Re: Winter snowdrops

[Alan_b]

Alan, a lot of g elwesii aren`t good builders of a clump. They like to be a single. I mean, that virescens-types also like to be only singles. And when these all come together....?? Did you saw clumps of the very nice g n virescens from your nearby garden?

No, there were no other virescent snowdrops of any species.  I have been allowed to take a good look round the garden several times between 2005 and 2008 and I think I would have found them if they were there.

In the vicinity there are large numbers of elwesii, showing considerable variety.  This might well include some elwesii crossed with other species but retaining the broad convolute leaves of a pure elwesii.  There were some nivalis in smaller numbers and (I think) some larger snowdrops that were nivalis-like but bigger, possibly a nivalis-plicatus cross.

I attach a photo of another elwesii growing in the same garden that seems to want to grow in a line rather than form a clump!

[Anthony Darby]

That's really smart. Are they from the American mid-west? Perhaps Galanthus elwesii 'Line Dancer'?

[mark smyth]

very strange. It looks like someone did that

[johnw]

Thanks, John, I love these stories of how snowdrops were discovered and how they have fared thereafter.  I don't imagine anybody in the UK has a large clump of Rosemary Burnham, because it is too desirable and, I understand, too difficult to keep alive.

For the record, the local garden that tends to produce virescent elwesiis does this one at a time in different locations within one area where there are large numbers of snowdrops.  But, as I said in my previous post, I have managed to keep the first of these to be found since 2005 and bulk it up a little so there is no reason to think it would not form a clump given sufficient time and patience.

That's a very nice virescent elwesii Alan.  I prefer the green ones that have a good white border to set off the green.  Rosmeary Burnham does tend to visually disappear in the garden.

johnw

[Hagen Engelmann]

Alan, your pic is very interesting, mean the galanthus you show us is very interesting. It has always 3 leaves. I know these plant lines also of g nivalis but then the bulbs stand without space/gap between.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Now I have looked some times to the galanthus lines and I mean like Mark: someone did it to give more space/ground to every bulb. There are also a few in very compact clumps.

[Alan_b]

Now I have looked some times to the galanthus lines and I mean like Mark: someone did it to give more space/ground to every bulb. There are also a few in very compact clumps.

I asked the garden owner if she had planted the bulbs like that but she said no, she thought they arose spontaneously.  Only these three-leaved elwesii were lined up this way, all the other elwesii and other species seemed random.  I note that the direction of the leaves is roughly perpendicular to the direction of the line.  Does leaf orientation stay constant from year to year if the soil is undisturbed?  That is, if the owner had planted them this way a year or two previously, but forgotten, could they still look so neat?

[mark smyth]

All the snowdrop flowers in my garden look south ie they have emerged out of the sunny side of the spathe. Next question would be do all the spathes face east west.

[annew]

Don't all the snowdrops open short and then elongate? I've spent most of the day relabelling all my snowdrops with numbers instead of names for security. It was a bit shocking to find out how many different kinds I had - they must have sneaked in when I wasn't looking. I hope any prospective burglars aren't annoyed enough to take out all the labels to spite me!

[mark smyth]

No Anne looking at mine just now they are opening tall. Some have opened short, elwesii 'Barnes', and never elongated.

The spathes of mine don't face east west. They flowers have opened and then turned to face south.

[johnw]

I've spent most of the day relabelling all my snowdrops with numbers instead of names for security. It was a bit shocking to find out how many different kinds I had - they must have sneaked in when I wasn't looking. I hope any prospective burglars aren't annoyed enough to take out all the labels to spite me!

Anne - Might be good to have a plot plan on the computer as well as a written copy.

johnw

[johnw]

Rosemary Burnham today. Too cold to go out to the greenhouse to re-shoot.

johnw

[Hagen Engelmann]

Oh John, I can feel the green veins full of frost.

[mark smyth]

Here are a few photos from today. The first couple show snowdrops facing the same direction - south. One 'Castlegar' is facing the wrong way.

Bess
Castlegar
John Long x2

lastly something special that will open later this week

[ArneM]

Mark, is it Ecusson d'Or?