Galanthus questions

[Maggi Young]

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

By jove, you had me worried for a minute there, Arthur...I had visions of abusive aristos excercising droit de seigneur.... thank goodness for a happier explanation 

[ChrisB]

Interesting responses.  I know exactly where those two snowdrops were, in the churchyard, so I guess I'll wait until next year to see if they are there again.  The one with the four petals was one only, and a bit taller than the rest around it too, and looked  very strong.  The double one was just wonderful, should have taken another picture from overhead... not going back to do so though.  There were loads of the yellow ones too according to an eagle eyed friend, but I never saw any except in the Earl Grey Tea Rooms  where we eventually sat and drank tea and ate home made cake....  If you are in the area, it is a great place to go to see snowdrops, there were absolutely masses of them, we walked for an hour!

[ichristie]

Hi Chris, I find your pictures very interesting can you please have another look at the snowdrops you found and see if Galanthus plicatus are also growing in this area looks like it to me?? cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Anthony Darby]

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.

Ditto. Most of my primary class mates were born in Airthrey Castle, formerly a maternity hospital but now part of Stirling University. Our wedding reception was at Airth Castle, but that was picked up wrong by a (late) friend of my mum. She painted a picture of Airthrey Castle, saying that it would remind us of our wedding day.

[afw]

RE: Willesley Castle
It is now a grand hotel a few miles up the road from Belper. Willesly Castle Hotel, Cromford.
In the history of the place it states as Arthur says that it had been a Maternity Hospital during the war and that it was used when the Salvation Army Maternity Hospital in Clapton, East London, was closed. Its a small world because I had been born in the Sally Hospital a few years before Arthur.

[ChrisB]

Hi Ian,

The G. plicatus was growing at the top of the rockery area, right beside the wall into the agapanthus/kniphophia area, not the church yard.  Was the only clump I spotted, definitely no where near the other one with the four sepals or the double.

[ichristie]

Hi again Chris, I still suspect that this is a probable hybrid as bees will fly long distances  so a cross  pollination would be possible but then the plants have not read any of the books so could just be a variation, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Brian Ellis]

Hello all,

A peculiar question I know, but has anybody got a picture of Mr Alex Duguid of Edrom nurseries?  They do not have one at Edrom and I have this bee in my bonnet to see what he looks like.  There is nothing on the internet and I wondered if there was reference in a book somewhere (Not in the Snowdrop monograph).  Strange how these things start as a wonder and then assume a 'need to know' status!  Still it is raining today

Any pointers to finding him please.  If anyone can it will be someone on this forum

[Maggi Young]

Brian, we have a great many of Alec Duguid's garden books... including his entire collection of AGS Journals, bought at auction after his death.   I have an idea of someone who might have a photo... leave it with me.........

[Brian Ellis]

I see that Avon Bulbs special list is now on the website.  Several that are interesting to me including 'June Boardman' and 'Green Hayes', however, for a description we are referred to the Snowdrop monograph -  Is it me being particularly thick I wonder as I can't find either of them? 

[Hagen Engelmann]

Hello Brian,
thank you for the information of the special list of Avon Bulbs. I have just ordered a few news for me. But I have the same questions like you. And we haven`t the answers here in Germany. I hope Chris Sanham can help???!!! He is the owner of the big list of newer cultivars.

[snowdropman]

Brian & Hagen

Here is what I have been able to find out

'June Boardman' is a plicatus selection named by ? Boardman for his wife June. It is possible that, at some point, he acquired some of the Wandlebury Ring yellows & that this is an offspring.

'Green Hayes' - this is another plicatus, named by David Bromley and seems to have originated from South Hayes (Primrose Warburg).

'Art Nouveau' - this was found in the Jardin d'Angelique (at Montmain, Rouen, France), by the owners Monsieur et Madame Bellegard. They had previously found g. nivalis Poculiformis Group 'Angelique' in their garden. It was named by Alan Street of Avon Bulbs.

Hope this helps

Chris

[Hagen Engelmann]

Thank you Chris.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Chris, it seems to confirm my suspicions!  Bill Boardman is a Norfolk plantsman who has "The Garden in an Orchard" in the next village to me.  His wife June is also a good plantswoman, as is his cousin Peter Boardman (Holly officianodo) and his other cousin, one Cecilia Coller.  I'll have to check this but I am sure that there are not too many June Boardman's around!

[Maggi Young]

Brian, it strikes me that it is very fortunate for AGS exhibitors that there is only one Cecilia Coller, too! 
That is one very clever grower.


I am still on the trail of a photo of Alec Duguid, by the way!