Dunblane Early Bulb Day Saturday 17th February 2007

[Susan Band]

Thanks Maggi for that good photo, much better than the one in the journal. I will transfer it to my profile if you don't mind. I am only disguised as a mec because I don't have a decent photo

Sue, my pleasure, I'll even do that for you now!M

[Maggi Young]

Here is my dear chum Helen G. a friend who is called, on her name badge at the Aberdeen Show  (and by her own request) as "Dogsbody" She'll turn her hand to any task and will toil away till closing time, bless her! She is also on hand at the beck and call of the Bulb Despot for frit rice sorting in summer.... if she's not away on holiday!
This is a shot of Helen with a dogsbody of another kind, Molly, our sometime visiting westie terrier. Both cute, ain't they?

[mark smyth]

can I comment on nivalis Poculiformis Group 'Wedding Dress'? This is not intended to be an 'attack' on the owner.

The naming of pocs doesnt make sense. They really are all the same especially if they are within one species eg nivalis PG 'Gloria', 'Sandhill Gate', 'Henry's White Lady', 'Danube Star' and lastly the tongue-in-cheek poc named by me as 'Scottish Poc'.

For those who do not know a Galanthus Poculiform Group has inner petals the same length or almost the same length as the outers. The green markings are usually absent unless it looks like this beauty. Like Ian Y says they all look the same and indeed pocs do and it takes the inners to literally be measures to tell them apart.

If it's an elwesii or plicatus poc that's OK because they can be identified by the leaf type provided lots dont start appearing

[Anthony Darby]

I think I have Galanthophilia and I suspect there is no cure? Has that beauty not been named Paul er sorry Mark? It looks very distinctive.

Where did Paul come from? Just had an email from a Paul in New York about tarantulas! That's where!

[mark smyth]

Paul? If you are referring to me the answer is time will tell

[Maggi Young]

Anthony, change your doctor; if your galanthophilia has only just been diagnosed, you need better advice: we've known you had the white fever for ages. If you're not showing us orchids you're showing us snowies, it's a well known fact!
And, while I remember: more gossipy trivia from Dunblane Day.... I met Vivienne and Lucy Darby, quite by accident. As the Aberdeen coach was wending its slow way through the narrow streets of Dunblane, I spotted, in a greengrocer's shop, some lovely fresh figs . (Are you reading this, Jim and Margaret W. in Blanzay, France?) Now I'm partial to a fresh fig, so at noon I tootled off to buy some.
 Who should I find in a the shop but a strawberry blonde woman and a pretty little girl... they seemed very familiar. "are you Vivienne ?" I asked the somewhat startled lady.  "Yes," says she "but how......who?......" So I introduced myself to Vivienne and to Lucy! I remembered to tell Lucy that we had enjoyed seeing her and James to the fore in the Watchnight Service on TV from the Rosslyn Chapel.
 Now I know Dunblane isn't that large a place, but it was a nice happenstance to bump into them. I'd not have known Vivienne had it not been for the photo of her with the children that Anthony posted the otherday. Serendipity, or what?

[mark smyth]

I have an idea for future years. Why not have a garden vist over lunch time?

[Maggi Young]

Over lunch time? Are you MAD! Everyone whose garden might be suitable to visit is working to serve lunch... or selling plants or carrying plants across to joint rock, or, or, or! Lunch time is, for those lucky enough to be just there to enjoy the day as a "punter", just that, Lunch time! And if the others can grab a break, it is eating time for them, too! Didn't you see how busy it was in the display hall during the break between lectures, as well as at the nursery stalls? This white fever has more wide reaching implications than I had imagined... the sooner we get you properly converted to croconuttiness the better. Thomas would never have made such a suggestion, nor Tony G, and he's a man who knows about punters.

[Anthony Darby]

Not only that, some of us had to act as guineapigs when a new species of soup came on line. Tough work, but someone has to do it. And, as I tell the Standard Grade kids in S3/4, an answer is not reliable unless the experiment has been repeated!

[mark smyth]

did I mention snowdrops? You might be the one suffering. Just thought it would a be good. I was even going to suggest two gardens

[DaveM]

I think I'd much prefer to be infected by croconuti-whatever. At least crocuses - or should it be croci - can't be described as "little white flowers with green splodges". 
Come to think of it - what do you call someone obsessed with Narcissi??.......

[Anthony Darby]

Mmmmm?

[Maggi Young]

Another bit of entertainment on the day was the raffle: lots of assorted goodies, plants and other stuff, donated to raise money to support the event. Liz Mills was in charge of that and had  Jane Armstrong and Claire from Lennoxtown to help selling raffle tickets. They sold me some but none worked!
There were lots of prizes so thanks to everyone who donated so generously.

Lots of the raffle prizes were given by the nursery folk present . Those with stalls were Stella and David Rankin (of Kevock Gardens) ; Anne and President Ian III of (Christie's Nursery) ; Beryl and Gavin McNaughton (of Macplants)  Helen and John Amand (of Jacques Amand ); Agnes and Jim Sutherland (of Ardfearn).
Ron and Lyn Bezzant were selling some bulbs for a favourite charity and Anne Chambers had a selection of her very beautiful cards, printed from her watercolours.

I think I have managed to cover most of what was happening, who did what to whom etc. on this most enjoyable day and I hope you have got a flavour of the event from all this!

[Sandy Leven]

I am glad you all enjoyed the Bulb Display. One thing which it demonstrates is that if join in you will have more fun.

[Anthony Darby]

EBD report now on line (go to Main SRGC Site and look for show reports).