Galanthus January 2011

[Anthony Darby]

Thank you to everyone who suggested that I could afford an Aston Martin well the company was started by a Mr David Brown who made tractors in the 1960s onwards

... he did indeed make tractors as well as gear boxes for heavy vehicles and tanks and his factories were in Huddersfield.

My dad worked in their design office until 1955. He helped to design tank and tractor gear boxes. I think Aston Martin was bought by David Brown, not started by him. It was Lamborghini, another tractor builder, who branched out into building sports cars because he wasn't impressed with what was on offer at the showroom.

[David Nicholson]

Just in case anyone else is interested in Aston Martin history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin#Inter_war_years

[Gerdk]

This is Galanthus transcaucasicus - sometimes autumn flowering.
The upper flower opened in December.

Gerd

[KentGardener]

Just returned from three weeks in Madeira (for anyone interested in what Madeira is like over Xmas and New Year I did a little blog of my holiday with some photos here):  

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6401.0

Have been busy since returning home late Friday but have found 30 mins spare today to wander around my garden with a camera.  A few pics quickly taken of some things still in flower (there are lots of others either flowering or 'dropping' or thrusting upwards but these were the best pics I could manage in failing light).

1 - X-Files
2  -Sickle
3 - Donald Sims Early
4 - Three Ships

[Paddy Tobin]

Ah, good to have you back where you belong, John, among the snowdrops and a selection of lovely ones you have to show  us too.

G. 'X-Files' did come into flower here but fell to the appetite of a hungry slug so I  haven't seen it in the flesh yet.
'Three Ships' is in flower here but not open and 'Sickle' is not even above ground.

I presume your jungle has been further furnished from your visit to Madeira.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

I was in a garden today, colder than mine, and was blown away by how many snowdrops were in flower. One would have thought we were not frozen during November and December

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

With the passing of the cold spell and warm, wet weather of the past few days, the snowdrops seem to be jumping out of the ground. We may soon catch up with our warm-weather friends.

Paddy

[KentGardener]

I presume your jungle has been further furnished from your visit to Madeira.

I came back with zero plants and zero seeds this time  - very unusual for me! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Such self-control! Such restraint!

LOL Paddy

[steve owen]

John
Sickle, Donald Sims Early and Three Ships are among my acknowledged earlies, but X Files isn't - mine is some way from flowering. Is yours outside or in a greenhouse?
Steve

[KentGardener]

All outside Steve (I don't have a greenhouse).  X-Files is always an early one here.

[Paddy Tobin]

John,

The 'X-files' you sent to me in early December was planted outside and came into growth and flower surprisingly quickly. However, as I said above, a blasted slug ate the flower on me.

However, it looks like it will be an early flowering one here also.

Paddy

[daveyp1970]

John my xfiles(that you kindly sent me also)  is still in tight bud  :'(must have quicky relaxed into midlands time and will flower when hes ready (is xfiles a he or a she?)but noticing the temp as i stepped out my door its quite warm here this morning so might bring it on a tad.

[Brian Ellis]

My X Files is flowering too, and I'm normally later than most people Steve!

[Paddy Tobin]

Brian, how are you "normally later than most people"?

Never thought of you as a slow one.

Paddy