Galanthus March 2011

[Paddy Tobin]

Time to leave it behind and move on, Martin. Your contributions on snowdrop topics are worthwhile and of value here on the forum and I would like you to continue posting - without taking a break, by the way.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

Roma, what a healthy group of platyphyllus... such sturdy chaps.... which is just as well given the weather this weekend.... you seem to be getting more snow than us... it's mostly been sleet here though there are cars passing with three inches of snow on them.
Some very unhappy looking flowers in the garden... I hope they'll soon pick up again.

[ashley]

Your G. koenenianus are very beautiful Gerd; what extraordinary leaves, and the flowers aren't too bad either
Do they really smell of urine?

What lovely platyphyllus Roma.  I think the straight species can be nicest of all. 

[Maggi Young]

Your G. koenenianus are very beautiful Gerd; what extraordinary leaves

I agree.... very beautiful.... I'm going to show Ian the closeup picture of the leaves tomorrow and  see if he knows what they are!!

[Alan_b]

Your G. koenenianus are very beautiful Gerd; what extraordinary leaves, and the flowers aren't too bad either

Just what I thought - what a pity it's proving hard to bulk-up.

Do they really smell of urine?

Oh, dear; there's always a catch, isn't there?

...I think the straight species can be nicest of all. 

I think the species snowdrops are woefully neglected amongst galanthophiles.  Fortunately this has the effect of making them relatively inexpensive to buy.

[ashley]

I think the species snowdrops are woefully neglected amongst galanthophiles.  Fortunately this has the effect of making them relatively inexpensive to buy.

Best of all is to grow from seed, if you can find it & be patient.

[Gail]

Your G. koenenianus are very beautiful Gerd; what extraordinary leaves, and the flowers aren't too bad either
Do they really smell of urine?

My plant doesn't - just a faint slightly sweet scent.

[David Nicholson]

Time to leave it behind and move on, Martin. Your contributions on snowdrop topics are worthwhile and of value here on the forum and I would like you to continue posting - without taking a break, by the way.

Paddy

Seconded.

[David Quinton]

Here's hoping that you don't leave it too long before posting again, Martin. You are a very valued member of this forum and it would be poorer for your absence. I always look forward to reading your posts and you never, for one minute, came across to me as arrogant or feeling superior to anyone else.

Changing the subject, here are a couple of snowdrops still hanging on with me. The warm weather yesterday meant that a lot of my snowdrops are now almost over but these two are still flowering nicely. The first couple of pictures are of Henry's White Lady. It's a shame that you can't view the picture in 3D as this really looks quite stunning. My picture is a little flat in comparison and doesn't do it full justice.

The last two are of a plicatus I found a few years ago. It has puckered outers and a nice mark inside and looks very nice as a clump. It is a low growing plant and looks better if grown on a slope or in a pot where it can be appreciated as the flowers do tend to be quite close to the ground. This isn't due to the weight of the flower rather than the length of the scape as it is rather short.

David

[TheNorm]

Good afternoon everyone,

Just thought I would say hello as a new member on his first forum post ever!  It sounds like I'm a terrible technophobe, but this is not the case, just someone finally enlightened enough to join a group of similarly minded people. 

Hope to be fairly involved in discussion threads in future, with particular interests in Galanthus, Leucojum, Colchicum, Parahebe and Hebe (not everybodies cup of tea, but I've long loved them) and rapidly growing interests in Crocus, Scilla, dwarf Narcissus and a recent (getting expensive) interest in Hepatica.  Essentially I'm a mad collector, though I would like to think of myself as someone who discerns with what I collect.

Loving the images posted by other users, especially of newer introductions and well established clumps of Galanthus in gardens.  Moving house at the moment, so going through the traumatic process of digging up and potting my Galanthus prior to their move to a new garden.  Likely that most of my picture posts, therefore, won't start until next year.

Anyway, enough about me...I'd like to ask, as it has long been of interest to me to try, has anyone done much in the way of European plant hunting for Galanthus as I would like to and wanted to hear from the horses mouth/s what I need to consider in order to do this legally and sensibly.  Apologies in advance if this is a well discussed topic. 

Thanks,

Lewis

[Paddy Tobin]

Goodness, David, two wonderful snowdrops. 'Henry's White Lady' is one I don't recall seeing previously. Now, this may be because of poor memory, it must be admitted, but it is a lovely snowdrop and certainly well named; though Henry could have kept out of it.

Your foundling is an excellent snowdrop, great size of outer petals and beautiful texturing, certainly one to be delighted to have found. Beautiful.

Lewis, Good to have you with us  on the forum and, from your introductory comments, I think you will fit in with the others here who share your love of plants (well, maybe not the hebes! LOL). You, obviously, have a wide-ranging interest and you will find much to please you here and I think you will have much to contribute. So, looking forward to seeing you post many photographs and comments.

Re galanthus in the wild in Europe - Yes, there are certainly several enthusiasts of the species snowdrops here.

Paddy

[Gerdk]

Thanks to all for kind remarks concerning Galanthus koenenianus.
It has indeed an unpleasant smell - but only noticed from a short distance.
I'm not sure if I should call this like urine.

Gerd

[johnw]

Here's hoping that you don't leave it too long before posting again, Martin. You are a very valued member of this forum and it would be poorer for your absence. I always look forward to reading your posts and you never, for one minute, came across to me as arrogant or feeling superior to anyone else.
David

David  - I couldn't agree more.  Martin's expertise and ground-breaking breeding project is a great asset to everyone in the Galanthus word.  Martin - let your sabbatical be a short one.

And good to have you back too David. Trust all's well.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Lewis, I think that the position in Europe is not unlike the position in the UK as regards collecting plants in the wild. That is to say they are protected and can only be collected by express permission of the landowner in every case.
In natural parks and so on any collecting would be forbidden.


Ps I like Hebes!  

[johnw]

Nothing special, just the first blurry Galanthus nivalis to start here.

What is notable is the fact that they have been above ground in almost the same state since mid January.  The autumn was very mild and lasted into January.  Then the cold came with no snow cover and one night down to -15c. After the ground froze down at least 30cm snow came  and covered them but rapidly retreated near the house leaving these snowdrops uncovered during weeks of cold.  They seem unscathed.  So if any have doubts on the toughness of G. nivalis in the ground this should put them to rest.  Plunged pots of G. nivalis in the frames covered in white poly are still very dormant.

johnw - where the sun is shining at 7c and 10c promised though-5c tonight.