Galanthus questions

[ChrisB]

I went to visit Howick Gardens (Northumberland) today and found several snowdrops that looked a bit different.  They reckon they have 200+ different ones there, species etc, but they all looked like little white flowers with bits of green on them to me .

However, I wondered about these ones.  First, one that had four sepals rather than the usual three, a double that had five sepals and two that looked like a different species.  Also one view in the gardens.  It was a wonderful day for it too!

[ChrisB]

Sorry should have turned the photos before I posted mea culpa....

Here they are without having to crick your neck:

[Maggi Young]

By heck! After all this chat tonight about G. Flocon de Neige selling for £266  on ebay... here's Chris showing us a six petalled double from Howick.... presumably from a clump.....  shock horror!! 

[art600]

Maggi

Are you wearing your specs - I can only see five

[Maggi Young]

yes, Arthur, got the specs on, can't even see the monitor BOX with out them!!.... look to the petal with its point nearest the tip of Chris' ring finger... just below it there is another petal, lying more flat to the inners...can you see?

[Maggi Young]

On second look, with pic enlarged, I see that it has some green on, but I think it is more of an outside petal with green than and inside one sticking out, if you know what I mean!

[art600]

I'd give it five and a half - have lots like that in the garden that I thought might be 'Hill Poe'

[Anthony Darby]

Who said "Oil give it foive?"

[Maggi Young]

Who said "Oil give it foive?"

Maureen somebody, on Juke Box Jury..  wasn't she was one of the first "real" people to be included in a TV programme panel ?

[Maggi Young]

No, Maureen isn't right.... have googled Juke Box Jury... she was called Janice Nicholls .... sounded just like dear Vic Aspland  , as I recall, though I would think that that is as far as the similarity goes   

[art600]

And no relation

[Maggi Young]

And no relation

No, but she would be of an age to be your sister     but her accent could never come from Kent 

[art600]

Maggi

I was born in a castle in Derbyshire. 

Kent is my latest resting place, though hopefully my last as I have found a garden with acid soil (first time), room for 4 greenhouses, a woodland area, a vegetable patch, and a protected woodland shields us from the worst of the winds

[Maggi Young]

Sounds like you are back to what is really even better than a castle again, now, Arthur 
You did well to find such a place with the room you need and some shelter to boot.

I'm giving more thought to this castle birthplace.... perhaps I should give you a new nickname of KING Arthur.... , though I thought the one you have appropriate .....

and I have to rack my brain to think if I know what a Derbyshire accent might sound like  , though you may have been assimilated by the Southerners, Arthur , and pass for a native?

[art600]

Maggi

I thought the castle very grand until I discovered 75% of my primary school class had also been born in the castle.

I was a war baby and Willersly Castle (really a grand mansion) was a maternity hospital.

Apart from spending the next 2 years in Cheshire, I am a southerner.