Snowdrop events 2012

[steve owen]

Wow, Lina, what a lot of choice! Better get my diary out.

[Lina Hesseling]

There is one address you should visit when you are in Holland. Annie Fallinger has the National Collection of Snowdrops in the Netherlands. She lives In Dordrecht, close to Rotterdam. Her collection is over 500 cultivars. In februari she has open days, but she is very flexible when people want to visit her garden on a different day. This all together makes a trip to Holland worthwhile. 

[mark smyth]

Republic of Ireland Galanthus and Hellebore day

Snowdrops and other Spring Treasures
Saturday, February 4th, 2012

Venue:
Sandbrook House http://www.sandbrookhouse.com/index.htm (1 mile from Altamont Gardens, Co Carlow) 

Programme :
9.30am: Registration. Tea, coffee, biscuits.

10.00am - 11.00am: “From Old to Gold”  Alan Street (Avon Bulbs)

11.05am - 12.05pm: “Heavenly Hellebores”  Richard Bramley (Farmyard Nurseries, Wales)

12.15pm - 1.15pm: Lunch at Sandbrook

1.20pm - 2.20pm: “Special Snowdrops and How to Keep Them”  Jim Almond, keen snowdrop enthusiast

2.30pm - 5.00pm: Visit to Altamont

Snowdrops, Spring bulbs, hellebores, etc for sale (Avon Bulbs, Farmyard Nurseries)

Tour of the Snowdrop collection with Paul Cutler, head gardener at Altamont. 

Early booking advisable. No refunds. Ticketed event, limited number.

Cost:
€50 (before December 20th)
€60 (before January 20th)

Cost includes lectures, lunch, admission to bulb sale, tour of snowdrop collection.

Contact: 
Hester Forde (Coosheen Garden) hesterfordeATgmail.com
Robert Miller (Altamont Plant Sales) 

[Alan_b]

Altamont does not seem to be particularly convenient for an airport if you wanted to travel from overseas.  Dublin Airport must be a few hours away, although I once caught a coach from Dublin Airport to Waterford that must have passed nearby.  Any thoughts?   

[mark smyth]

Alan the AA say it's 53 miles from Dublin airport and 68 miles via the motorway. Timing for both is roughly the same but you can put the foot down on the motorway

[Brian Ellis]

Any member of the HPS who expressed an interest in a snowdrop group should have received details of:

NOTICE OF THE FIRST HPS GALANTHUS GROUP AGM and STUDY DAY
Our inaugural Annual General Meeting will be held from 9.30am on Sunday 19th February 2012 in the Village Hall at Chaddesley Corbett near Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The AGM will be followed by a lecture given by Jim Almond (National Collection holder of Oncocyclus Irises).  His talk entitled ‘Special Snowdrops and How to Keep Them’, supported by his excellent photography, is followed by a visit to the nearby garden of HPS member Olive Mason who has an extensive snowdrop collection and an excellent winter garden.

[mark smyth]

I've seen Jim's Iris collection, wow

[ashley]

Altamont does not seem to be particularly convenient for an airport if you wanted to travel from overseas.  Dublin Airport must be a few hours away, although I once caught a coach from Dublin Airport to Waterford that must have passed nearby.  Any thoughts?   

I doubt that Altamont is well served by public transport Alan, so probably the most efficient way would be to hire a small car from the airport.

[Martin Baxendale]

Brian, who is the current contact for membership of the HPS and the snowdrop group? I really must get around to renewing my membership, especially as the AGM won't be too far from me.

[Brian Ellis]

Martin the details are here:

http://www.hardy-plant.org.uk/

[Maggi Young]

Martin the details are here:

http://www.hardy-plant.org.uk/

 Brian, I was searching the site earlier and could find no mention of the Galanthus group at all 

[Brian Ellis]

Maggi I was pointing Martin to membership matters.  The information on the Snowdrop Group will appear in the next HPS National Newsletter.  Membership is limited to HPS national members (as with the CGS Group).

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Brian.

My point is that it must be hard to attract members to join when there is no mention of the Galanthus Group or how one might join that  in the general membership area of the site.  Even if only open to HPS members, it all seems rather opaque. 

[Brian Ellis]

Hopefully it will become more easy once the group is up and running Maggi.  The HPS members did have the opportunity to express an interest in it's formation earlier this year.  I just hope that they co-ordinate with the Cottage Garden Group so that they have meetings at opposite sides of the country so that those who can't get to one can go to the other

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks, Brian.

My point is that it must be hard to attract members to join when there is no mention of the Galanthus Group or how one might join that  in the general membership area of the site.  Even if only open to HPS members, it all seems rather opaque. 

This has now been rectified Maggi, and it now appears as the featured specialist group on the main page.