Galanthus in December

[Tony Willis]

a couple of mine in flower

Galanthus fosteri

Galanthus cilicicus from a Peter Bird collection

[Melvyn Jope]

  I recall Ruby Baker's collection was wiped out as well, was that virus or stag? 

I met Ruby Baker for lunch today and am pleased to report that even at 89 she is in good health and I am assured by her that her galanthus collection is in good health too.

[johnw]

Melvyn  - Good to hear that Ruby Baker's collection is in good health.  There's a good account of the Stag problem in their collection on pages 325-326 in the book.

A colleague has just returned from France where he was visiting family.  He told me of popping into some high-end florist shops on the Champs-Elysée.  He was particularly excited about some beautiful boat-shaped planters.  The planters featured Hippeastrums underplanted with snowdrops and topped with moss.  I thought how clever and then reconsidered, the Hipps are most likely stag-infected and those snowdrops are apt to be planted in the garden later....  One can only hope the snowdrops are in separate pots but still too close for comfort.

johnw

[Paddy Tobin]

In the garden today, a wet garden I might add.

G. 'Castlegar'
G. 'Three Ships'

[Oakwood]

Snowdrops in my Mediterranean tunnel at present:

G. cilicicus from Chris Sancham
G. ikariae ssp. snogerupii ex Andros from Melvyn Jope
G. elwesii var. monostictus
G. reginae-olgae ssp. reginae-olgae ex Vyros gorge from Melvyn Jope

[KentGardener]

Thanks Tony, Paddy and Dimitri  - you have helped to put a smile on my face as the S.A.D. starts to grab hold.   

Today might be my last chance to be in the garden here during daylight hours until Mid January - so here are a few quick snaps from today - and I mean quick!  (I almost didn't post them due to 'white out' and blur).  But here are a few of the the little white flowers at maison kentgardener.

1 - 'Donald Sims Early' - for my garden it does perform before Christmas each year, luckily it seems from other accounts I hear.  (sorry for flowers not being open - this is possibly my last daylight viewing of it with a camera in hand for this snowdrop season).

2 - 'Barnes' (a really bad, speedily taken pic with lots of 'white out' - but a reliable start to snowdrop season during the onset of Winter)

3 - 'Fieldgate Superb' - every year I see this and mistakenly think I am seeing a daffodil coming up already - it really does have a chunky nose!   

4 - 'Richard Ayres' - is already getting me excited for the potential blanket of white that might be enjoyed by any visitors to this Kentish garden when I get back from Malta.

[Tim Harberd]

Hi John,
   Is that a pound coin in the picture?  If so, then for the benefit of non British readers, they are 22mm across.

   Personally, I find it very hard to ‘judge’ flower photos without some sort of scale. I know size isn’t everything, but…..     Mrs Macnamara is the biggest thing I grow. Is there anything reliably bigger?

Tim DH

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi John,

Nice selection. It's always interesting to see how bulbs perform differently in different gardens - early ones which are not so early elsewhere etc.
 
Enjoy the break in Malta.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

Mrs Macnamara is the biggest thing I grow. Is there anything reliably bigger?

Natalie Garton is tall with large chunky flowers

[johnw]

Tim - elwesii 'Alanya Yayla' towers over all the others here.  It seems to be a reluctant offsetter.

johnw - +3c and overcast, another drenching on the way.

[KentGardener]

Hi Tim

It is only a 5p.   

Thanks Paddy - I have time on the South coast of UK first and then Malta first thing in the new year.

[Paddy Tobin]

What's this, John?  The south coast of the UK = the new costa?

[Mavers]

Hello John, the reason I initially became interested in snowdrops was to help me cope with the dreaded ..........S A D.

Seeing those lovely FAT galanthus buds really lifts my spirit.

I have been 'finger fishing' in my garden & I'm please to say I can feel my 'Big Boys'....I was really concerned the unrelenting rain last summer was going to cause their demise.

According to my 'fishing finger' lots of other snowdrops should be surfacing quite soon.

[Tim Harberd]

Thanks for the correction John,
   Only a 5p! I didn’t think such small denominations were still in use South of Sheffield!!

For the benefit of non British readers, they are about 18mm across

Tim DH

[emma T]

I must confesses to being another S.A.D Galanthophile  , there's a joke there i think