Galanthus to mid February 2007

[Martin Baxendale]

Anthony, very nice, healthy-looking clump of 'Sandersii'.

[Anthony Darby]

Martin, that clump was bought as a pot of four at a garden centre some years back.

[ian mcenery]

My Little Ben just starting to flower. This was bought over 30 years ago as Mighty Atom now apparently not. Whatever it is it is my favourite snowdrop for attitude in this clump its grows to only 4 to 5 inches that's 100 to 125mm and has long pedicels with huge flowers which almost touch the ground the longest petals are around 39mm

The next Imperati Ginns and Magnet always a good doer

[Maggi Young]

Now, I DO have G. Ginn's imperati, (I use the name this way round, since that's how I got it) and it is a real joy. Lovely form to the flowers and a truly delicious scent, one os the nicest scented snowies, I think. It's not out here in Aberden yet.
sorry, this should read 'Ginns' Imperati'

[annew]

I don't want to appear picky, but the apostrophe comes as in: Ginns' Imperati. Named after a Mr Ginns.

My apology, Anne : Ginns' Imperati, it is.
Or even G. nivalis subsp. imperati 'Ginns' it seems!     M

[Maggi Young]

I am somewhat puzzled to read, in an archived article from the Telegraph, this description of Ginns' Imperati: "Similar to 'S. Arnott' but with an even stronger scent of bitter almonds".

This is not how I think of this scent at all. Admittedly, I must wait a week or two to get my nose to my own flowers, but I would never have described the scent in this way. I'm  either wrong (again) or I must start to be more careful about which nuts I eat.  We knew someone who died after tucking into a large bag of mixed almonds, brought back from holiday abroad., not noticing that some tasted odd...... not a good way to go.

[Brian Ellis]

I am somewhat puzzled to read, in an archived article from the Telegraph, this description of Ginns' Imperati: "Similar to 'S. Arnott' but with an even stronger scent of bitter almonds".

This is not how I think of this scent at all.

I quite agree with you Maggi, it always reminds me of runny honey.

[mark smyth]

hey I'm home. So much done in three days.

Tony G and Ian Mc your Magnets may be wrong. I see no signs of a long pedicel. Anthony's is spot on.

Tony your woronowii dont seem to have the right leaves. At that stage one should be wrapped around the other.

Anne your gracilis leaves are way too big. They could be a gracilis hybrid

Sorry for being so negative on my return

but on the plus side I'm laiden with gifts and purchases

[mark smyth]

Anne 'Tubby Merlin' has an olive ovary and usually produces twin scapes. Below is 'Merlin' and 'Tubby Merlin' - well as I have them

[annew]

Hi Mark, thanks for your comments. This is the same pot of gracilis last year, do you still think they're a hybrid? I grew them from seed.

[mark smyth]

I believe they are hybrids. The leaves seem to be too wide

[Martin Baxendale]

Mark, re. Anne's Gal. gracilis, I've seen plenty of true wild-origin gracilis with quite wide leaves. Matt Bishop and Aaron Davis both give the leaf width as up to 1.2cm and exceptionally to as much as 2.2 and 2.6cm. The twisting leaf also looks right.

As for 'Magnet', in the early stages of flowering the pedicel is still wrapped in the spathe, as in any snowdrop, later emerging fully. So when first open, the flowers are held more upright on what looks like a shorter pedicel. Once fully out of the spathe, snowdrop pedicels also continue to grow and lengthen a little (hence the past diagnostic confusion over Arnott and Brenda Troyle supposedly having different pedicel lengths - they don't; both can have short and long pedicels in a single clump, depending on the age of the individual flowers). So Tony's and Ian's 'Magnets' may well develop longer dangly pedicels later. The marks look okay.

Hope you enjoyed East Lambrook and the talk went well. I'm too busy to even get out and look at any snowdrops.

[Martin Baxendale]

Looking at the Magnet pics again, Ian's seem already to be developing a quite long arching pedicel. Tony's may well do so with more time. Let us know, Tony.

[mark smyth]

well slapped on the wrists by Martin  

Lecture at East Lambrook Manor went down very well. I highly recommend the event. When in the area try and attend the snowdrop days at Colesbourne and Garden House too.

[Martin Baxendale]

Sorry Mark, didn't mean to slap wrists, just put in my ha-pennyworth. Maybe I came across a bit curt 'cos I'm so grumpy about having to work all day instead of go out and spend time with the snowdrops (especiallly the last couple of glorious sunny days here, when I was shackled to my desk most of the time).