Galanthus January 2007

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Maggi, I guess that's it. It was just that John thanked Wim for a pic of the 2 petalled snowdrop and that didn't appear here so I thought it must have been one of the Xs. No matter.

John, you mentioned not ever finding that special something among batches of plants. Maybe you just haven't got the right "eye" for it as Wim's father obviously has. I occasionally find something of great interest, but my late mother had a real genius for it. She would walk across a clover filled lawn - as most NZ lawns are - and find a dozen 4 leaved clovers, not actually looking for them at all. She always said it was just a momentary break in the pattern of 3 that made them leap up at her - so to speak. I weed my matting plants such as Campanula arvatica or Hypericum kelleri looking for those same breaks, of texture, colour or shape. Just practice really.

[Maggi Young]

Lesley, Wim's photo of the malformed snowdrop is on page ten of this thread, reply #147
In the photo the flower just looks thin! I will repost it here in a minute.

Wim's two petalled snowdrop

[KentGardener]

Hi All

I guessed that the 2 segment snowdrop would not be to everyone’s liking but -  'malformed'... 'aberrant... wishing it thoroughly gone from this world'.  Surely all a bit strong. 

I myself consider these genetic variations to add to the interest of what is basically a green and white three-petal flower.  My intention is that the plants given space in my garden will contain easily recognised flowers covering a long flowering period.  This means preserving and propagating the 'yellows', 'pure whites', 'unusually large', the 'Diggorys' and 'Godfrey Owens' and yes - even the 2 petalled!

I must agree that a 2 petal version of a trillium would be completely wrong – I mean… you would have to rename the plant to a ‘Bilium’! 

With my kind regards

John

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

You must remember that this is an area of the forum for those with a more than normal interest in snowdrops - actually, the abberant gardeners of the world! With such an interest people will always be on the lookout for the unusual, abnormal, different or just plain ugly and odd.

Now, the question really is whether or not these plants are considered beautiful and worth their place in the garden. To the collector their differences alone make them interesting. To the general gardener this alone would not be enough for them to merit attention or garden space.

You will see this behaviour reflected regularly in people's plant choices. How often a plant is chosen because it is interesting rather than beautiful. 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder', I suppose.

Of the abberant snowdrops, a two-petalled one would not be particularly abnormal.

Paddy

[snowdropman]

Galanthus 'Brocklamont Seedling' A small plant but good strong marking on the inner segments.

Paddy - an interesting seedling - is this from Brocklamount House in Co Antrim?

[mark smyth]

My garden is packed with twin petalled and single petalled snowdrops. There are many too with no outer petals. All thanks to last weekends very strong winds

Brocklamont House belongs to a friend of mine. When she moved there all that was in the garden were mixed nivalis singles and doubles. This is a selection

[vanhouttewim]

Lesley , Thank you for your kind comments , i will burn the 2-petaled snowdrop      Last year VanhoutteFreddy also found a Galanthus nivalis 'Viridapice' with 4 'ears'. you will certainly like this one I wait to see how it will flower this year.
I agree that diggory and many other blewbury Tarts are much more attractive and unique.

all the best , Wim

[ian mcenery]

Just starting to settle in but not as big as it should be G Comet and the second bought as Caucasicus

I like big in snowdrops, gracefull ones or those with just attitude so I can see them and don't have to examine their entrails to find a difference. I think that too many snowdrops have been named though I keep saying I've got enough but I still keep acquiring them. I suppose there are still one or two on my hit list like Marjorie Brown and Sutton Court so I will have to wait till next year I suppose.

[mark smyth]

Ian I wouldnt bother with Marjorie. Put your money in to something better

[snowdropman]

I suppose there are still one or two on my hit list like Marjorie Brown

Ian - take care, my understanding is that this is one of those snowdrops where more than one form is circulating under this name - however the original 'Marjorie Brown', as described in the 'Snowdrops' book, remains special.

[Paddy Tobin]

Ian,

Two very nice photographs. Two good snowdrops, doing very well  by the looks of them. Isn't there always another one to add to the garden!

Paddy

[ian mcenery]

Paddy there always is  .

[ian mcenery]

Paddy and Mark I should also have said that  the Marjorie Brown I saw was in Michael Barons garden in Hampshire (one of the National collections) and it was big and bold. But I will watch out as you say and hopefully see before I buy being the maxim

[Lesley Cox]

Oh dear, I do seem to have put a cat among the galanthophile pigeons! In my defence I'd like to say that I'm of course always interested in Paddy's "interesting" variants. My concern is that many such variants are caused by the action of viruses and those surely, should be discouraged. Other plants can become infected. This is particularly the case with variegated plants. The Iris unguicularis with streaky flowers is a case in point.

Whether the 2 petalled snowdrop is constant I suppose is yet to be tested but for my part, I think the 3 petalled forms are the closest to perfect that it's possible for them to be and if one has perfect, what can surpass it? Years ago I got over needing every possible species or variety within a genus. Looking for drabas taught me that lesson. 90% of them are miserable and boring weeds. Clematis, it seems and according to Admin, is another such teacher.

[Paddy Tobin]

Oh Dear Lesley,

Your cat is always welcome among the galanthophiles pigeons. A bit of teasing and joking is an absolute must for life. What a terrible life it would be if we took snowdrops that seriously. They are just an interest; much like people who bake cakes, I suppose!

Of course, you are perfectly correct when you say that too many mutants, variations and sick snowdrops are named as though they were special when they should be thrown into the fire or the compost bin or just left alone as one of the normal variations which occur within many species and cultivars.

Like yourself, I have no intention of collecting the  complete 843 different snowdrops; I'm going to be happy when 800.

A Gardening Obsession?

Paddy