Galanthus February 24

[Mariette]

Always my first yellow snowdrop to flower is ´Golden Fleece´ - a variety which clumps exceedingly well for me.



Another one which clumps well in my garden is G. elwesii ´Green Eyes´ - most G. elwesii do not like to increase here.



Snowdrops start to take the garden over - an unnamed hybrid in the front, left behind ´Colossus´ and a somewhat more colossal seedling to the right.



Close-up - the marks are not my cup of tea, but the size kept me from discarding it.

[Stefan B.]

Good to have snowdrops in bloom at this time Mariette, in my garden 'Colossus' will bloom in two weeks at the earliest.
I was surprised by the early flowering of the Galanhus gracilis I bought last autumn, strangely…
 
Galanhus gracilis

[Stefan B.]

I think it turned out to be a nice picture and I decided to show it to you.

Galanthus nivalis ´Lady Putman´

[Jeffnz]

Lady Putman and Golden Fleece are impressive, pity that I cant secure the real thing.

[Mariette]

Indeed, a nice picture of dainty ´Lady Putman´, Stefan!

Jeff, ´Golden Fleece´ doesn´t set seed well, and I have still to test whether it´s viable. Really sorry You can´t get it over there!

[Leena]

Very nice snowdrops!
'Lady Putnam' looks good, and 'Golden Fleece' is unique  , no wonder it was so expensive when it first came in the market.

All snowdrops grow so well in your garden Mariette. 'Green Eyes' has nice plump flowers.
'Colossus' is also here early, usually flowering inside the snow when it melts. One year it got damaged by cold and it hasn't increased well, but is still alive and flowering (at least was last spring).
I like how it stands tall.

[Mariette]

Not all snowdrops do well in my garden, Leena - for instance, ´Godfrey Owen´hardly flowers or increases, with ´E.A. Bowles´ it´s the same, though it flowers regularly. On sandy soils these varieties grow like mad, yet obviously dislike my heavy, wet soil.

[Ophrys]

Always my first yellow snowdrop to flower is ´Golden Fleece´ - a variety which clumps exceedingly well for me.

A very interesting snowdrop, even if I find the yellow on the snowdrop a bit strange. The yellow looks a bit unhealthy to me.

[Mariette]

Snowdrops with yellow receptacles are my favourites, as they provide an illusion of sunshine on a dull and rainy day like this, so often met with here at this time of the year. There are varieties which look sicklish to me, like ´Carolyn Elwes´with its yellowish tinged greyish leaves. "Yellow" snowdrops with green leaves have a much fresher look, like ´Golden Fleece´and ´Wendy´s Gold´, for instance. Therefore, I was happy when I noticed a yellow G. woronowii - seedling in my garden. 



Close-up

[Jeffnz]

Is the intensity of the yellow colour influenced by light?

[Stefan B.]

I have never seen such a yellow woronowii, I like it. This light line on the leaves, is it from the play of light or does it really exist, it is not characteristic of the species.

[Stefan B.]

Unfortunately I can't compare it to the "regular" rizehensis because it won't flower this spring. The bulbs I bought a few years ago are quite weak.

Galanthus rizehensis Tall Form

[Mariette]

Interesting to learn that there are tall forms, too! Mine are rather dainty snowdrops, this one bought from Avon Bulbs in Oirlich, where the late Günter Waldorf had organized the Schneeglöckchentage. I ordered it in advance, and obviously, it was a small clump dug fresh from their garden. Fond memories of events and people sadly gone by.



This form hails from Sumela, the receptacles are decidedly paler.



Today I was able to take a pic of my G. ikariae, given by a dear forumist and said to be quite hardy here in Germany. I was surprised that it shows such large, well-shaped flowers. In the past, G. woronowii was often sold as the rarer G. ikariae. With G. woronowii to the right, the difference is quite obvious: G. ikariae has matt, dark green leaves and a larger mark on the inners, whereas G. woronowii has bright green, shiny leaves. These are responsable for the reflection which might be taken as a white stripe on the pic of my yellow G. woronowii-seedling, Stefan.



From the collection of the late Barbara and Eberhard Fluche I got this hybrid  G. nivalis x ikariae, bred by Nicolas Top.



Closer

[Stefan B.]

I was happy when I noticed a yellow G. woronowii - seedling in my garden. 

I have never seen such a yellow woronowii, I like it. This light line on the leaves, is it from the play of light or does it really exist, it is not characteristic of the species.
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[Mariette]

Is the intensity of the yellow colour influenced by light?

Yes, strong light helps with selections which may be greenish-yellow otherwise, but soil is also important, as well as the variety: some are better "yellows" than others.