Galanthus February 2011

[KentGardener]

I hope everyone has enjoyed a great day at the gala today.  I have really enjoyed my 5 hours on trains and underground trains....    

Some quick pics from my garden when I got home from Devon.

1 - nivalis 'Mark Solomon'

2 & 3:  

4 - My first flower on JM6 (or JMDS-7B2-6 as it is also known  ) - I've been waiting a few years for this after a postal blunder where the parcel took almost 2 months to reach me.  A very sad looking mess was unwrapped but luckily there was a small solid bulb in the centre of the mess.  A couple of patient years of feeding the leaves and I've been rewarded with a beautiful little flower.  

It certainly is a beauty John, what is the inside mark like?  Your patience has it's own reward - in bundles.

2:  Some inner pics of my first JM6 flower  

3 - the spath of JM6 - I don't know if it does this every year as this is my first flower - but an amusing  "funky spathe" this year.  

4 - 'Quad'

[Maggi Young]

Maggie,the weather for the Gala could not have been better,gloriuos sunshine,ideal Snowdrop weather

That's good to hear, Chas.... you'd have needed snorkels up here!

[steve owen]

Included in the details for a snowdrop selling on EBay:


.......they will be packed with stagnant moss to avoid damage - oh really 

I prefer stagnant - easier off the tongue than spaghnum. It could have been worse; would you believe Staggy moss?

[KentGardener]

It could have been worse; would you believe Staggy moss?

Now that would be worse that 'stagnant' moss. 

[freddyvl]

A few snowdrops of today:

1) G. elw. 'Godfrey Owen': a distinct snowdrop with 6 outer and 6 inner segments (Found by Margaret Owen in 1996 and named after her late husband)
2) G. 'Richard Ayres': a full double snowdrop and very tall (spotted by Richard Nutt in 1987 at Anglesey Abbey and named after the former Head Gardener)
3) G. 'Ronald MacKenzie': A G. nivalis seedling with rich yellow ovary, markings at base and apex of inner petals also yellow (Dr Ronald MacKenzie, recent introduction)
4) G. nivalis 'Spetchley Yellow': A strong plant from the nivalis Sandersii Group witch increasing well, yellow ovary and single yellow mark at top of inner petals (found at Spetchley Park, Spetchley, Worcestershire)
5) G. 'Wasp': A classic snowdrop who's name is justified (Found by Veronica Cross in 1995 at the former Backhouse garden at Sutton Court
P.S  - The white shine on the leaves is from a fungicide against Stag (precaution ), not nice but efficient !
      - For John (Kentgardener): as promised I'm on line now, hope to see you in Oirlich Germany, your Galanthus Blog is glorious !

[kentish_lass]

Wonderful photos from John and Freddievl.  I like that Ronald Mackensie and Spletchley Yellow looks a nice shade of yellow.  JM6 is gorgeous.  Imagine if JM6 always had a spathe like that - would look great in a clump.  Quad is very nice too. 
Jennie

[Warren Desmond]

Hi All

Loving all the Galanthus images...

Brian...the detail you have managed to capture of the flower is phenomenal...especially with the close up ones...I thought the only way to capture the sheen on a flower needed to be taken outside in the sunshine...but you live and learn 
but
Here are a few of mine...

1) daglinworth
2) diggory
3) nothing special
4) pat mason...been after that one since Paddy posted an image last year...

Regards

Warren

[KentGardener]

Good to have you posting Freddy.     Nice pictures - hopefully the first of many.  Have you found 'Ronald Mackenzie' to be a happy grower in the garden?  I have heard mixed reviews with some saying that it is one for the alpine house.

Oirlich is fast approaching.     Fingers crossed for good weather.

Warren,  glad you like 'Pat Mason' - one of my favourites.  Wish I could grow 'Diggory' - I have moved it again this year but expect it will not be alive in 2012.     It seems to be one that just doesn't like my garden.   

[Graham Catlow]

Every garden should have ONE to add some brightness to this time of the year.
Last year I dug some up from a friends garden and added them to various places in the garden. I kept a group for a pot which I will probably put in the garden later in this year.
Photos taken this morning in the drizzle.

I assume they are G. flore pleno.

1. In a pot
2. In the ground

[Paddy Tobin]

My goodness, Graham, that potful looks pristine, so perfect - quite unlike my snowdrops at present which are mud-splattered following days of heavy rain.

Freddy & Warren, a lovely set of photographs and excellent snowdrops.

Paddy

[Thomas Seiler]

So many wonderful photographs from everybody! It is really the most exciting time of the year, isn't it?

On Friday in business I regretted having not gone for the gala ... but on Saturday we had a warm spell with sunshine here with all the snowdrops open and I really could enjoy my garden. Here are some impressions from yesterday:

Barbara's Double
Ding Dong with Ginn's Imperati behind
Godfrey Owen
James Backhouse
Lapwing
Lavinia
South Hayes

[cycnich]

I had a very pleasant time at a little known snowdrop sale at Marchants plants in East Sussex. I was made very welcome by Graham Gough and Lucy Goffin. With around 40 varieties on offer I had pre ordered but was unable to resist adding to the list on the day.[urlhttp://www.marchantshardyplants.co.uk/index.php][/url] If anyone would like a copy of the list pm me and I will send it to you.

[KentGardener]

Thomas - it is good that you had sunshine in your garden while you missed the Gala - I sat on trains travelling back from Devon and missed the Gala too.  Your day looks a lot nicer than mine was.  John Grimshaw has posted a video of the sales 'rush' on his blog today so you can see what we missed.   

Lapwing looks lovely - I saw it at Brian's last year and remarked on how nice it was.  Your picture has reminded me what a great looking flower it is.  And your 'South Hayes' is looking great - such a good green line on the petals.   

Pat - thanks for the pictures from Graham's - I would have loved to have attended but other things were arranged first unfortunately. 

[Maggi Young]

John Grimshaw has posted a video of the sales 'rush' on his blog today so you can see what we missed.

Not to mention a lovely picture of "Biggles" (Steve Owen) with a wide smile, and Melvyn Jope..... 

The video is just like the "January Sales" reports  we used to see on TV news, only with more men rushing about than women! 

[KentGardener]

The video is just like the "January Sales" reports  we used to see on TV news, only with more men rushing about than women! 

....and it is in February.