Galanthus in November 2011

[ChrisD]

Alan/Brian - Here in Hertfordshire we have had the same lack of rain, particularly this autumn. Did you water any of your drops in the garden? A few weeks ago I noticed some alliums near where I had watered in a new plant had much better root growth than those in another part of the garden that had no watering. So then I went round and gave a good soaking to all the spots where I have early bulbs planted, obviously in the hope of stimulating root growth. Fingers crossed that this wont do more harm than good.

Chris

[Brian Ellis]

Hello Chris,  I didn't water anything until quite recently and was surprised today to see Colossus about 3" tall with buds showing!  The water will have helped them with root formation.

[KentGardener]

I like the idea of a roll call on Remembrance Day Steve, I shall adopt this for the future

Me too.   

[chasw]

Now I am getting slightly paranoid here in Northamptonshire,with Steve only in the next county,all I have showing at the moment is r-o   

[bulborum]

Be Happy chas

If all the others have the drops gone
you still enjoy them
and you can do

Roland

[Brian Ellis]

Chas I would say all is well with you, I wish it was the same here, both Jane-Ann and I were saying so at the CGS on Sunday

[Hans A.]

Here similar situation, only first G.r.-o. and G. peshmenii are in flower, G. cilicicus are above the ground and nothing to see of any of the early G. elwesii monostictus.

[RichardW]

I was planting yesterday in is what was more like dust than soil  , certainly not seen conditions like it in the nearly 20 years I've been here, I did water the chips I planted in the spring for a few months due to the very dry spring but I haven't been watering any drops, did find some nivalis bulbs where I was planting with healthy looking roots, I very much doubt it could do any harm to water.

couldn't find any other early flowers today, looks like the E. Barnes have gone.

[steve owen]

Only a minority of the roll-call are in flower; the usual suspects (Barnes) plus Amy Jade, rizehensis Early to Rize, Elwesii monostictus, Emmelina, Monostictus hiemalis, Moses Basket, and Remember Remember. Sentinel, Robin Hood and Zwanenburg about to do so.

My clump of Autumn Beauty is continuing to produce fresh flowers after five weeks, with quite a lot of twin scapes.

I don't know if water supply is affecting things. Certainly through the long hot dry spells of the past months I kept the hosepipe going.

[Alan_b]

My Reginae-Olgae have not done very well this year.  The hot weather in October meant that the flowers went over very quickly and quite a few flowers vanished, presumably falling prey to slugs and snails that were still very active in that warm weather.

[johnw]

My clump of Autumn Beauty is continuing to produce fresh flowers after five weeks, with quite a lot of twin scapes.

Steve      - This reginae-olgae sounds like a winner.  I guess elwesii increases the hardiness as an add-on.  I suppose we should do the cross here to get some reliably hardy autumn bloomers.

Are there any verified nivalis x reginae-olgae hybrids?  That would be even hardier.

Tilebarn Jamie is out here.

johnw - a glorious day, +15c and sunny. 

[Martin Baxendale]

I've never seen Autumn Beauty. Does anyone have a pic they could post? I'd be interested to see both flowers and leaves as it's said to be a chance cross between elwesii hyemalis and reginae-olgae. I'm wondering if it actually shows mixed characteristics or if someone has just made an assumption. Pic anyone? Steve?

[steve owen]

et voila..

[Martin Baxendale]

et voila..

Thanks Steve. I just remembered that you posted a pic or two earlier in the autumn. Definitely looks like Autumn Beauty comprises more than one clone - two very different snowdrops in your pics. The chunky-flowered one with two scapes is (again) looking like a very good strong snowdrop. Not sure that I can see much in the way of hybridity in the leaves. They look pretty much like straight elwesii.

[steve owen]

Martin
Yes, three inner marking variations are visible. Apart from the plant's vigour, the key distinguishing characteristic is the fact that it is reliably starts to flower during September - and is still doing so.