Galanthus February 2010

[David Nicholson]

How many bulbs did you start with Ian? Mine is a clump of one at the moment and I wondered if I have enough years left to get it to the stage of yours?

[Paddy Tobin]

A few taken in the garden yesterday afternoon. Paddy

G. nivalis subsp angustifolius
G. Atkinsii
G. Atkinsii Moccas form - while I think G. Atkinsii is an excellent garden snowdrop I find the Atkinsii cultivars too similar to each other.
G. 'Bertram Anderson' - like this, a great big flower
G. 'Bungee'
G. nivalis 'Chedworth'

[Paddy Tobin]

A tiny little one - G. 'Cockatoo', a very low-growing double less than two inches high at present.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

And an odd one - a chance abberation on a flower of G. 'Woodtown'. Two flowers seem to be fused into one. You can see the two ovaries fused together and then in the following photograph the two centres inside and, finally, the six outer petals.

Paddy

[Thomas Seiler]

Nice and interesting photographs, Paddy! And that of 'Atkinsii' is even a great one, showing all the qualities of this cultivar and has an aesthetical distinction of its own.

[Paddy Tobin]

Nice and interesting photographs, Paddy! And that of 'Atkinsii' is even a great one, showing all the qualities of this cultivar and has an aesthetical distinction of its own.

Thank you for your very kind comments, Thomas.

Paddy

[ian mcenery]

How many bulbs did you start with Ian? Mine is a clump of one at the moment and I wondered if I have enough years left to get it to the stage of yours?

David I bought only one bulb for £? as a dormant bulb about 5 years ago it quite clearly likes me   but all can go wrong in short order when th N fly is on the prowl.

Is yours in pot or is released into the wild?

[ashley]

I find the Atkinsii cultivars too similar to each other.

You shock me Paddy
Fine pictures & plants, even to my philistine eye.
Did you get to Altamont this year?  Unfortunately I wasn't able to travel up there last week or weekend.

[ian mcenery]

Not sure about orange  the last time I saw one like this it had the staggy 

Here is my Primrose Warburg not fully open yet but clumping up nicely

Lovely clump, Ian.

Paddy

Thanks Paddy yours look good too. Bertram Anderson is a favourite of mine too

[Paddy Tobin]

I find the Atkinsii cultivars too similar to each other.

You shock me Paddy
Fine pictures & plants, even to my philistine eye.
Did you get to Altamont this year?  Unfortunately I wasn't able to travel up there last week or weekend.

Ah, well, truth will out. I like G. Atkinsii very much, a great garden plant, but there are several cultivars of G. Atkinsii which, to  my eye, defy separation, Lyn and Silverwells are two which spring to mind. James Backhouse is differentiated simply by the fact it produces aberrant petals.

Yes, we went to Altamont on Tuesday last. My god, it is a dreadfully cold place. In conversation with Paul Cutler I commented that we had had a low of minus seven celcius and he told me that they had minus seventeen during a cold spell in January, lake frozen etc.

The snowdrops were behind as might be expected but were doing fine last week. They had damage to a lot of shrubs and trees and fear they might have lost quite a few.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

Not sure about orange  the last time I saw one like this it had the staggy 

Here is my Primrose Warburg not fully open yet but clumping up nicely

Lovely clump, Ian.

Paddy

Thanks Paddy yours look good too. Bertram Anderson is a favourite of mine too

Ian, yes, Bertram Anderson is a fine snowdrop, great size and presence in the garden. Paddy

[mark smyth]

Michael I like both snowdrops especially the variagated plant. Maybe Orange Tip should have an RHS colour chart colour.

Paddy, Bob's Woodtown doesnt have the yellow mark.

Hagen of course.

[Thomas Seiler]

After reading some of the rather mean comments about 'Anglesey Orange Tip' I thought I would join the fray and post a picture of it in bud. I think it is a stunning plant (it's done this for at least 4 years) and a view am pleased to note that is supported by at least two of the top experts. It has to be said that the colour does fade to almost white as the flower develops which will please some no doubt. David Jordan has found another 4 different elwesii with apricot coloured outers this year. Joe Sharman says he also has several. Bad news for some as it appears that: 'The Future's not White it's ORANGE'!
I am also showing pictures a elwesii chimera which is botanically interesting (2nd year it has done this). It is unlikely that this plant could be bulked up - I'm sure to the relief of the less broadminded. Please no comments about it has virus etc - it hasn't - at least that's the experts view.

As for 'Anglesey Orange Tip': I just showed the photograph to a friend, who is by no means a galanthophile but a teacher of the fine arts and therefore with a certain feeling for colour and well, he considered this as a muddy brown without any orange. I have not seen it in the flesh, but maybe names like caffe latte or latte macchiato would be more appropriate ...    Nevertheless, we all would only be too pleased, if we could add it to our collection, if somebody would offer it to us at a reasonable price. But I fear, nobody will.  

The elwesii chimera is really stunning, but , as often with these variegated plants, seems to be without any vigour of growing.

[Paddy Tobin]

Paddy, Bob's Woodtown doesnt have the yellow mark.

I must say I don't recall taking great notice of these markings last year but the whole clump has these markings this year. Perhaps, Bob's will do so next year.

P.S. Looked back at photographs from last year and, yes, these marks were then present along with two stronger marks which are hidden, I think, by the outer petals in the photograph above.

Paddy

[jnovis]

Paddy, I have just seen a wonderful show of Atkinsii at Rococo Garden near Painswick in the Cotswoolds. Thousands in large drifts but I can`t understand why none were for sale,Jim.