Galanthus in January

[KentGardener]

Hi Carolyn,

I was given the elwesii version a few years back - but it hasn't put in an appearance yet this year.  From memory of previous flowers I was rather 'unexcited' by it.  If it does show up in 2013 I shall try and remember to take a quick pic for you. 

Her 'Gnome' is also here, another kind gift I received because of this forum.

I don't think I have ever noticed the nivalis version growing in any of the gardens I have visited.

[Carolyn Walker]

Thank you, Maggie, some day I will learn to just click haphazardly on websites and something will appear.  It seems that there are two 'Snow Whites' because the photo you gave me the link for is definitely not of the poculiform G. nivalis described in Snowdrops.

Thanks, Lina and John, I would like to see your photos.

[Paddy Tobin]

First shot is of a little scene in the garden THIS MORNING - emphasis just to tease all of you feeling miserable in the snow at the moment.
I don't know what the snowdrop is. It came with a name which was clearly incorrect and I have dithered over deciding what it is ever since.

The second photograph is of treasured snowdrop in my garden as it represents that old kindness which was always there among gardeners and flourishes here on the SRGC website. How lovely it is to get an e-mail out of the blue and be asked, "Do you grow my 'Hans guck in die Luft'? Soon afterward it arrived in the post and will remind me for many years, I hope, of this kindness.

[Hans J]

Hi Paddy ,

nice to see this plant 
It seems it feeling well in Ireland ...

Hans

[Hans J]

Thank you, Maggie, some day I will learn to just click haphazardly on websites and something will appear.  It seems that there are two 'Snow Whites' because the photo you gave me the link for is definitely not of the poculiform G. nivalis described in Snowdrops.

Thanks, Lina and John, I would like to see your photos.

Hi Carolyn ,

please look here :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1448.0

Here is a pic of Gal."Snow White Gnome" 

Best wishes
Hans

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi Paddy ,

nice to see this plant 
It seems it feeling well in Ireland ...

Hans

Excuse the damage on the petals. Maybe I was a little rough on it trying to open it to peep  inside. This is a flower I took inside to open in the heat and the photograph was taken on the windowsill. In the garden, there are three more flowers so it is doing very well indeed. I'm delighted with it.

[Mavers]

How will you collect & store the pollen Anne?

I did some direct crosses last year when most of the snowdrops were in bloom. Godfrey is out so early & I would like to use him on later flowering snowdrops.

Quite a few seedlings have germinated so hopefully something wonderful will result.

[annew]

The method of collecting pollen from snowdrops is a little different but not difficult. It's easier if you can pick the donor flower and bring it into the warm, then the pollen will flow. Cut a small piece of kitchen foil about 4cm x 3cm and put it on the table. Pick up the flower by the ovary and hold it the right way up (ovary uppermost)  over the foil. With a the blunt end of a pencil, or something similar, tap the inner segments sharpish and the pollen should fall onto the foil. Snowdrop stamens are like a tube pointing downwards and the pollen comes out of the end of the tube, so you have to hold the flower in the correct orientation. I then fold over the foil a couple of times, stick on a label and store it in a glass jam jar in the fridge.
To pollinate the seed parent, I normally strip off the outer and inner segments, by pulling them gently sideways while holding the ovary. I then usually carefully remove the stamens with forceps, which leaves just the ovary and style. I then carefully put pollen onto the stigma by drawing it gently backwards across the polleny foil, that way there is no risk of bending the style or damaging the stigma. Don't forget to label the stem with your cross. You shouldn't need to bag the flower as there are no 'bits' left to tempt insects, but I usually bag the seedpod before it splits with an empty (new) teabag, closed around the stem with a paper clip.
I'll try and take some photos to illustrate and put them here and on my website as well.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Yes Anne, please do it so.
A picture tells me more than 100 English words

[kentish_lass]

The method of collecting pollen from snowdrops is a little different but not difficult. It's easier if you can pick the donor flower and bring it into the warm, then the pollen will flow. Cut a small piece of kitchen foil about 4cm x 3cm and put it on the table. Pick up the flower by the ovary and hold it the right way up (ovary uppermost)  over the foil. With a the blunt end of a pencil, or something similar, tap the inner segments sharpish and the pollen should fall onto the foil. Snowdrop stamens are like a tube pointing downwards and the pollen comes out of the end of the tube, so you have to hold the flower in the correct orientation. I then fold over the foil a couple of times, stick on a label and store it in a glass jam jar in the fridge.
To pollinate the seed parent, I normally strip off the outer and inner segments, by pulling them gently sideways while holding the ovary. I then usually carefully remove the stamens with forceps, which leaves just the ovary and style. I then carefully put pollen onto the stigma by drawing it gently backwards across the polleny foil, that way there is no risk of bending the style or damaging the stigma. Don't forget to label the stem with your cross. You shouldn't need to bag the flower as there are no 'bits' left to tempt insects, but I usually bag the seedpod before it splits with an empty (new) teabag, closed around the stem with a paper clip.
I'll try and take some photos to illustrate and put them here and on my website as well.

That is so interesting Anne - thanks for sharing that information.  Now I just need to get brave enough to strip back a favourite flower.  Look forward to the photographic demo.

[kentish_lass]

First shot is of a little scene in the garden THIS MORNING - emphasis just to tease all of you feeling miserable in the snow at the moment.
I don't know what the snowdrop is. It came with a name which was clearly incorrect and I have dithered over deciding what it is ever since.

The second photograph is of treasured snowdrop in my garden as it represents that old kindness which was always there among gardeners and flourishes here on the SRGC website. How lovely it is to get an e-mail out of the blue and be asked, "Do you grow my 'Hans guck in die Luft'? Soon afterward it arrived in the post and will remind me for many years, I hope, of this kindness.

What a lovely little scene Paddy - all it needs to complete it is a snowdrop fairy perching on one of those pebbles.  Hans guick in die luft is a very cute snowdrop - he looks sad especially after you mutilated him 

[kentish_lass]

Does anyone have any experience with 'Snow White' (not her gnome)?  There is a flattering description in the snowdrop bible as G. nivalis 'Snow White'.  I have also seen the name G. elwesii 'Snow White'.  However, an internet search reveals little about it and a forum search, which I am not sure I performed correctly, yielded nothing.

Thanks, Carolyn

Carolyn - I bought elwesii Snow White a couple of snowdrop seasons ago and photographed her, planted her and lost her.  Not sure what I did wrong.  I really liked the markings and believe it was quite a small flower....cannot be sure....never owned it long enough 

Here is a photo and a picture of the plant label that came with it.    I hate losing plants

[Hans A.]

Here some pics from spain.
First is a nice seedling, second a green tipped G.elwesii from Avon and third?
Until yesterday I thought it is a normal ´Flore Pleno` - but now it puzzles me, both bulbs I have have six outers and neat Inners - I missed to check the leaves - any Ideas what it could be if not ´Flore Pleno`?

[mark smyth]

Hans your green tipped from Avon may be elwesii Green Tip

[Mavers]

Thank you for the information Anne & the promise of pictures as well.

With all the hybridising going on the future for snowdrops looks very promising.