Galanthus January 2007

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

JUST SEEN THAT YOU HAVE POSTED WHILE I WAS WRITING SO WILL COME BACK TO THIS AGAIN.

I'm afraid you've lost me. You'll have to go back to the drawing board with me on this one. I'm in the same situation as Diane here. I see it as one of those blobs, beloved of psychologists, at which I must gaze and then say what I see.

If you have a  minute, do please give more explanation on this one. I still love those with the raised outer segments and as for the raised arms, I will have to await further instruction.


Lesely,

Glad you liked the bit of background material on G. 'Hill Poe'.

As with Miss Blanche Poe, I had an article recently for the newsletter here from a lady who, because of her advanced years, felt she was coming to the end of her gardening career. The garden was an old one, in the family for a long time and she was wilderness, brambles and tree seedlings as the future  that was in store. I suppose one must remain philosophical about such  things and realise that our gardens are transient things and we can but enjoy them while we are here.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

OOOOOOKKAAAAAAAAAAY,

I see what you mean but it really wouldn't have struck me as being very clear. Nonetheless it is a good aide memoire.

Many thanks, Paddy

[KentGardener]

Hi Lesley

have just been looking at the old forum and found some more good pics of hill poe (had a bit of a deja vu moment too....) - scroll down to the 23 & 24 Jan 2005.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/8/11.html?1114297185

regards

John

[mark smyth]

Here is the photo I posted. One thing that 'Hill Poë' hates in being moved. Once moved it huffs by having irreguar inners just like an ordinary double nivalis. It takes a year or do to settle down

[mark smyth]

Here's a lovely well shaped elwesii, e. flore pleno 'Natalie Garten'. Lasy year it had long extra petals but this year they are very short. Once established it should perform better.

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

Now there's a snowdrop with a bit of body, a well-built chap indeed. Great fullness to the outer segments, lovely effect. It only just scrapes into the 'flore pleno' category though it seems.

I was speaking with Roger Norman of Ivycroft Plants last week and we were talking about the timing of moving of snowdrops. He is adamant that those snowdrops described as not performing true to form after being moved are those which have been moved in 'the green'. Quite sensibly he says that you cannot disturb and break the roots of a plant and expect it to perform well in the following year. Better, he says, to wait until the  leaves die down before moving. It's common sense really, I suppose.

Paddy

[snowdropman]

Hi Paddy - I have to agree with Roger, to the extent that with 'dormant' bulbs the risk of damage to the bulb, and any consequent set back, is minimal (I have certainly found this to be the case in practise, particularly with the bulbs that I have had from Roger).

I have no problems, in principle, with taking bulbs 'in the green' but it is of course a bit of a lottery where you (1) are totally dependent upon the care with which the bulb is dug up in the first place and (2) have no control over how long the bulb is out of the ground before you get it (I am sure that we can all relate tales of 'in the green' bulbs that arrive looking very limp).

My preference is for dormant bulbs, followed by bulbs grown/supplied in pots, followed by 'in the green' bulbs - whilst more commercial growers are moving over to dormant bulbs, a great many still insist on supplying 'in the green', so to some extent we are stuck, with little or no choice.

I was looking at Janet Lecore's website (Judy's Snowdrops) earlier today and I see that she very sensibly recommends that 'in the green' bulbs should be left to soak in water for 24 hours, in order to revive them, before being planted out.

[snowdropman]

Thanks for the extensive explanation guys !
I'm an absolute -non- galantophile so far... but you are all making it difficult to keep it like that 
I might be tempted to have a go at a couple of these special doubles....

Hi Luc - with an opening like that, I would not want to miss the chance to convert you to liking snowdrops!

If you send me your address privately, I will send you a small selection of snowdrops in the summer, as dormant bulbs.

[snowdropman]

As soon as G. 'Hill Poe' comes out I will post a photograph. Chris has it more advanced than I at present. Mine are not even above ground at the moment. Will wait  patiently.

Hi Paddy - I was checking my 'Hill Poe' today - the very distinctive, rounded, flower buds are sitting there, just above the surface - I should think that the flowers will open, very close to the ground, within the next 7-10 days.

[snowdropman]

Here's a lovely well shaped elwesii, e. flore pleno 'Natalie Garten'

Hi Mark - not heard of this one before - can you give us any background information about it?

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi Chris,

I had a look at G. 'Hill Poe', well more a look at where they are planted. They are just barely peeping above a layer of gravel which covers this bed.
I'll have to wait for a while.

Yes, it seems that the practice of lifting snowdrops is changing from 'in the green' to dormant.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

With my eye taken by the novel, G. 'Natalie Garten', I forgot about your posting of G. 'Hill Poe'. The photograph illustrates very well the neatness of the arrangement of the inner segments. It's a lovely plant.

Paddy

[Brian Ellis]

Mark

My thanks too for the pictures of Hill Poe, for some reason I had taken against this, (probably because the doubles are not my favourites), but having seen the perfection of the inner segments I have had to change my mind!

Brian

[Paddy Tobin]

Brian,

It is indeed a beautiful flower. even if you are not a fan of the doubles Hill Poe will appeal to you as it is so neat and well arranged in its part, a simply beautiful flower.

Of course, it is a plant of Irish origin - what more would you expect?

Paddy

[snowdropman]

Hi Paddy - much to my surprise, the first of my g. 'Hill Poe' came into flower today - cannot wait for the whole clump to flower, which should be quite a show.