only a few stragglers in mine now. The positive is this will be the first MO weekend in 7 years without heavy frost or snow. Temperatures for Sunday are forecast to be in the teens

[mark smyth]

Mentioning Ashwood I succumbed this year and bought one of their new yellows

[Martin Baxendale]

That's a beauty, Mark. How do I get directions to Margaret's garden? I went there on the Shropshire gala weekend years ago when we all stayed at that awful hotel, but I can't remember where on earth her garden is.

[Martin Baxendale]

Okay, I found Acton Pigott on Goggle Maps. It's quite simple from Telford.

[Maggi Young]

I am jealous, none of my "yellow" hellies are THAT yellow

[mark smyth]

ya pays for what ya gets.

I've been kicked out of MO's house this year to make way for a special visitor - John Massey.

[Maggi Young]

ya pays for what ya gets.

   

I've been kicked out of MO's house this year to make way for a special visitor - John Massey.

Well, it's for a good cause there as well then  Besides, you told us the weather will be good... you'll be fine in the potting shed.....

[mark smyth]

More like open sided barn 

I got a yellow with red blotches and dark green with red spotting at Homebase last week. I forgot to tell everyone. B&Q has lots of Anemone centred and party dresses. I forgot that also

[Paddy Tobin]

An extraordinary bright green leaf to the hellebore, Mark.

Super colour levels.

Paddy

[johnw]

Mark - How could you post that yellow hellebore! Simply cruel.

It's 11 years since I visited Ashwood.  Yellows have apparently come a long way. Kevin took me through the breeding house and I left with 6 x 2 gallon hellebores and a big Whichford pot  - on the train and then the London tube to the hotel. What a scene that was! The hells were in bloom and everyone along the way wanted to know all about them.

Got my best x nigercors there.

Another raid might be in order. Do they do snowdrops?

johnw
Ashwood x nigercors

[johnw]

Now Maggi, why was that x nigercorsis sideways when the original is not? Am I missing something?

johnw

[mark smyth]

Limited amont of snowdrops. When I was there they were only offering nivalis and it's double. John has his own collection and a collection in one of the glass houses. Wasnt even allowed with photo range. I think there might have been some others available recently. As for the Hellebore it came home in a van with 12s of others