Galanthus January 2012

[RichardW]

Bill Bakers Green Tipped is a new one for me this season - I have yet to see the flower - hopefully not Atkinsii.

I've just lifted a clump of a green tipped early flowering drop that originated from Bill Baker to re home, tips are variable but usually quite faint, would be interested to see photos of the other one if anyone has one.

The large drop I have from him is a real monster (think you saw it last year) had to be staked again this year 

[Oakwood]

. G. rizehensis (Picture: example with much broader foliage than is familiar in this species). Sir Frederick Stern described G. rizehensis in 'Snowdrops and Snowflakes' (1956), naming it after Rize, a town on the Black Sea coast of north-east Turkey.

Freddy, should disappoint you a bit - it isn't G. rizehensis - it is G. woronowii really. 

[Oakwood]

At orthodox Xmas, the 7th January, it was quiet abnormally sunny and warm (+10C) in Ukraine, so my lovely Mediterranean drops were opened during a second half-day))

they are
GRO from Greek Vyros gorge
G. ikariae ssp. snogerupii from Andros close to be opened)))
G. cilicicus ex l.c. - very huge plant indeed, not as tender as it is described anywhere in literature!!

[Carolyn Walker]

This is my first time on the forum since last spring so I hope you will forgive some postings of photos of some of my spectacular fall-blooming snowdrops.

G. reginae-olgae on November 3, started in mid-October.  I have never gotten a really good shot of this plant but who doesn't like snowdrops in October?

G. elwesii on November 20.  I have been planting hundreds of dried G. elwesii bulbs for a number of years and they bloom from November to March.

G. elwesii var. monstichus 'Potter's Prelude' on November 20---an American selection, wonderful.

'Potter's Prelude' on November 29.

'Potter's Prelude' foliage on January 1, 2012.

[Maggi Young]

At orthodox Xmas, the 7th January, it was quiet abnormally sunny and warm (+10C) in Ukraine, so my lovely Mediterranean drops were opened during a second half-day))

they are
GRO from Greek Vyros gorge
G. ikariae ssp. snogerupii from Andros close to be opened)))
G. cilicicus ex l.c. - very huge plant indeed, not as tender as it is described anywhere in literature!!

Hope you had a very pleasant Christmas, Dima.

G. cilicicus ex l.c. - very huge plant indeed, not as tender as it is described anywhere in literature!

That's always good to hear a plant is tougher than we think!
I'm sorry if this has been discussed before... but the excellent photo brings the question to my mind......... does G. cilicicus always have such a clearly square stem section?

[mark smyth]

John why do you have snowdrops in lattice pots but have them above ground? Dont their root tips die?

[Maggi Young]

New snowdrop list due on the Elworthy Cottage website in the next few days.....
http://www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk/Garden.html

[RichardW]

two of Bill Baker's Large, is approx 12" high.

gracilis "Highdown" very dainty but bulks up fast.

and Little John in the G/H

[KentGardener]

- 'Richard Ayres' - I can't say I've noticed that green ring  under the ovary before   Is a mark like that quite unusual ? (or am I very slow?! )

Neither have I Maggi - quite obvious once it is pointed out - I'm home from work (in the dark as usual   ) and want to go and look at them now to see if that green ring is as obvious in real life - but my torch batteries are flat!  

Carolyn - nice to see G. elwesii var. monstichus 'Potter's Prelude'  - always very interesting to see the selections that are being made across the pond.  

Lovely looking heavy petals on that 'GRO from Greek Vyros gorge' Dimitri.  A real shame I struggle so much to grow RO as there are so many nice ones.  

John why do you have snowdrops in lattice pots but have them above ground? Dont their root tips die?

Hi Mark

My personal experience here is that I've found that if plants get frozen solid while above ground in normal pots some have had a tendency to die!  Whereas the ones in the lattice pots have all survived.  I have no real proof to back this up - just my own personal theories about the pressure of ice crystals.  They also drain better and dry out faster.  Roots seem to be clever things and kind of instinctively know when to pop out of the lattice and when to stay safely inside.     And of course the fact that my garden is tiny and I don't have space for everything to be below ground.  

One more picture from yesterday that I've been sent and had it suggested that I post - something about similar looking noses (and I've got a feeling he wasn't talking about the emerging snowdrops!)!  

[steve owen]

John

Great new pic, super tan. Who needs Madeira? By the way, who's your friend in the bobble hat?

[Oakwood]

That's always good to hear a plant is tougher than we think!
I'm sorry if this has been discussed before... but the excellent photo brings the question to my mind......... does G. cilicicus always have such a clearly square stem section?

thanks, Maggi! it was very springly Xmas never had before))))

about G. cilicicus - I have this plant only two years and it blooms with only 1 flowers as you could see. But it has rather lanceolate stem section, not square. Such section have many other snowdrop species, e.g. GRO.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Dima.... looking again I see two planes on the stem from the angle of the photo.... I must have been counting two and then imagining two to make four!   

Nice plant, anyhow.

[loes]

[gracilis "Highdown" very dainty but bulks up fast.

my gracilis 'Highdown" went from 3 nice flowering bulbs in two years time to just one miserable leaf.
so it is obisously not very happy. does it need a much dryer condition than most drops?

[kentish_lass]

One more picture from yesterday that I've been sent and had it suggested that I post - something about similar looking noses (and I've got a feeling he wasn't talking about the emerging snowdrops!)!  
[/quote]

John - need to see you in a curly wig to be sure of the resemblance     Your garden is looking full of interest and neat and tidy as always.  Glad to hear your snowdrops stay safe in lattice pots as I have loads above ground at the moment and have been worrying about them although the weather is so mild I doubt anything could come to harm.

There have been some lovely photos lately.  Love Roger's Rough and gracilis 'Highdown'.

Jennie

[Alan_b]

I have "Highdown" under the edge of an evergreen hedge facing south-east.  It's dry there although there is water run-off from the drive on those rare days when we get a decent amount of rain.  It sits there and sulks, manages a few flowers each year but does not bulk-up.  So I presume mine is too dry and therefore unhappy.  But I do live in the driest part of the UK.