Galanthus to mid February 2007

[Michael J Campbell]

Thank's Maggi and Mark.

Cheers.

[Diane Whitehead]

Harking back to the discussion on photographing snowdrops. I have a collection of 3-ring binders with covers of various earthy shades. They are sturdy enough to stand up on their own to act as a background. I'll try them all, but today I used a green one.

 I have been experimenting with Mark's suggestion of combining "macro" and "zoom" so that one doesn't need to get too close to the flower where often the camera throws its shadow over the picture, but can stay back a little bit.  It didn't work for me as using the zoom meant that the flash came on, which is not a good idea that close to a white flower.  So I just got as close to the flower as needed.

Here is one of my poculiform elwesii.


Next I will experiment with manual focus.

[mark smyth]

wow that is good. Can you post a larger image about 600 pixels wide?

[KentGardener]

Hi Diane

thank you for the picture - I would definitely say that you have got the hand of this photographing plants lark.

(and a rather handsome looking poculiform Elwesii too)

I am looking forward to your next images being posted.

with my kind regards

John

[KentGardener]

Hi All

I wonder if anyone can help with some suggestions.  I am off to visit Colesbourne this Saturday (Dr John Grimshaw's snowdrops) - I notice that the garden doesn't open until 13.00.

Can anyone suggest if there is anywhere else 'snowdropy' to visit in the morning?  Any ideas would be most welcome, be it RHS, National Trust, private garden?

We shall be driving from Kent - M25 - M4 - turn off for Cheltenham.

with many thanks for your help.

regards

John

[Paddy Tobin]

Unfortunately, I have been away from the forum for a  little while - missed yesterday as I was snowdrop visiting; will tell more about that in a  moment.

Must comment on a few of the postings of  Wednesday and Thursday, so many of which I found very interesting. Here in no particular order.

Great to see Michael Campbell posting here. Welcome Michael. I have some of your narcissus growing in the garden, purchased from you at a Dublin show several years ago. Have you still got your own log going?

Congratulations to Mark - your talk and visit must have been something special to have Maggi interested in snowdrops, even if it is only the chubby ones yet.

Delighted to see G. 'Sophie North' being posted. It is one of  my very favourite snowdrops and because of its association rather than any inherent beauty. As a school teacher it always brings back to mind the terrible events of Dunblane and although this may seem a morbid connection for a snowdrop to some, I think it is a beautiful way to remember Sophie North and the other children who lost their lives on that occasion. Certainly in my garden it will always keep their memories alive.


Delighted to see Diane's photograph as it shows she certainly has started on the road of excellent photography. Diane you describe your photography as experementing and this is how it continues forever, I think. Your photographs will give us a new connection with N.W. America.

Pink shades on snowdrops. Mark, I think we are just being hopeful. Several snowdrops show this feature. Is it the stamens 'shining' through the petals? I don't imagine we are yet going down the  line of narcissus breeding and really I hope we don't.

Yesterday I visited Altamont Gardens in Tullow, Co. Carlow. This was formerly the garden of Mrs. Corona North who passed away several years ago and left the garden to the state. It is now being run by the Office of Public Works (similiar to the National Trust but a government body). The head gardener is a Paul Cutler who trained at Wisley. Paul has a particular interest in snowdrops and has been putting a collection of snowdrops together and I am delighted to say he has been helped by the generosity of gardeners around the country. He has organised a Snowdrop Week for the past few years and they have proved to be extremely popular, attracting increasingly bigger numbers each year. The Snowdrop Week begins on this Sunday. The setting for snowdrops here is excellent as it is an old garden with mature trees and great plantings of interesting rhododendrons which Corona North's father planted.

Two snowdrops which particularly caught my attention, sorry no photographs at the moment, were G. 'Drummond Giant' which originated locally some years ago and is a good growing elwesii cultivar, does very well in the gardenl, clumping up with ease. The second was another elwesii(not perfectly sure of this) cultivar which is one of the best snowdrops I have seen in ages. It is immediately eye-catching, very strong wide foliage and very tall and upright. I hasn't been officially named as yet. Previously was labelled as 'JR' or 'Jim Reynolds' because of a reported association with Jim who gardens in Co. Meath but on further enquiry it seems that Jim had never heard of it. It is now being labelled as 'Skyward' though this is not yet officially published. Paul wishes to grow this snowdrop on for a few years to be sure it remains constant in its appearance. It is going well for the past few years now and will be most desirable when available.

While on the above subject: I believe this is an excellent project and would urge any of you who has a few snowdrops to spare to contact Paul to see if they would be of benefit to the collection. Unfortunately he is not on e-mail but can be written to at Paul Cutler, Altamont Gardens, Tullow, Co. Carlow, Ireland. And as a disclaimer - I have no beneficial interest in the gardens other than being delighted to see a collection being put together and being properly documented, verified and well maintained. I am delighted that I have been able to donate a few cultivars from my own garden over the past few years.

So now that I am back, you can see that I am as long-winded as ever.

Looking forward to John's report from Colesbourne.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

President Ian has shown these photos on the old Forum, so I'm reposting them here, to be handy!
Fred' Giant clump

Fred's Giant closer

[annew]

Here is a comparison for those interested in minutae - Galanthus 'Merlin' and 'Tubby Merlin', I've had both from reputable sources, so which do you think is which? (I know which I got them as).

[annew]

Also, here is my Sophie North, a favourite of mine and like Paddy, I always think of the children every time I see it. Below, another favourite for the shape and compactness, G. gracilis.

[annew]

AND FINALLY! I bought this as plicatus 'Warham', any thoughts anyone?

[Maggi Young]

Merlin and Tubby Merlin:
 Well Anne, the first is the more tubby ( works for me!) so I assume that you were sold the tubby one as Merlin and the slimmer one as Tubby Merlin, sod's law and commerce being what it is!
Your G. gracilis is so simply but neatly and cleanly  marked, isn't it?
As to 'Warham' I wouldn't know it if I saw it, so I'm no help there, as ever!


I am sure that all over the world, the lost children of Dunblane are fondly remembered in the lovely Galanthus 'Sophie North'. We have many Members in Dunblane and some had children at that school when the murders were committed. It was a terrible day of shock and fear for so many and it is the nearest I come to praying when I wish that such a thing never happens again. It already has done, of course, in various places in the world: what a waste.

[Maggi Young]

At least your 'Warham' (? ) IS plicatus! Mark has taught me that two plicate edges shows a G. plicatus, while only one side folded indicates a hybrid.  Oh, dear, I'm learning things about snowies! EEK!

[annew]

Go and lie down in a darkened room, Maggi, till it wears off.

[Maggi Young]

I've tried that for ten minutes, Anne, I'm dreaming of hellebores!

[snowdropman]

Oh, dear, I'm learning things about snowies! EEK!

I think Anne is right - best to go and lie down till it wears off