Re: Winter snowdrops

[Alan_b]

Although nivalis is by far the most common snowdrop in the UK, I sometimes see elwesii naturalised over an area of older gardens.  I imagine the original bulbs were shared amongst neighbours as they began to bulk-up and have kept on going and spreading ever since.  Plicatus will also spread and naturalise when it gets going but I have never seen any other snowdrop species naturalised,

[Anthony Darby]

Here are two today. Galanthus reginae-olgae 'Tilebarn Jamie' has been out for a week. 'John Gray' is just about there.

[mark smyth]

Anthony 'Tilebarn Jamie' is very late. Are you sure it is correct?

[Anthony Darby]

Yes.

[johnw]

For those who can't grow Rosemary B - the most common snowdrop
here in Victoria, and possibly over in Burnaby too, though I haven't
checked, is elwesii.  Old gardens, farms, churchyards - if there are
masses of naturalized snowdrops, they are elwesii, not nivalis.

I think the opposite is true in England, from what I have read.

Rosemary is an elwesii.  It could be our dry summers she is needing.

Diane - That's interesting. Do you see any extreme variations in elwesii out there?  And is Rosemary Burnham difficult in Victoria?  It doesn't seem to be the easiest cultivar in Vancouver (several people I know there have lost it), here or in the UK.  I presume elwesii itself is perfectly happy in the UK though I have not seen self-sown populations over there.

Here it is G. nivalis that spreads like mad.  It seems to prefer spring-moist rich soil that dries out somewhat in summer.  Bulbs frequently sit atop the ground.

johnw     

[Jo]

Its funny how bulbs can just disappear    I grow virtually all my snowdrops in the garden, ie. open ground , and I know that mole / vole activity can move them around. If I'm lucky they turn up looking lost a foot or two away from where I expect them.

I also have acid clay soil and find some elwesii 's just dwindle away. For instance Cedric's Prolific and Mandarin both vanished altogether this year. ( Cedric after about 3 or 4 years of trying to be happy )   And if I ever try to grow elwesii's from a garden centre potful they last 2 years at the most.

However monostictus is very happy in the garden so who knows !

Happily the other ssps & cvs seem much more amenable.

[KentGardener]

And if I ever try to grow elwesii's from a garden centre potful they last 2 years at the most.

Hello all,

I have returned from a relaxing 21 days in Madeira to a garden bursting with white buds.  The cold fog that has lasted here all day seems to be keeping them tightly closed!    Hopefully I shall be able to find some photo worthy flowers over the weekend!

Jo, glad to hear I am not the only one who loses them!  I found a wonderful garden centre drop last year that would give 'G. Pat Mason' a run for its money - alas, there is nothing showing in the garden centre pot this year.     (thank fully G. Pat Mason is still alive 

Regards all

John

[Martin Baxendale]

Welcome back to the forum John!  Never heard of G. 'Pat Mason'. Do you mean 'Pat Mackenzie' (green-tipped elwesii)?

[Maggi Young]

I also have acid clay soil and find some elwesii 's just dwindle away. For instance Cedric's Prolific and Mandarin both vanished altogether this year. ( Cedric after about 3 or 4 years of trying to be happy )   And if I ever try to grow elwesii's from a garden centre potful they last 2 years at the most.

Jo, have you ever tried growing the snowdrops which resent your garden soil in troughs ? (the SRGC obsession with container growing again! ) 
A fine old stone sink, or even a hypertufa trough can make a comfortable home for snowdrops and allows you to alter the composition of the substrate.

[mark smyth]

'Pat Mason' is right Martin

[Martin Baxendale]

'Pat Mason' is right Martin

Thanks Mark. Any chance you could tell me more? I haven't come across it.

[Diane Whitehead]

Elwesii variants found in Victoria - November flowering (not by me - by the time
I knew there was such a thing, my grandparents' 5 acres had been subdivided, so
I only chose spring-flowering plants from there as I never went into their woods
in the fall), quite a few poculiforms, including green-tipped ones.

No yellows, no Trym-types.

[mark smyth]

Martin, John Grimshaw had it for sale last year

[steve owen]

Pat Mason is clumping up rapidly for me.

[Jo]

I also have acid clay soil and find some elwesii 's just dwindle away. For instance Cedric's Prolific and Mandarin both vanished altogether this year. ( Cedric after about 3 or 4 years of trying to be happy )   And if I ever try to grow elwesii's from a garden centre potful they last 2 years at the most.

Jo, have you ever tried growing the snowdrops which resent your garden soil in troughs ? (the SRGC obsession with container growing again! ) 
A fine old stone sink, or even a hypertufa trough can make a comfortable home for snowdrops and allows you to alter the composition of the substrate.

No I haven't tried seriously to grow any snowdrops in pots, other than lifting a clump of something and putting it in a big pot / mixed bulb display for 1 or 2 seasons to decorate a corner.  With these I find they flower less the following season. But then I have just used any old commercial compost and not fed,  basically treating them like bedding.  They recover when returned to the garden and spread out.

Anyone got any tips on growing in pots ?  for instance compost mix, top dressing, resting location, feeding etc etc