Galanthus March - April2007

[mark smyth]

yes I was playing with Photo Shop but couldnt find the right shade of yellow.

[KentGardener]

Mark - the result was truly horrible.

[Johan Mens]

A real pest in Belgian populations of snowdrops: wild Boar.
As I tell people they do not believe me as all think Galanthus are poisonous.
Some pictures taken to proof it.
They will eat each day, and strip the place from practically every bulb.
I have heard they are once again around in certain area's of Britain,...

Digging started

[Johan Mens]

Started eating

[Johan Mens]

Some left behind for the next day

[Johan Mens]

The snowdrop carpet has been removed

[mark smyth]

very interesting. Catherine Erskine uses pigs to clear ivy in her woods. They dont eat it but uproot it and it dies. By doing this they spread the snowdrop bulbs. Hers dont eat the snowdrops. Could it be people stealing the bulbs?

I challenge anyone to do a better yellow ikariae

[Johan Mens]

Mark,
This time no people stealing, but this also happens over here : last year large scale on a certain site with large flowered nivalis, lots of holes left behind. I think they took the largest flowered in the largest clumps.
I should have pictured the tracks and prints as well, all the soil gets ploughed by them, and very thoroughly.
We saw the same last year in woodanemone forests that ance were covered in white and pink, but there they left some small bits behind. Curiously, they didn't seem to eat the Orchis mascula that grew there abundantly.

[Johan Mens]

  A farmer ploughed his snowdropfield for a some Mais sowing

[Maggi Young]

Dear me, Johan,  it is a hard life being a snowdrop in Belgium, isn't it? Or a wood anemone , it seems.
It is true that there are some wild boar living in the wild now in the UK, most have escaped from farms; I don't think they have been released on purpose, but I am not sure about that.

Hans J. yes, this is my secret, I was Maggie until I found in Berlin that there were these stock cubes and soups with  "my" name: I was so pleased that I was getting recognition that I changed my name at once to Maggi ! The chicken noodle soup was my favourite!!

Mark; I think they only use the pigs to clear the woods of ivy BEFORE planting new snowdrop areas, at Cambo. Or perhaps domesticated piggies do not have the same appetites as their wild cousins?
Perhaps we should warn Gerben T. in Sweden that his bulbs are in danger from little Astrid?

[Maggi Young]

Galanthus Trym
Galanthus Sandhill Gate

Now, Tony, I know we're always teasing the galanthophiles, though, heaven knows, it is cruel to mock the afflicted  , but these two pix you have posted as the two above really ARE the same!!

[Anthony Darby]

I don't agree with Tony G. that 'Trym' is slow to increase. Mine increase like any other plicatus, with bulbs doubling each year.

[snowdropman]

Anthony - whereabouts in the garden to you grow your 'Trym' - I have seen no increase at all in 2 years (and no flowers this year), so I must have them in the wrong place and/or they need a good feed. I had already decided to move them to a sunnier spot (they get only dappled sunshine at the moment) - any more information most welcome.

[Hans J]

Hans J. yes, this is my secret, I was Maggie until I found in Berlin that there were these stock cubes and soups with  "my" name: I was so pleased that I was getting recognition that I changed my name at once to Maggi ! The chicken noodle soup was my favourite!!

Maggi ,
I think is the reason that give us always the rigth spice with your comments to all the mails here in this forum .

Greetings
Hans J.

[Maggi Young]

Hans, you are very kind. I thank you