November Snowdrops on Sale at Anglesey Abbey

[Alan_b]

The Plant Sales area of the Anglesey Abbey shop is selling small pots of Galanthus elwesii in flower at £3 per pot.  These are all monostictus but with a wide range of different markings and flower flower shapes.  They have a commercial standard illustrated elwesii label with a small paper label bearing the name 'Galanthus elwesii' and the code 25056.  These would be completely unremarkable in February but are a curious sight in mid-November.  I am tempted to think the bulbs have been forced to make them flower early, but if so how is this done?   

[colineddie1]

I too would think its odd but I have this week Gal H. Purcell in full flower - since I bought it in flower last Feb/March I am more than a little confused as to why it has flowered now.

[emma T]

It's not been that cold , i guess watering them early might bring them into life a bit early ?

[Alan_b]

True, Emma, but they seem to have managed to sell the same thing each year for the last few years.  I bought an early snowdrop there at a similar time two years ago (but have lost track of what has become of it).  I'm wondering if some commercial company has found out how to bring-on elwesii snowdrops early?  Either that or they have a big stock of different Hiemalis Group types.

[Alan_b]

I bought this one because its inner petals had the fullest mark of all those on sale.
   

[ruben]

a very nice one alan! Hope is show the same next year!!

[Alan_b]

Yes, this one is a bit reminiscent of 'Peter Gatehouse' but that snowdrop isn't above ground here yet.  All my autumn snowdrops are much later than last year.  I imagine it was too dry in September and October and they weren't able to take in enough moisture to put on growth until the recent rain.

[steve owen]

Alan, yes, my earlies are a bit later than the last few years but maybe only a fortnight or so. Barnes, Rainbow Farm Early and Remember Remember are all flowering; Emmelina, r/o Eleni (in open ground) and Corcyrensis are going over; Peter Gatehouse, Mrs Mac, Godfrey Owen and quite a lot of others are showing.