Galanthus hunting

[johnw]

Spring has been desperately late here and the snowdrops in the south, they say, are a month late.  I spent the afternoon scouring some big drifts of G. nivalis in the Digby area of Nova Scotia. Most were growing in back gardens and cascaded down the wet slopes. The soil looked very rich and very damp.

The finds were 4 or 5 upright ones in one clump and a few more nearby and 2 yellows. The yellows appeared to be recent risers, though their leaf tips were yellow from emerging too early during the winter. I was skeptical they were worth looking at but the markings were indeed yellow whilst the rest in the clump were green.  The owners of the properties were very kind and told me to dig as many as I wished.

My first real critical snow drop hunt. Quite amazing how few variants there are in so many thousands of nivalis and such good health crammed in as they are. I have to hand to you all for your frequent outings, I was blurry-eyed at the end of the day with wet knees as well.

Two shots from Digby County.

johnw

[johnw]

The health of the clumps despite the crowding!

johnw

[johnw]

A few of the uprights.

johnw

[johnw]

And the two. All the finds were nothing really to get terribly excited but first finds are rather.

Sorry for posting so many times. A cranky Apple tonight or is it me?

A memorable highlight of the day was the fragrance of our native Epigaea repens (our provincial flower) wafting in the Spring air.  I examined the nearby clumps but only found a few opened flowers hidden in the moss. It will be quite something when the many buds open.

johnw

[Paul T]

John,

Congratulations!!  Oh to be able to do that sort of searching!!  Hopefully everything remains the same once it has settled into your garden as well. 

[mark smyth]

The upright flowers are caused by the temperature being high as the flowers breaks free from the spathe. I've seen flowers do this in my garden. They eventually break free and take up the normal position. Or one petal is stuck in the spathe

[johnw]

Or one petal is stuck in the spathe

Mark - We'll keep an eye on them.

More likely to be this as we have certainly had no warm temperatures. 12c yesterday was the warmest to date, otherwise 5c max.

johnw

[Robert Pavlis]

John - Are there native Galanthus in Canada? Or is your 'hunting' on cultivated plants gone wild.

I am in Ontario, and we also have some in local woods, but I thought they were not native?

[johnw]

John - Are there native Galanthus in Canada? Or is your 'hunting' on cultivated plants gone wild.

I am in Ontario, and we also have some in local woods, but I thought they were not native?

Robert - There are no native Galanthus in the Americas. These are all garden escapees - G. nivalis.

Mine stay relatively in place except where I have been moving other plants and the Galanthus hitch a ride. My neighbors are all through his moist and low-lying lawn.

It was remarkable to see bulbs sitting atop the soil blooming away, the G. nivalis have to be very cold hardy.

johnw

[johnw]

A few doubles in bloom here last week.  Just so you don't forget what they look like!

johnw

[Alan_b]

.....
A memorable highlight of the day was the fragrance of our native Epigaea repens (our provincial flower) wafting in the Spring air.  I examined the nearby clumps but only found a few opened flowers hidden in the moss. It will be quite something when the many buds open.

johnw

I'll probably get hung as a traitor for this, but I would be very interested to see some shots of Epigaea repens when the buds do open.

[johnw]

.....
A memorable highlight of the day was the fragrance of our native Epigaea repens (our provincial flower) wafting in the Spring air.  I examined the nearby clumps but only found a few opened flowers hidden in the moss. It will be quite something when the many buds open.

johnw

I'll probably get hung as a traitor for this, but I would be very interested to see some shots of Epigaea repens when the buds do open.

Alan   - Go to the Alpines topic and click on Epigaea thread which Maggi kindly set up.  We've posted a few pix but no blooms are open yet here in Halifax. I will post some flowers in a few days.

johnw