Galanthus January 2009

[Brian Ellis]

Another sort of flowering I suppose, but is that Biggles I espy in the RHS halls on p112 of The Garden for February?

[Alan_b]

I put forward this picture of a snowdrop I grow in case anybody recognises it and can help me to give it a name.  It came from the garden of a friend in County Wexford, Ireland. where it grows in large quantities around the large garden, so if it is a named variety it must be an old one.  It is a modest-sized plicatus and flowers early in the new year (a bit later than usual this year).  It is a good doer, bulks up rapidly and can hang on in tough conditions where weaker snowdrops would perish.   

[mark smyth]

Is it short? Someone over here grows something similar but it doesnt have a name. The ovary doesnt match.

[steve owen]

Another sort of flowering I suppose, but is that Biggles I espy in the RHS halls on p112 of The Garden for February?

Brian
Bloody good eyesight. Do you eat carrots and were you a fighter pilot? And can you see what I'm holding in the photo? I mean, which varieties?

[Hans A.]

Some G. elwesii from today - might be nothing special - but I like them 

[art600]

Hans

how tall are your elwesii - they look quite small.

[Alan_b]

Is it short? Someone over here grows something similar but it doesnt have a name. The ovary doesnt match.

It is quite short for a plicatus.  Your unnamed snowdrop has a wider sinus than mine also, but I agree they are quite similar.

[mark smyth]

Every time I read someone refering to their snowdrop as nothing special I smile to myself because there is a snowdrop called 'Nothing Special'

[Brian Ellis]

Another sort of flowering I suppose, but is that Biggles I espy in the RHS halls on p112 of The Garden for February?

Brian
Bloody good eyesight. Do you eat carrots and were you a fighter pilot? And can you see what I'm holding in the photo? I mean, which varieties?

C'mon Steve I'm not that good!  Mind you I do get annoyed if I can't read the bottom line at the opticians!

[Hans A.]

@Art - the second one is really small - I doubt it reaches 7cm in height. The other two are a bit larger -about 13 - 15 cm - still small compared with the rest.

@mark  - do you have a pic?

[mark smyth]

Rob what size are your fish boxes and how many Galanthus are in each? A snowdrop person who watches the forum is also concerned about 1. drainage 2. close proximity of the snowdrops to each other.

Is there any room in your garden to make a raised bed? Even a small one? The smaller bed in the photo, on the left, is about 2.5m x 1.8m x c50cm tapering to a point. I just went out to check and have now changed the measurements

[David Quinton]

Mark,

Typically, how close do you plant snowdrops next to each other? Are they in pots (aquatic pots) or planted in the open ground? Perhaps if there was a recommendation or guide for planting distances then at least Rob and others could see if they are within this.

The weather wasn't too good for taking photographs over the weekend but I did manage to capture 'Trumps' as it started to open. It still has a little way to go but hopefully there should be a copy of the photograph below showing its progress so far.

David

[mark smyth]

I'm not an expert at saying what distance one should be from the other but in my beds  .... I'll go out again ..

[mark smyth]

Around the edge of my big bed they are 50cm apart. A second row is between those at the edge but set back so there is almost a zig zag effect. They are roughly 30cm away from the nearest group. These were not measured out initially and only set out. More snowdrops are roughly arms length in from the edge. The small bed has them spaced out like bedding plants. Yes they are in lattice pots but this year they are being released.

[Maggi Young]

Oh, Mark, you're making me smile with the idea of you going out in the dark to measure between your plants! Can the neighbours see you? At least when I go out in the dark to look at the temperature, it's round the back where no-one sees!  
When you think of daft things we gardeners do.... rushing out to put fleece or other covers on plants when bad frost is due.... measuring plants... and the distances between them, squinting at thermometers by torchlight.... it's a wonder we're not all arrested! I wonder of our neighbours think we are diligent dedicated growers, or just barking mad?