Galanthus February 2010

[Brian Ellis]

How can someone have so many Godfrey Owen so quickly?!

Bought in 2007 not flowering this year but at least eight bulbs (and one removed), a good doer!

[Brian Ellis]

I am feeling rather depressed today as my only two bulbs of my most treasured snowdrop (a virescent elwesii) have died out between last year and this. 
I am now planning to transplant the bulk of my snowdrops in my raised bed (which is not actually very many) into lattice pots.  Does anyone have any thoughts on which pots to use?

Thank goodness you had it chipped Alan, I use the 13cm x 10cm round baskets and vary the planting depth for those that have descended to the bottom of them the next time they are split.

[Alan_b]

Thanks to everyone who commiserated with me over my snowdrop loss.  I'm used to such things happening but I had hoped that a raised bed (with sides raised above the height of the soil) would circumvent the marauding bulb-eating insects in my garden.  These hopes have been dashed so now it's time for plan B.

In this plan, I favour planting the bulbs in the ground inside square lattice pots, square on the basis that I haven't a huge amount of room and I can pack them closer together if necessary.  The best price I have seen for the 11x11x11 cm lattice pots is 33p each from KetteringKoi  http://www.ketteringkoi.com/acatalog/Pond_Planting.html (thanks to Anne Wright for this) but they have a hefty delivery charge so it works out nearer 50p each even if you buy a large quantity (50?).  I wonder if you can buy them wholesale anywhere?

I'm also considering top-dressing the pots with crushed sea-shells (going cheap at my local garden centre) on the basis that the sharp edges might prove an unpleasant tactile experience for any insect trying to burrow down.  Can anyone think of a reason against this idea, i.e. that some harm would come to the snowdrops?         

[annew]

You could consider, as I intend to, covering the bed with enviromesh or fleece during the dying-down period, when they are most vulnerable to fly attack.

[Brian Ellis]

...they have a hefty delivery charge so it works out nearer 50p each even if you buy a large quantity (50?).  I wonder if you can buy them wholesale anywhere?

Try an aquatic nursery near Cambridge Alan, they often have them, I use a garden centre near Norwich which orders them in for me and could be less expensive.

[Pauli]

Here in Austria the Galantghus-season is just about to start. We are waiting for a few warm days after 6 weeks frost and snow and I hope to see more flowers next weekend

[Sinchets]

These are only wild Galanthus, but we saw them yesterday on our trip to the southeast of Bulgaria. I think they are G.nivalis. The first is from inland where they are growing in woodlands on limestone with Cyclamen coum, Scilla bifolia, Primula vulgaris ssp sibthorpii, Arum and in a few weeks time Fritillaria pontica.
I must also apologise as I now realise that the Galanthus I had thought was G.elwesii minor from the sand dunes near the Black Sea coast is only G.nivalis. Last year we were later in our visit and only a few plants were still flowering- as these had twisted leaves I misidentified them. This year the whole area was in flower and only some of the plants had twisted leaves and and of these only some had greenish yellow ovaries.

[chasw]

That looks exactly like my garden too 

[annew]

I love this form of G fosteri with its sail-like outers and upturned inners. Also this is my last 'Squire Burroughs, as I ve given the rest to other growers in the hope they will succeed with it more than I have.

[hadacekf]

Spring reached Vienna. I had two months long 30 cm snow in the garden. The Galanthus grew under the snow. The snow is still 10 cm high.

[TC]

After yesterdays Galanthus spectacle at Dunblane, we thought we would check Fullarton woods to see if the snowdrops had opened in the sunshine.  The answer was no -still too cold however they still look wonderfull en masse.  I thought I would try to see if there were any different flowers among the tens of thousands and attempted to get closer - see picture.
This is as low as I can get.  Cindy noted that one flower amongst a clump, had a green area where the rest were white. See picture.  We saw a few more in this clump of about 12 flowers.
Now, I know nothing about snowdrops except that they are pretty wee flowers which come out when there is nothing else doing.  My question is, have I seen anything unusual or of note?

[Paddy Tobin]

Tom,

I think you have found a very nice and interesting snowdrop. Did you take note of the foliage, the arrangement of the leaves as this would tell us of what species it is.

Paddy

[TC]

Here are a couple more I have just taken.  It snapped off when we were trying to photograph it in the wild so I took it home to see it closer.  The bulb is still in situ 
I would estimate the flowers height as about 20cms.  There were a few similar ones in the same clump.  These woods have been planted ages ago.  It could even have been in the 19th century.  It would be rather unusual if some different varieties had not occurred.  There is quite a variation in size throughout the wood.  Sizes vary from 10cms to about 25cms.  I assumed that this was due to growing conditions .  The woodland soil is heavy and continually moist - almost boggy.  There are other clumps that are growing in grass.
As I have said already, I haven't a clue about them unless the differences are very obvious

[Hagen Engelmann]

Hi Tom, your Galanthus looks really unusual. How is the consistence of the inner tepales??? It seems, it looks a little bit like glass, because you can see the yellow of the stamen. Never saw a healthy Galanthus with dark green apical mark and light greenish inner petales. When you can see the glass- effect, than the plant isn`t OK.

[mark smyth]

I thought the same also. It looks like it has been bruised. Look after it well, label and hope it comes back the same next year.

Tomorrow Jo and I are off to visit Robin Hall