A three week Galanthus Blog

[emma T]

Gosh that snowdrop hat almost beats Emma's

It almost does lol 

[Maggi Young]

Gosh that snowdrop hat almost beats Emma's

It almost does lol 

 It's a nice hat.... and the gentleman looks very apt for a snowdrop day.... but Emma and her Mum show a proper élan in wearing theirs that can only come from women with style.   

[KentGardener]

Saturday morning everyone in the hotel settled down for a 7am breakfast so that we could get to Gunter's to make final preparations before the 9.45 opening.  I managed to thumb a lift this morning which saved on the 15 minutes walk.  Once there I found myself volunteering to work a few hours on Joe Sharmon's stall.  I also managed to do a bit of shopping before the crowds arrived.    Being behind the Monksilver stand was a great place to be and I was really surprised how many people recognised me and came to say hello.  At least 10 people told me they were enjoying reading the blog - which came as a rather pleasant surprise.

1 - people start arriving
2 - it gets busier
3 - and busier!
4 - The queue for reserved Monksilver orders
5 - rather a lot of cars parked outside!  (A local farmer was making a small profit by charging €5.00 per time to drag cars out of the mud.  From what I noticed he was busy doing this ALL day  )
6 - Forum members (Luit, Iris, Arne)
7 - Hepatica
8 - Hellebore
9 - Cyclamen
10 - and I am embarrassed to say this is the only picture I took of Gunter's wonderful back garden.  

[Maggi Young]

Look at the smiles on the happy forumists' faces!
And that's only ONE reason to make a visit to this fantastic event!
No wonder it is so popular.

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks for this blog, John. It's a real treat for people like me who never seem to have the time for garden and event visiting.

[KentGardener]

After a long busy day all the stall holders and workers were invited to a buffet dinner and charity auction.  All the nursery owners donated one item for the auction.  I was glad that I had volunteered to work for Monksilver as I too was invited to the evening get together.  The buffet was delicious (pork in gravy, various vegetables, cauliflower cheese, sweet red cabbage, yummy mash (not sure what was added but it was possibly the best mashed potato I have ever had!), and loads of others dishes I can't remember - but I did try everything on offer  ).  Desert was a nice selection of creamy fruity stuff - the queue for desert formed VERY quickly - I definitely get the feeling that desert is a popular thing in Germany.  

The auction managed to raise €845 for a dog and cat charity.  I started the bidding on a Galanthus 'Funny Justine' that was donated by Cathy Portier & Jan Van de Sijpe, and bid again but the the bidding went beyond the money I had left in my wallet.     I had to be very careful taking photographs as when I stood up to take picture number 7 below Gunter shouted "a bid from the Englander"   - luckily I was quickly outbid by someone who had made lots of money selling stuff.  

After the dinner and auction had finished a few of us went into the main house for a glass of bubbly and some 'snowdrop wine'.

1 - a quick refreshment break for the workers
2 - Galanthus Hololeucus that I spotted in Gunter's garden.  Nice flower - I've been trying to get one of these for a few years.
3 - The crowds
4 - After a long tiring day.  Iris and Alan.
5 - The auction begins
6 - more auction
7 - I almost brought something I didn't want while taking a photo!!!  
8 - Happy people
9 - after dinner drinks
10 - 'snowdrop wine'


and I am happy, and sad, to say that we have come to the end of my Glanthus Blog for 2011

[Martin Baxendale]

yummy mash (not sure what was added but it was possibly the best mashed potato I have ever had!)

Having had incredibly delicious mashed potatoes at various peoples' houses in Germany and my wife's relative's houses in Slovakia, I can reveal that the secret of your best ever mash was most likely a combination of heart-stopping quantities of butter AND cream, and I mean LOTS. I used to think it was down to especially delicious local potato varieties until I saw just how much butter and cream central Europeans tend to put in their mash.

[KentGardener]

It had cripsy onion bits on top too  - but I think you must be right about the butter and cream.  

Salivating just thinking about it!  

[mark smyth]

No names to go with the forum members? I can see Cathy in one of the photos. The guy with the bald head grows Crocus - I think. He used to come to the Gala. Maybe I should try and go to Germany next year

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for sharing your trips with us John, and putting in all the effort of taking photos, re-sizing etc.  It really was good of you to let us all visit these places with you

[Sean Fox]

Fantastic blog John, like everybody else I really appreciate the time and effort you put in to bringing us the blog.

I think (scrap that) I know I would need a bank loan to buy all those snowdrops and other goodies on offer, all very temping indeed 

[Mavers]

Great blog John.

Seeing everyone enjoying themselves so much in Germany will probably entice a few more of us from the UK to venture over there.

[angie]

John thanks very much for sharing your trip. Oh it would be so much fun. Would love to go but how would I get back all those lovely plants.

Angie

[KentGardener]

p.s.  the cake picture....  Someone forget to get forks so it was eaten using 'credit cards' as spoons!   

[Maggi Young]

Angie: a large suitcase!!



It looks a fun event... and the happy forumists are great..... but this was a clincher for me......