Galanthus February 2011

[RichardW]

wind finally dropped this pm, not before several tall varieties have been almost flattened, few pics taken after a shower. Better forecast tomorrow, will get some shots of the masses.

Elmley Lovett, took a long time to settle in.
Blewbury Tart
Mighty Atom
Daphne's Scissors, another I've struggled with but looking happier.
Wendy's Gold, most flowers I've seen this year on 3 small clumps.
Little John
Magnet

[steve owen]

And the amazing Alice Sommer-Herz who, last November, turned 107 in London, she has a Facebook account and is on youtube.  Barely looks 70, has all her marbles including many extra, practices Bach every morning and until recently swam laps daily. Countless interviews with her and she never misses a beat.

http://www.allegrofilms.com/film/Alice_Sommer_Herz_EVERYTHING_IS_A_PRESENT_Alice_Sommer_Herz_music_documentary.php

The above DVD is included in a much longer version "We Want the Light".

johnw

John
I didn't know of this lady until your post, and found the video quite riveting.
Some years ago I visited Theresienstadt where she was imprisoned - snowdrops grow there so this post isn't entirely irrelevant - and was astonishingly fortunate when visiting nearby Lidice to bump into one of the eleven village women who returned alive from the camps after the war. For me the rebirth of the village of Lidice post-1945 mirrors the arrival of snowdrops to signal the end of winter.
As my six year old grandson said when invited to continue eating his tea instead of coming to the door to see us off, "people matter more than tea."
Thanks so much for the post. I'll try and locate the DVD you mentioned.
Steve

[Maggi Young]

And the amazing Alice Sommer-Herz who, last November, turned 107 in London, she has a Facebook account and is on youtube.  Barely looks 70, has all her marbles including many extra, practices Bach every morning and until recently swam laps daily. Countless interviews with her and she never misses a beat.

http://www.allegrofilms.com/film/Alice_Sommer_Herz_EVERYTHING_IS_A_PRESENT_Alice_Sommer_Herz_music_documentary.php

johnw

A truly inspirational and wonderful woman.

[johnw]

A truly inspirational and wonderful woman.

Indeed Maggi, she is a gem. How many are left that can boast being a pupil of a pupil of Franz Liszt!

Steve  - How interesting. I have a friend who has researched Terezien and even helped stage works from there locally.  A fitting analogy with the snowdrops.  You will enjoy "We Want the Light", while inspiring it is deeply disturbing. Also check out her 107th on youtube.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Do you think I can teach my 80 year old mother to start  the computer, edit the photos and post them here?

Depends entirely on whether she wants to be taught. It's amazing what one can avoid if determined to do so.

[Wim Snoeijer]

I was asked about the history of Galanthus 'Marijke', I'll have a go:

Included you find the (slightly updated) text I used to register the cultivar with the Royal Bulb Growers Association (www.KAVB.nl) in Holland who is ICRA and Registrar for Galanthus.

I had only grown the bulbs in a large pot as I have a tiny garden at home. When I visited Hanneke & George, George told me he had named a finding of his own as Galanthus 'Hanneke', very obvious why, and sold one at the Boschhoeve too. Knowing I had my finding for a couple of years I responded directly with something like; "well, then I name my finding after Marijke", being sister of Hanneke.

The bulbs have been grown very well in the large pot and being stable for these 4 years I was quite happy to name it. Despite the DUS question I think it is important that a new introduction should also be availabel too. Thus I contacted Nijssen. Gert-Pieter, owner, was quite excited and so I sent (about) all bulbs I had to him in march 2009 when the leaves were died away. I had around 30 adult bulbs, which were big, and at least twice that number in smaller bulbs and bulbils. So, not bad after 4 years in a pot. I kept 3 bulbs; 1 for Marijke, 1 for Hanneke and 1 for Annie who has the National Galanthus Collection in Holland.

I requested Nijssen that his nursery/supplier in France should make bulbs available very quickly and that is why Nijssen had a few bulbs on sale since last Friday. As for today, Monday, all are sold now. There will be some more available for sale this autumn, as Gert-Pieter emailed me today.

For those who are more into the nomenclature; the name Marijke has been trademarked for catagory 31 but the Registrar still accepted the cultivarname 'Marijke', still very pleased about that.

Best wishes from Holland,

Wim

[Hoy]

Please forgive me my ignorance in this matter (and my dirty fingers), but can anybody tell the name of this snowdrop that flowers abundantly in the woods of Holt, Norfolk?

[Maggi Young]

Despite the DUS question I

Wim S..... sorry, I do not understand this... what is DUS, please?

[mark smyth]

can anybody tell the name of this snowdrop that flowers abundantly in the woods of Holt, Norfolk?

My guess in simple the double nivalis.

Nothing worse than dirty fingers in photos especially those in desperate need for moisturer 

[loes]

Wim,

glad to read about the history of 'Marijke'.the plants are looking very healthy and are almost in flower.

[Lesley Cox]

can anybody tell the name of this snowdrop that flowers abundantly in the woods of Holt, Norfolk?

It's what I grow as Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno' or, as Mark says, simply the double form of G. nivalis.

[Hoy]

can anybody tell the name of this snowdrop that flowers abundantly in the woods of Holt, Norfolk?

My guess in simple the double nivalis.

Nothing worse than dirty fingers in photos especially those in desperate need for moisturer 

The very worst in photos is actually Easter-sun barbecued faces lacking every kind of grease

I thought so really, that it was nothing special. But nice to see anyway, here the snowdrops have barely started to open.
By the way, I visited Kew Gardens when in London and there I saw some nameless snowdrops with very big flowers - the biggest I have ever seen. What's the name of such a giant or are there more than one kind? (Sorry, no photos.)

[RichardW]

there are quite a few big snowdrops, eg Mighty Atom, John Gray, without photos not possible to name.

[Hoy]

there are quite a few big snowdrops, eg Mighty Atom, John Gray, without photos not possible to name.

Thanks, the specific name don't matter really, I only want to know what names to look for when I buy more snowdrops to plant in the garden!

[mark smyth]

Hoy are you in Englnd now?