Galanthus February 2010

[mark smyth]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

[cycnich]

The best way to decide what snowdops you like is to visit some gardens where they are growing; there is still time this year.  Find some that catch your eye, if possible talk to the garden owner about how rare (and therefore pricey) they are and how easy they are to grow.

An excellent piece of advice Alan, well said.

Good advice but work and family committments prevent me from doing this, so I am relying on sites like this for information

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

A useful link thank you.

some pics from me this year, yesterday was the only good day for taking as its been raining most days!

Thank you Rob this is exactly the sort of thing beginners like me need

[KentGardener]

Some superb photographs there Rob.  

[Gail]

The Telegraph yesterday did a feature on snowdrops at Hanham Court, Bristol where they display snowdrops in an auricula theatre.  Link to the article here (Hanham Court is open today if anyone is in the area) but sadly they don't show the lovely pic of the display itself.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/7317053/Snowdrops-the-stage-is-set.html

[Martin Baxendale]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

The Daily Mail Weekend Magazine were thinking of doing a similar sort of feature about the snowdrop collecting scene and about my novel, The Snowdrop Garden, which I was advising them on, but their publication schedules meant that they ended up not being able to plan it into the magazine until March 6, which  they felt was getting a bit late in the season. Given the lateness of the season, I thought a lot of snowdrops would still be going strong, and that this very late season could be a good angle for the story, but it doesn't look like they'll do it now until next year.

[RichardW]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

you would think we dont exist   our display of naturalised drops set around a Norman Castle & Moat is very impressive (ok I'm biased) and yet the press have almost always managed to us out in most of these articles, very frustrating.

[Brian Ellis]

The best way to decide what snowdops you like is to visit some gardens where they are growing; there is still time this year.  Find some that catch your eye, if possible talk to the garden owner about how rare (and therefore pricey) they are and how easy they are to grow.

An excellent piece of advice Alan, well said.

Good advice but work and family committments prevent me from doing this, so I am relying on sites like this for information

I'm sorry you don't have the time Pat as I think this is the only way to decide what you really like.  Time and time again I see a snowdrop 'In the flesh' and realise that I do like it (when I didn't think much of a picture) or I don't (when the picture looked really interesting and the real thing was not).  You also don't get to see what they are like in a clump, which can also make a difference.

[Brian Ellis]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

you would think we dont exist   our display of naturalised drops set around a Norman Castle & Moat is very impressive (ok I'm biased) and yet the press have almost always managed to us out in most of these articles, very frustrating.

Perhaps you should consider Bennington Lordship (always mention the name Richard  ) putting out a press release at the beginning of the season?

[Anthony Darby]

Nice set of pics Rob.

[RichardW]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

you would think we dont exist   our display of naturalised drops set around a Norman Castle & Moat is very impressive (ok I'm biased) and yet the press have almost always managed to us out in most of these articles, very frustrating.

Perhaps you should consider Bennington Lordship (always mention the name Richard  ) putting out a press release at the beginning of the season?

it's an ongoing issue, the owners have spent a lot of time & effort trying to us on the snowdrop map in the last few years, which did double our visitor numbers in 2008 but for some reason we don't seem to be quite there yet. We have been featured in numerous papers & magazines but whenever these lists appear at this time of year we rarely get a mention, I suspect the writers simply find previous articles and repeat what's there.

will be firing off a few more "angry from herts" emails in the morning.

[johnw]

Now how to treat it from now until next autumn is the question?  Damp, barely damp under the bulb or dry.
johnw  

John, when this sort of thing happens with me, I pot in a very gritty compost, with the top half of the bulb exposed, then I can see that the bulb is staying plump and healthy. I'd water sparingly, just keeping the compost moist enough to stop the bulb dessicating, and adding fungicide to the water if available. I would keep lifting the half-exposed bulb out to check the base is still okay, and to give it some air if it's not rooting. When the time comes for snowdrop leaves to die down, I'd transfer the bulb to a bag or pot of bone-dry compost or composted bark, or some dry vermiculite, and keep it dry for the summer, replanting or repotting in late summer as normal.

Martin - This sounds good to me. I have planted it high with the suspicious neck exposed and will keep an eye on it and pray the offset at least survives.  Then I'll repot it in June and keep dry if all looks well.

Alan  - I suspect the rot or stag I have experienced is from pots not drying properly after leaf "fall".   How gingerly do you first water in early autumn?

johnw

[johnw]

Rob-  A great batch of photos.  Can you tell us more about St. Pancras?  Seems like a very fine form.

johnw

[Tabitha]

I dont think anyone has mentioned this article in the Guardian on snowdrops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/20/snowdrops-white-ambra-edwards

you would think we dont exist   our display of naturalised drops set around a Norman Castle & Moat is very impressive (ok I'm biased) and yet the press have almost always managed to us out in most of these articles, very frustrating.

If we lived nearer we would be there to see you again  Richard. We  very much enjoyed the visit a couple of years ago, unusual setting to see them at their best.  Several days of travelling there and back  it means and of course the motel costs too. 

[Tabitha]

robsorchids:
some pics from me this year, yesterday was the only good day for taking as its been raining most days!   

Lovely selection of photos Rob many of my favourite ones on there too.

[Brian Ellis]

St Pancras:

Found in 1994 by Alan Street growing near its probable parents G.elwesii and G.nivalis 'Flore Pleno', at West Bagborough, Somerset, this clone is named after the local church.  It is a tall, robust plant with bold grey leaves, over which hang generous, heavy-looking rounded flowers with a proportionatelu large oblong to conical ovary.  The arrangement of the inner segments is regular except for three long stiffly clasping unmarked white segments that jut from the centre of the flower, a feature not otherwise known in doubles of this parentage.  The long outer segments have a long pronounced claw that is delicately goffered along its margin.  It is fairly late to flower.