New Dryad Nursery Introduction

[Blonde Ingrid]

After several benchmark yellows, then the I-Poc, 'G. Dryad Artemis', I was hoping for another Tier 1 drop from Anne Wright (Dryad Nursery) in the outstanding green tips variety.

I did not have to wait very long.

Flowering today, 'G.e. Eilys Elisabeth Hartley' a stunning addition to the range.

The contrast of the apical and basal markings is lovely, the apical is a dark green, the basal marking is lighter green. The outer shape is highly distinctive and beautiful with lovely puckering.

One of the ways I judge the stunning quality of a snowdrop is the visitor test. I have many snowdrops and visitors are confronted with swathes, the ones they single out and are drawn to are rare and striking. This snowdrop has been singled out of the greens by virtually all my visitors!

Anne's specials range is now many and various and more are rumoured to be on the way (virescent)! All this and the likely rapid increase which accompanies Anne's drops!

One for the lists.

[Maggi Young]

I have "righted" the errant photo which was sideways, Ingrid.  Very fine chunky looking drop.

[annew]

I've been asked about the snowdrop I was hoping to launch last year - Eilys Elisabeth Hartley.
I hope you will not mind me repeating here the story behind the flower. It is named for a little girl who was gone long before her time. Here is her story:

"Eilys Elisabeth Hartley was born on 12th June 2016. She was such a beautiful baby and everyone who had the pleasure of meeting her fell in love. She smiled easily and laughed a lot. She was a very happy and contented baby. To start with Eilys was hitting her milestones quite early and by the time she was a bit over 3 months old she was trying to roll over and nearly sitting up unaided. And then she stopped. We thought that she was maybe being a bit lazy and we tried not to worry too much about it. By the time she was 5 months old I started to panic about her lack of progression. I took her to see my health visitor, to the drop-in clinic, we went to the doctors etc. but were told over and over not to worry, that some babies are just a bit slower than others. But in my heart of hearts I knew that something was really wrong. Eilys then got bronchiolitis. She ended up in hospital and eventually had to have help breathing. As awful as this all was, during her stay in hospital our concerns about her were finally taken seriously. Her consultant did some tests and we were told to expect the results in around 10 days. Eilys made a speedy recovery and we were sent home to await the results.
On 11th December 2015 at Alder Hey children's hospital we were given the devastating news that our beautiful daughter had a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1. Eilys' consultant told us that it was a condition that caused weakening of the muscles and that it was a life-limiting condition. He told us that life expectancy was 18 months to 2 years.
That day my husband, Joe, and I decided that we didn't want to be sad while we had Eilys with us. We didn't want to waste any of the time she had. We made a list of things we wanted to her experience - things we felt were important for a child to experience. Eilys' Experience list included going camping, visiting a castle, going on lots of walks, trips to the zoo, farm and an aquarium.
One of the things on the list was that we wanted Eilys to try as many different types of food as possible and that very much included cake! Every time a family member had a birthday we would celebrate Eilys instead and I would make her a cake. She had 11 cakes in total, including the 4 she had on her actual 1st birthday.
Eilys had many amazing adventures in her short life and she smiled every single day. As a family we made lots of wonderful memories with her and for her big brother Dylan.
Eilys turned 1 on 12th June 2016 and she had a huge birthday party with loads of her favourite people. Everyone was asked to bring a helium balloon for her as they were her favourite things. She ended up with over 50 balloons!
Two weeks later, on 28th June, Eilys died peacefully at home while being cuddled by her Mummy, Daddy and big brother.
On paper, Eilys' life may read as 12th June 2015 - 28th June 2016 but she filled that dash in the middle with more adventures, love and laughter than most people who live to 90!"

I will be offering the first bulbs on ebay soon, they are flowering now. The sale price of the first bulb will go to the charity concerned with Eilys' disease -The Ally Cadence Trust for SMA Type 1     http://www.actsma.co.uk/
It is a lovely drop, easily the earliest green tip here, and I hope it will do Eilys justice.

 edit by maggi to correct link

[David Nicholson]

Such a sad story Anne but also, in a way, a beautiful story. I've never before read a story on the Forum that left me with very wet eyes.

I did donate, and in case others wish to do so it would be easier if you amended your hyperlink to read 'actsma' rather than 'actforsma' which didn't work.

[annew]

Many thanks, Maggi  and David too.

[Linda]

What a moving story behind the lovely snowdrop, what a special and beautiful child and such special parents to fill that short life with so much joy obviously. I will always revere the drop should l some day be so lucky to have one!

[Leena]

Anne, thank you for sharing the story of Eilys.

[Maggi Young]

This is the link to the ebay offering : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galanthus-Eilys-Elisabeth-Hartley-superb-first-time-offering/263417812472?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 and again , the link to the charity where  donations can be made : http://www.actsma.co.uk/

 

[annew]

Those of you who remember the story behind our snowdrop Eilys Elisabeth Hartley (see http://www.actsma.co.uk/page/eilys-elisabeth-hartley) might like to show your support by wearing one of the snowdrop pin badges designed by her mum, Emma, to raise money for the charity. You can buy them here:
https://www.etsy.com/…/619562003/snowdrops-for-eilys-enamel…

[Blonde Ingrid]

Heads Up!

Just heard Anne Wright's list will be coming out early this week. Not just great snowdrops but also Narcissus, including her recently registered, Anemones, Crocus et al.

Speed will be of the essence!

[Blonde Ingrid]

Anne Wright's list has now gone live on:

http://www.dryad-home.co.uk/pages/Plantlist.html

Good hunting!

[fermi de Sousa]

Wow! Didn't take long for a lot of them to sell out!
Just as well we can't order bulbs from here
cheers
fermi

[annew]

In the next few years, I hope to be able to concentrate solely on our own snowdrop introductions and narcissus, to which end I’d like to try and entice you to take some more snowdrops off my hands!

I have decided to enter everyone who spends more than £30-00 (not including postage) on snowdrops from our summer list into a draw for a Dryad Gold Bullion snowdrop bulb.

This wonderful benchmark yellow variety bulks up rapidly, is fairly compact yet sturdy and will be a great asset in your garden. The Dryad Gold Series are only usually offered on Ebay!

Customers who have already spent over the £30 threshold will be entered automatically. Good Luck 

[Maggi Young]

Last date for orders from the Dryad summer list is tomorrow - 31st July.

[annew]

Thanks, Maggi. Busy packing orders now. All the invoices are sent, so please settle up so I can get your order in the post 
The winner of our draw for Dryad Gold Bullion was John Mouatt. Congratulations, John!