Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: Alan_b on November 21, 2014, 12:26:15 PM
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I have been trying to compile a list of the names of early-flowering snowdrops. By 'early' let's say pre-Xmas (in my locale) or at-the-same-time-as or before 'Three Ships' anywhere. For simplicity, I have excluded named cultivars from those species that only flower early, which are:
reginae-olgae (ssp. reginae-olgae) [syn. corcyrensis - meaning from Corfu but frequently also applied more widely]
peshmenii
cilicicus
snogerupii
because you can tell just from the species that the plant is early flowering.
What I'm left with is a list of names, the majority of which are G. elwesii. In a few cases I could not identify the species so if they turn out to be reginae-olgae I will take them off the list. I'm open to suggestions of other names or help with identifying unknown species.
'Advent' - elwesii var. elwesii (two separate marks).
'Armistice Day' - elwesii var. monostictus (Rare - I only know of one person who still grows this).
'Athenae' - elwesii var. monostictus
'Autumn Beauty' (& 'Autumn Belle') - possible elwesii / reginae-olgae hybrid. Pictures (I think of 'Autumn Belle') (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg365138#msg365138) and more details (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg365958#msg365958)
‘Budenzauber’ ?? Hagen’s
'Barnes' - elwesii var. monostictus
'Blue Octopus' elwesii var. monostictus with long leaves, distributed by Matt Bishop.
from Broadeigh Gardens - elwesii cited in The Garden October 2015 p66.
'Castlegar' - hybrid? Small inner mark, possibly two scapes
'Christmas Cheer' Rare hybrid bred in the USA. See comment from Chris Sanham (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8399.msg227996#msg227996).
'Donald Sims' Early' - elwesii var. monostictus, originally distributed by Rod Leeds.
‘Dorothy Foreman’ elwesii var. monostictus with "shallow 'horizontal' outer segments" and green leaves distributed by North Green Snowdrops.
'Earliest' - by no means the earliest. Elwesii var. monostictus , rare but perhaps one to be consigned to history?
'Earliest of All' - possibly a synonym of 'Barnes'.
'Early to Rize' - hybrid, part rizhensis distributed by North green Snowdrops
'Else Grollenberg' elwesii var. monostictus (distinctively long outer petals, sometimes with green tips). From Wim Postema, large bulbs. Pictured on the originator's web site (http://www.sneeuwklokjes.nl/Else%20Grollenberg.htm) and on the forum. (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14872.msg367593#msg367593)
'Emmelina' elwesii var. monostictus (Very early. Named and distributed {thus far only sparsely} by Steve Owen).
'Faringdon Double' elwesii-like with three outers and ~six inners
'Frank Lebsa' elwesii with large green marks at the apex of the outer petals and covering about 1/3 of the petal length. Picture from Ruben Billiet (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14872.msg367286#msg367286).
'Frinton Advent' - elwesii var. elwesii (similar to 'Advent', possibly later)
'Frühes Elegantes' - elwesii var. monostictus with heart-shaped mark on inners, long outers with green tips. November flowering, named by Clemens Heidger.
'Gabriel' - elwesii var. monostictus (possibly only recognisable if you bring it indoors)
'Haconby Early' - elwesii var. monostictus distributed by Cliff Curtis
'Grüne Weinacht' elwesii, virescent, (an example of several of Hagens still 'in the pipeline')
'Hoggets Narrow' elwesii var. elwesii, December flowering distributed by Matt Bishop
'Hoggets Round' elwesii var. elwesii, another December flowering distributed by Matt Bishop
'Hollis' - elwesii var. monostictus (large leaves - from Dr Dowling Munro).
'Howard Wheeler' - elwesii var. monostictus (darker green mark and ovary than in the norm)
'J. Haydn' - elwesii (distinguishing features not known).
‘Kinn Macintosh’ – elwesii (var elwesii with a generous single mark). Distributed by Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers
'Kryptonite' - elwesii with large strong green marks on apical half of the outer petals. Possibly not consistently early. Picture here (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15838.msg383733#msg383733)
'Lady Latife' - rizehensis "Chunky rounded flowers, often with 2-3 scapes per bulb. Vigorous. Mid-green leaves. Oct-Dec. Ht 20 cm." A new introduction from Paul Barney's Edulis Nursery.
'Manor Farm Early' - elwesii (similar to Remember Remember?) ex Gill Richardson
'Mary Hely-Hutchinson' – plicatus (earliest known plicatus?). Picture here. (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg367209#msg367209)
'Midwinter' - elwesii.
'Mrs Macnamara' nivalis x elwesii
'November Snow' - transcaucasicus
'Peter Gatehouse' - elwesii var. elwesii
'Potter's Prelude' - elwesii var. monostictus (distributed by Carolyn Walker in the USA)
'Rainbow Farm Early' - elwesii var. monostictus originating from Michael Broadhurst
'Remember Remember' - elwesii var. monostictus (quite tall)
‘Santa Claus’ Hybrid? (ex Timothy Clark)
'Smaragdsplitter' elwesii with a solid green mark on the outer petals Picture here (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15838.msg383733#msg383733)
‘Sweetheart’ elwesii (large, very flat outers with a variable green patch, sweet violet scented, ex Michael Broadhurst). Picture from Ruben Billiet here. (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14872.msg367286#msg367286)
'Sheds and Outhouses' ?? green tips on outer petals
'Standing Tall' elwesii var. elwesii with joined marks (tall elwesii, new from the USA, Pictured on Carolyn Walker's web site (https://carolynsshadegardens.com/2015/12/29/just-relax-and-enjoy-the-flowers/galanthus-standing-tall-elwesii/) ).
'Three Ships' plicatus (supposedly in flower 'on Xmas day in the morning')
Tanscaucasicus early form added to the list because Wol & Sue Staines were selling this in 2017 (see also 'November Snow')
'Xmas' elwesii with an x-shaped mark on the inner petals, another snowdrop from Carolyn Walker in the USA.
'York Minster' elwesii, virescent (new, like an early-flowering version of 'Rosemary Burnham', possibly not consistently early, ex Jörg Lebsa)
'Yuletide' elwesii.
Hagen tells us there are (mostly unnamed?) groups of G. rizehensis and G. transcaucasicus which flower early. There was a recent report of an autumn-flowering form of G. plicatus (var. byzantinus).
I'm editing this list as we go so references to corrections and omissions in the comments below should become incorporated into this first post.
Michael Myers has compiled a similar but more wide-ranging list of early-flowering snowdrops. This is attached to this forum post (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg365492#msg365492). I was unaware of several of the snowdrops on this list until I read the one compiled by Michael
Snowdrops shown in blue are from the USA and are not necessarily available in Europe.
Snowdrops shown in orange have been mentioned on this Forum but are new ones which I know are not yet commercially available.
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What is "early"? 'Three Ships'?
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Sorry, I edited the original post to clarify early as pre-Xmas. 'Three Ships' is therefore borderline but I'll add it to the list.
Later I decided to use 'Three Ships' to mark the end of what constitutes 'early'.
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I think that will be 'Armistice Day', Alan , you've got a typo there with 'Amistice Day'
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Thanks, Maggi, it was always meant to be 'Armistice'.
I'm editing/correcting the list as we go so these remarks won't make sense if you read them later.
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Hi Alan I'm not familiar with snoperupii, is it another suedonym for something else.
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Alan, John - early is always a question of weather, especially here in middle Europe with continental influence.
When frost start the growth of the galanthus stop.
BUDENZAUBER is a Gem but also SHEDS AND OUTHOUSES
Also G transcaucasicus and G rizehensis have groups with autumn flowering plants
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Galanthus ikariae subsp. snogerupii Kamari is a synonym of Galanthus ikariae Baker according to the Kew Plant List.
I always think snogerupii sounds like someone made it up for a laugh!
We have at least two threads of interest on this plant - http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8655.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8655.0) and
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1599.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1599.0)
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It's a name you wouldn't t forget in a hurry, maybe that was the reason.
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G. snogerupii is named after Swedish botanist Sven Snogerup, apparently.
Hagen, I really mean flowering before Xmas in the southern part of the UK (where I live). Rizehensis and transcuacasicus I did know not had early-flowering groups. That would explain 'Early to Rize', which is supposedly a hybrid.
Thanks to Brian for another correction.
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G. trans. 'November Snow'
G. elwesii 'Haydn' - looking at my photos the dates range from December 5th to 23rd
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NOVEMBER SNOW is a transcaucasicus, bloomed here two weeks ago.
A G rizehensis (not a hybrid) will flower here in the next two weeks.
OK here is not the south of UK.
But I thought it should be a list for some more forumists, not only the south dreamers. :)
Here in the north we are cooler, our drops too.
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Alan, thank you for doing this list as it will be a nice to have reference. It's one thing to bloom early, and can be quite another to be a good grower and multiplier. I would benefit as might a few other readers if when this list firms up that insights about plant strength and growth could also be shared when known.
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Hi Alan,
I’m not a fan of the current trend for Christmas to creep earlier and earlier every year… So its with some sadness that I report that my ‘Three Ships’ is already in flower! Not yet November 25th!! I doubt if I'll see Three Ships on Christmas Day this year... not even sailing out.
Tim DH … in Yorkshire
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But I thought it should be a list for some more forumists, not only the south dreamers. :)
Sorry. Hagen, yet I think that 'early flowering' remains wherever you are. It's just that different locales will have different ideas of when constitutes 'early'. Can we say that any snowdrop that flowers at the same time as or before 'Three Ships' is 'early'?
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elwesii 'Haydn'
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I'd add Mrs MacNamara to that list it's all ways in flower before Christmas in my mums garden in Dorset
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My Galanthus elwesii hiemalis 'Howard Wheeler' is just about to flower, that should be there too.
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I have 'Mary Biddulph' just about to flower. That doesn't seem to be on the list? Is this unusually early?
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Mmm, I don't recall it trying to flower this early...thereby hangs a tale. We've had it for seven years and it has flowered for me once ::) Unfortunately it seems to be the target of every pest we've got in the garden and has been attacked beneath the soil as well as when it has appeared! I am saying this very quietly but....
there are three noses this year, perhaps it will flower again
;)
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I have never tried 'Mary Biddulph' myself but a quick survey of what information I could find suggests that it would not normally flower in time to make the list. But I'm happy to be corrected on this point. This seems to be a year in which many elwesiis are flowering earlier than normal.
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I have never tried 'Mary Biddulph' myself but a quick survey of what information I could find suggests that it would not normally flower in time to make the list. But I'm happy to be corrected on this point. This seems to be a year in which many elwesiis are flowering earlier than normal.
I got it from Louise at Foxgrove last year, so it should be correct. I'll take a photo as soon as opens properly.
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This is an interesting thread though I suspect here all snowdrops (except very early ones) flower after the winter. I have only one mentioned in the thread, 'Mrs Macnamara', and last year it came up before the proper winter in the end of December, but waited through the cold and snow period until started to flower in the end of February after the snow melted (unusually early, normally it melts in March or April), and it didn't mind freezing temperatures in March, flowered right through them until April. I don't know how it would have behaved if there were a meter of snow on top of it. It would be interesting to hear about experiences of early snowdrops in other areas with snow and cold winter, any experiences from Sweden or Norway? Or Russia?
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In my part of Southern England we rarely have much snow and if it snows before Xmas then it's gone again in a day or two. If there is a cold spell then snowdrop development will stop but the nivalis, elwesii and plicatus species we grow are (or have evolved to be) hardy. Reginae-olgae are less hardy and won't necessarily survive a prolonged spell of cold weather.
I have added 'Rainbow Farm Early' to the list. Thus is another 'Hiemalis Group' elwesii distributed by Michael Broadhurst. He maintains that it's very vigorous but I've struggled with it myself.
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I agree Leena, it is an interesting thread although I have no experiences with early snowdrops. Snowdrops are hard to get here in Norway except the common one! (nivalis often without name and maybe elwesii, also nameless).
If I want to get it from abroad I need a Cites certificate and few vendors do that.
The climate where I live is mild and I assume I can have flowering plants at Xmas time if I could get hold of some - if they can take the low level of light at that time.
The ones I have in my garden now (I have no names) do flower from January onwards depending of the weather and amount of snow/frost which differ from year to another.
Early February last spring (2014):
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Hi Allen, I'm an owner of a glasshoue now, so the question of the flowering time of the "early" galanthus got a new dimension. In the last years I ordered G elwesii in big numbers in the wholesale trade and got the bulbs from the Netherlands. In result I have about 20 different clones of Ge, looking like hiemalis group. Starts the winter hard, only a few of them will bloom, bit this year all stand in flower. So it is not a real thing of interest to create a big and bigger number of hiemalis members, look like the same.
Lets go to PETER GATEHOUSE and the other fall galanthus, which are much more different.
And let us go to the galanthus really flower before or together with THREE SHIPS.
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I have added 'Rainbow Farm Early' to the list. Thus is another 'Hiemalis Group' elwesii distributed by Michael Broadhurst. He maintains that it's very vigorous but I've struggled with it myself.
Vigorous enough to split after a couple of years, (unfortunately it has now gone over - if it wasn't raining I'd count how many flowers the remainder had) both Ann Borrill and myself think it is much better than 'Barnes' , which I think Michael said may have been it's seed parent.
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Does anyone know anything about 'Sheds and Outhouses'? 'Kentgardener' showed pictures in 2011 and Hagen mentioned it recently but I don't even know what species it is. And there are a few others on the list about which I only know the name and would welcome more information.
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Hi Hoy do you need a CITES for seed as well? I was thinking that might be easier for you to get hold of then bulbs.
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Hi Hoy do you need a CITES for seed as well? I was thinking that might be easier for you to get hold of then bulbs.
I don't think I need Cites for seeds. And I discovered that I only need a phyto from countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Sweden provided that the bulbs are artificially propagated.
But seeds are the easiest way and as I am not very concerned with names that would do.
But who trade Galanthus seeds?
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I have 'Mary Biddulph' just about to flower. That doesn't seem to be on the list? Is this unusually early?
I've grown 'Mary Biddulph'for a few years now.Here are my flowering dates,(08/02/08),(23/01/09),(12/02/10),(28/01/11),(06/01/12),(02/02/13),(05/01/14).I wouldn't call it early. ;)
Hope that is some use for your list?,Alan.
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It is a very useful list, thank you for your work Allan!
But for me it will be even more useful if it could be sorted according to flowering time and not alphabetical.
This is maybe too difficult, and I will be glad if you could mention the 3 earliest flowering.
Peter Gatehouse have been flowering here for some weeks, Barnes is in bud and and flower buds are just visible in Three Ships.
Poul
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Hi Hoy I have some Reginae Olgae which are still in flower & have a few seed cases on them, if I can get them to ripen I'll send you some.
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But for me it will be even more useful if it could be sorted according to flowering time and not alphabetical.
This is maybe too difficult, and I will be glad if you could mention the 3 earliest flowering.
Peter Gatehouse have been flowering here for some weeks, Barnes is in bud and and flower buds are just visible in Three Ships.
I think this would be very difficult and my guess is flowering varies between gardens. My Three Ships is just coming through as are my Peter Gatehouse. My Barnes are over.
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Hi Hoy I have some Reginae Olgae which are still in flower & have a few seed cases on them, if I can get them to ripen I'll send you some.
John, that's very kind of you. I appreciate that very much!
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Some other suggestions to discover which 'drops are flowering early -
1) make a search of some of the cultivar names mentioned already here ( from the "Search" Button, fourth from the left in the set of options towards the top of the page)- and opting to search only in the Galanthus thread.
2) make a search -( or just look through the forum section for Galanthus) for the Galanthus threads from, says, October in any given year and you'll find the ones which recur.
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No problem Hoy happy to share.
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An interesting thread Alan - thanks for starting it. I had my first ever success with reginae olgae in the ground (last year no flower this year three flowers). I was very happy.
Then i had Remember Remember and now Tilebarn Jamie, Hollis about to flower what i believe to be Frinton Advent.
The reason i say 'believe to be' is because a creature of the night pulled 20 pots from my cold frame a few weeks ago. There were chewed pots, labels, soil and bulbs everywhere :( I gathered everything up and repotted keeping the muddled labels to hopefully identify. No bulbs appear to have been eaten so i am just guessing it may have been the bonemeal in my mix that attracted them. Any ideas anyone?
Will take a photo of "Frinton Advent" tomorrow as it is flower now.
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Hi Jennie, nice to hear from you. I've added 'Frinton Advent' to the list, although the only references I could find to it were your post in 2013 and the sales list here http://www.snowdropman.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Andrews-snowdrops-Jan2014.pdf. (http://www.snowdropman.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Andrews-snowdrops-Jan2014.pdf.) If it flowers at Xmas then it just makes the end of the list.
Since I only own a very few of these snowdrops myself, it is difficult to rank them in flowering order. I do now have 'Peter Gatehouse' in several spots in my garden and this year the flowering time varied by several weeks from one position to another. I also have two bulbs of 'Remember Remember' in the same pot. One flowered and finished about two weeks ago whilst the other is still in bud! Steve's superbly well-documented flowering times for 'Mary Biddulph' caused me to reject that suggestion - but keep them coming please.
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Since I only own a very few of these snowdrops myself, it is difficult to rank them in flowering order. I do now have 'Peter Gatehouse' in several spots in my garden and this year the flowering time varied by several weeks from one position to another. I also have two bulbs of 'Remember Remember' in the same pot. One flowered and finished about two weeks ago whilst the other is still in bud!
...and that hits the problem smack on. Since I moved my 'Barnes' from a cold spot in the front garden to a warm spot in the back garden it has flowered at the same time as everyone else. This made weeks of difference in flowering time so it very much depends on soil and situation I think.
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Hi Alan,
The best solution to smoothing out variations in different garden environments is to adopt the Peony Bloom Time Project’s model
http://peonybloomdate.com/description.htm (http://peonybloomdate.com/description.htm)
Where cultivars are ranked in days, before or behind, a commonly grown standard cultivar. Mind you, collating that sort of data is a huge amount of work for '''someone''' to volunteer to do!
In the case of early snowdrops.. If everyone reported how many days in front or behind ‘Three Ships’ their other cultivars flowered. Then an average difference for each cultivar could be produced.. And from that, a chronological list!
Tim DH
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Added 'Else Grollenberg'
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6017.msg174543#msg174543 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6017.msg174543#msg174543)
Available here: http://www.sneeuwklokjes.nl/ (http://www.sneeuwklokjes.nl/)
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I have Galanthus 'Spring Greens' in bud.
Cannot find any details of this snowdrop, but the name seems odd for one flowering early winter.
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For me in Belgium Galanthus elwesii 'Donald Simm's early' (zie snowdrops book) and Galanthus plicatus 'colossus' are always bloom before new year.
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I have Galanthus 'Spring Greens' in bud.
It's in 'The Book'. It's one of Primrose Warburg's and the name alludes to the fact that the leaves are very well-developed at the early time of flowering. But I don't think it is early enough to make the list, if 'January' is accurate.
Similarly, Ruben, I think 'Colossus' is slightly later than 'Three Ships' so just misses my arbitrary cut-off. I don't know about 'Donald Simm's Early' - can anyone else vouch for it? I might make an additional list of 'near-misses' anyway.
Later edit: The snowdrop in question turned out to be 'Donald Sims' Early' and made the list
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Alan, 'Donald Sims' Early' is flowering here for the moment in the open garden in Belgium. :)
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Alan, please add G. 'Potter's Prelude' which has bloomed in some gardens and is blooming in others stateside right now. Rick
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Yes, Rick, I was just reading about then researching that one. I think it may be exclusive to the US; it certainly originated there.
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some were sold on ebay UK last year
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From a reputable source, Mark?
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yes a US seller
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See these comments on Potter's Prelude from 2012:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8303.msg230477#msg230477 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8303.msg230477#msg230477)
Edit: Oh and this from John Grimshaw http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/beautiful-day-at-colesbourne.html (http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/beautiful-day-at-colesbourne.html)
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Re 'Potter's Prelude':
some were sold on ebay UK last year
... a US seller
So the winning bidder (in the UK or elsewhere in the EU) would then have to apply for a CITES certificate in order to import their purchase from the US?
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Re 'Potter's Prelude':
So the winning bidder (in the UK or elsewhere in the EU) would then have to apply for a CITES certificate in order to import their purchase from the US?
That very much depends on where the seller was from doesn't it? It has been around a little while and these things do travel.
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Yes, Brian, but I'm going by what Mark said above and what John Lonsdale wrote in 2012 (linked above). However, as you rightly observe, what might have been true in 2012 won't be true forever.
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Hello again
Due to my muddled labels I am unsure whether this is Frinton Advent or not. However, from the labels I collected after the fox pulled them from the cold frame this was the only early one among them.
I posted the first photograph last year and the second photograph is one I took yesterday. The markings are very different. I cannot find a photograph anywhere on the internet. I bought it from Matt Bishop at Myddleton House so maybe he has a photo he can post? I hate it when my plant labels get muddled....grrrr
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In my list only "Advent" and "Frinton Advent" are noted as having two marks like your snowdrop does. And in fact what you have in 2014 is a good deal better in that respect than your identified "Frinton Advent" from 2013. I imagine your bulb has just grown up a bit and settled-in and that is why the basal mark is stronger.
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Jenny if you bought it from Matt you can be almost certain it is 'Frinton Advent' I would think. It is lovely to have you back with us :-*
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Jenny, My opinion is the same as with Brian. It is Frinton Advent.
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Alan, i do not know if this has already been mentioned but Galanthus elwesii 'Gabriël' (from Alan Street) is also flowering now for me.
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I read about 'Gabriel' on the Avon Bulbs website here http://www.avonbulbs.co.uk/s/galanthus-gabriel/3488/Product.aspx (http://www.avonbulbs.co.uk/s/galanthus-gabriel/3488/Product.aspx) . Seems to me that
its habit of raising its outer segments when brought into the warm, reminding one of an angel's wings.
is a rather tenuous claim on a name but as it has been named, I will add it to the list.
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It is already a nice list! I hope to make a pictures coming week of 'Gabriel' - Only the weather forecast does not look good.
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I've added 'York Minster' based on the eBay description here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galanthus-elwesii-YORK-MINSTER-/261681042096?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item3ced67d2b0. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galanthus-elwesii-YORK-MINSTER-/261681042096?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item3ced67d2b0.)
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Alan, the time of blooming is a always question of fall and winter weather. last year YORK MINSTER bloomed at the end of January.
So you will have some shaky candidates in your list
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I forgot to say, it is also a Gem, a Galanthus elwesii monostictus ;)
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Alan,
Here is a picture of 'York Minster' taken today(30/11)in North Yorkshire.I agree with Hagen,it's a real gem. ;) ;)
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:-* very nice
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Good made Steve!!!
Here is another one for Alans early list: GRÜNE WEIHNACHT.
The flowering time is now, so it should be a Gem again.
But if we get a white christmas,
please forget the date of flowering time!!!
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Thanks Hagen and Steve.
Hagen:
Is 'Grüne Weinacht' an elwesii?
Have you distributed it at all or is it exclusive to you?
Is it always earlier to flower than 'York Minster'?
Do we know why Jörg Lebsa chose such an English-sounding name?
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Hagen I hope you are chipping, chipping and chipping again these lovely snowdrops so we can all buy some from you?
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So far I have tried and failed, twice, to establish 'Three Ships'. But it's a very early season, I have seen 'Three Ships' in flower locally and as that is my (arbitrarily chosen) end-marker then I have to rule out anything else not yet in flower in my garden from being added to the list. How is everyone else doing with their 'Three Ships'?
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Hagen I hope you are chipping, chipping and chipping again these lovely snowdrops so we can all buy some from you?
I'm sure there are a multitude of forum members supporting that hope :D
So far I have tried and failed, twice, to establish 'Three Ships'....How is everyone else doing with their 'Three Ships'?
Third time lucky for me, and mine is now fully out.
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Thanks for letting me know that, Brian. I'm going to have to try again myself with 'Three Ships'. Do you have anything else that beat 'Three Ships' to the post but is not on the list (which, by way of reminder, is in the first post on this thread).
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I've added some information about 'Sweetheart' sent to me by Michael Broadhurst.
In the November thread, Uvularia mentions Galanthus rizehensis Trabzon in flower for three weeks. I cannot find much about this snowdrop, even whether 'Trabzon' is a name or just short for the description 'Trabzon form' which I find referenced elsewhere. There is already a reference to early flowering forms of G. rizehensis (thanks to Hagen) so for lack of information I have not (yet) included Trabzon in the list.
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Paraphrasing from http://citesbulbs.myspecies.info/category/galanthus-wild-species/galanthus-rizehensis (http://citesbulbs.myspecies.info/category/galanthus-wild-species/galanthus-rizehensis) -
G. rizehensis ( note spelling) was first collected and introduced by E.K. Balls and W. Balfour-Gourlay in 1933 from plants near Trabzon in north-eastern Turkey. While early collections were from that area it has since been found that the species is more widely distributed than was first assumed.
It would seem that Paul's ( "uvularia") plant has its origin from the Trabzon area.
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Alan ,
please look here :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6530.msg180266#msg180266 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6530.msg180266#msg180266)
Hans
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Thanks, Maggi and thanks for pointing out my misspelling. For some reason I find I always start to spell rizehensis with an 'rh', as in rhino and rhizome, and by the time I have got the 'h' in the right place something else is liable to have gone wrong!
Thank, Hans, for the link back to 2011. As far as I know (AFAIK) although a few of us grow autumn-flowering forms of rizehensis, there isn't yet a named cultivar.
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I've added some information about 'Sweetheart' sent to me by Michael Broadhurst.
In the November thread, Uvularia mentions Galanthus rizehensis Trabzon in flower for three weeks. I cannot find much about this snowdrop, even whether 'Trabzon' is a name or just short for the description 'Trabzon form' which I find referenced elsewhere. There is already a reference to early flowering forms of G. rizehensis (thanks to Hagen) so for lack of information I have not (yet) included Trabzon in the list.
Margaret Owen was selling rizehensis Trabzon.I too bought one and mine is nearly flowering with me.I asked about it at the time,and it was a seed collection from Trabzon.It should be labelled rizehensis coll Trabzon, as it's not a named plant.Hope that helps a little.
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So far I have tried and failed, twice, to establish 'Three Ships'. But it's a very early season, I have seen 'Three Ships' in flower locally and as that is my (arbitrarily chosen) end-marker then I have to rule out anything else not yet in flower in my garden from being added to the list. How is everyone else doing with their 'Three Ships'?
Hi Alan, ´Three Ships´ grows well for me, like most G. plicatus and nivalis do. They grow on a clay-based soil rich in humus, which seldom dries out. Perhaps Brian succeeded in a similar situation?
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They grow on a clay-based soil rich in humus, which seldom dries out. Perhaps Brian succeeded in a similar situation?
Interestingly the answer is no. Our soil is very free draining and I think that may have been the trouble, clay is some 45 cm below so a long way for roots to get down to for moisture!
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My soil is very free-draining over chalk at some depth but I like to pot-grow my new snowdrops for at least one year to reduce the risk of importing diseases. Neither of my attempts to grow 'Three Ships' survived the initial period of pot growth. For pot growth I use 2 parts John Innes No.3 to 1 part sand.
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I use 2 parts john innes no.3,1 part sharp sand,1 part perlite and 1 part leafmould or multipurpose compost if I run out. Could it be that the roots of your potted Three Ships froze?
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That's always a possibility, Brian, but I use very large pots (3 litre, I think) so the thermal mass of the compost is quite large. And the vast majority of my snowdrops survive this treatment so unless 'Three Ships' is particularly nesh [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesh) ] then that doesn't explain it.
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I was away from the forum for 10 days, and this whole list blossomed, so to speak. Great job Alan.
I noticed that there was a discussion of 'Potter's Prelude', one of the few named US snowdrops. I am including a photo below so you can see how beautiful it is. It is very well formed and vigorous, always blooming by November 15 and often continuing into January. It is very well suited to the climate in the mid-Atlantic and deals well with our cold winters, maintaining its leaves in very good shape. It may not perform as well in the UK, which has a completely different climate. Many horticultural practices that work there are unsuited for here and vice versa.
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Carolyn, that is one terrific clump of 'Potter's Prelude'.
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Carolyn - A lovely one it is, very smart-looking. Now can you tell us what sparks it to flower in your area? Time, temperature drop, a good soaking rain or the benevolence of the gods?
Does it ever flower earlier and does 'Potter's Prelude' flower before or after reginae-olgae there?
johnw
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It's a real proud plant, Carolyn. Fine
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Carolyn - A lovely one it is, very smart-looking. Now can you tell us what sparks it to flower in your area? Time, temperature drop, a good soaking rain or the benevolence of the gods?
Does it ever flower earlier and does 'Potter's Prelude' flower before or after reginae-olgae there?
johnw
Thanks, Hagen and Rick
John, G. reginae-olgae always flowers mid-October for me and 'Potter's Prelude' always flowers in mid-November. I have had it since 2004. My original clump, which I had mistakenly planted under a (dormant) peony didn't thrive. I divided it and moved it into four sunnier spots towards the front of the borders, and it has thrived ever since. Although battered by freezing temperatures, snow, and ice, the leaves come through the winter intact unlike some of my other fall-blooming G. elwesii. The flowers will also tolerate a lot of abuse and stand back up. G. r-o on the other hand waxes and wanes but has never disappeared totally. Hitch Lyman said that he can't grow 'Potter's Prelude' in upstate New York, too cold.
I do not know what weather conditions inspire it to flower. October and early November in the mid-Atlantic are pretty consistent from year to year: sunny and warm with plenty of rain. The later parts of November are very inconsistent except that they are overcast and gray.
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Carolyn - Thanks. Interesting that Hitch has problems with it in northern NY state as I presume they have reliable & early snow cover up there. I've always suspected these early flowering elwesii are not very hardy for places with real winters, the loss of dormancy that early would be suicidal here. Judging from your flowering dates and latitude I guess we are just too far north & cold for the very earlies.
johnw
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It struck me that "Potter's Prelude" is the "Barnes" of North America. It would be interesting to know how they fare in a side-by-side comparison.
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It struck me that "Potter's Prelude" is the "Barnes" of North America. It would be interesting to know how they fare in a side-by-side comparison.
My 'Barnes' come up with very little leaf showing. Maybe 1.5 - 2cm
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This year my Barnes produced a single flower on 25th October with very little leaf showing. About a week later a second flower appeared from a daughter bulb. Then two more flowers from other daughter bulbs a week after that; by that time there was quite a lot of leaf showing. The effect was very pleasing, a bit like a magician producing a rabbit out of a hat, then another rabbit, then another two.
The sort of side-by-side comparison between 'Barnes' and 'Potter's Prelude' I would be envisaging was a comparison of merits; to see which flowered first, which bulked-up faster, which had the prettier flowers etc.
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I've always suspected these early flowering elwesii are not very hardy for places with real winters, the loss of dormancy that early would be suicidal here. Judging from your flowering dates and latitude I guess we are just too far north & cold for the very earlies.
I'm following this conversation with interest, and hope that in year to come I will have something to add also to experiences in autumn flowering snowdrops in colder climates. :)
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I'm really struck by Carolyn's 'Potter's Prelude' and Hagen's selections - this list is becoming quite exciting, especially when you hardly grow any of them! In our garden this year a few earlier elwesii's normally coming in January are in full flower now so it must be a very early season. It would be very interesting to compare the same plants in contrasting climates.
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´Barnes´grows in my garden for several years, it multiplies well and is very reliable. Nevertheless, ´Potter´s Prelude´is of far more elegant proportions and - for me - the more desirable plant.May we know how long the outers are, Carolyn?
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´Barnes´grows in my garden for several years, it multiplies well and is very reliable. Nevertheless, ´Potter´s Prelude´is of far more elegant proportions and - for me - the more desirable plant.May we know how long the outers are, Carolyn?
The outer segments when fully expanded are 3 cm. Another photo of a newer clump of 'Potter's Prelude' today, which is finally bright and sunny.
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It would be good to see a side by side comparison of 'Barnes' and 'Potters Prelude'
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In 2010 it was mentioned in the Forum about Galanthus 'Barnes' that " There does seem to be (at least) two versions in circulation, one of which can be up to a month later than the other."
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Here are two of Carolyn's 'Potter's Prelude' photos along with 'Barnes' from Tony Willis and Paddy Tobin
[attachimg=1]
PP
[attachimg=2]
Barnes by TW
[attachimg=3]
PP
[attachimg=4]
Barnes by TW
[attachimg=5]
Barnes by PT
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'Potter's Prelude' really does have substance about it doesn't it - a fine plant. It reminds me very much of 'Comet' in the marking, which is one of the first snowdrops I bought at the very extravagent price of £8 many years ago at Washfield Nursery!
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Here is another newly introduced in 2013 (after 25 years of evaluation) US snowdrop that blooms before Christmas. It is called 'Standing Tall' and was selected by Charles Cresson for its very large flowers, 12” height, very upright habit, and commanding presence in the garden. I checked with Charles, and it does bloom before Christmas---the photos were taken on December 24, 2012, and it had been blooming for a while. Charles doesn't have 'Three Ships' though so he can't compare them.
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This is my version of 'Barnes' (pictured on 31/10/14). It suffered a brief absence a few years ago so there is a small possibility that this is a seedling growing where Barnes used to be rather than the real Barnes - but I don't think so.
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Carolyn they are both great, but 'Standing Tall' looks to be really substantial. Marvellous.
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I've given 'Standing Tall' the benefit of the doubt and added it to the list. If somebody in North America has 'Three Ships' maybe they can do a trade with Charles Cresson?
Edit: I choose 'Three Ships' because it seems to be quite widely distributed. If it's not available in North America I need a secondary reference there.
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Here is another newly introduced in 2013 (after 25 years of evaluation) US snowdrop that blooms before Christmas. It is called 'Standing Tall' and was selected by Charles Cresson for its very large flowers, 12” height, very upright habit, and commanding presence in the garden.
Looking very good
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Reading through Matt Bishop's report on the last snowdrop season in the 2014 Yearbook I found mention of one called 'Nice n Early' from Wol & Sue Staines; thought to be a hybrid seedling of 'Three Ships'. The name gives away a lot about the flowering time but not whether it is earlier or later than its presumed parent.
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Maybe email Wol and Sue and ask ?
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I would do, Emma, but I don't know their email address. Wol & Sue don't give an email address on their web site or order form. If somebody who knows it can PM me then I will.
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Reading through Matt Bishop's report on the last snowdrop season in the 2014 Yearbook I found mention of one called 'Nice n Early' from Wol & Sue Staines; thought to be a hybrid seedling of 'Three Ships'. The name gives away a lot about the flowering time but not whether it is earlier or later than its presumed parent.
Mine is not out yet.
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Thanks, Brian, and we already know your 'Three Ships' is out so it seems 'Nice n Early' is later - at least for you this year.
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I would do, Emma, but I don't know their email address. Wol & Sue don't give an email address on their web site or order form. If somebody who knows it can PM me then I will.
Wol and Sue are forum members so I expect they will find this eventually.......
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Alan,
Nice and Early ( GC 15) is well up here and almost flowering. No sing of my Three Ships yet. It seems that, as always, flowering times
of snowdrops difference from place to place. Comparing to last year, lot of snowdrops with me are later or much earlier.
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A note from Wol and Sue, sent with a lovely photo of 'Nice n Early' :
'At the moment with us 'Nice 'n Early' is at the pointed spear stage.With a bit of luck it usually starts flowering at the turn of the year in late [ie Late December to early January] frequently for Christmas Day. 'Three Ships' has been on flower at Glen Chantry since the middle of November though the clump near where 'Nice 'n Early' was found has only just reached its flowering potential. The time differential for flowering on the same variety varies considerably in different parts of our garden. We feel that 'Nice 'n Early' is too borderline to qualify as a consistent pre Christmas flowering snowdrop.'
[attachimg=1]
Many thanks to Sue and Wol for their help.
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Well done, Maggi :)
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Thanks, Maggi, for eliciting the information and to Wol and Sue for supplying it - together with the superb picture.
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I've given 'Standing Tall' the benefit of the doubt and added it to the list. If somebody in North America has 'Three Ships' maybe they can do a trade with Charles Cresson?
Edit: I choose 'Three Ships' because it seems to be quite widely distributed. If it's not available in North America I need a secondary reference there.
Alan, I have 'Three Ships' but it was just planted this September so I don't know how representative the bloom time is. I also have 'Standing Tall' planted in March 2013. Adjusting slightly because TS is in a sunny south-facing location and ST is in a shady north-facing location, I would say they bloom at the same time. The buds are present and ready on both but nothing is happening due to terrible weather, high of 36 degrees (2.2 C) and snowing today, no sun for weeks. I will know better next year.
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Thanks, Carolyn, keep us posted. I'll continue to modify and augment the list with any new information that arises.
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We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now
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We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now
I like the shape of 'Castlegar' but I don't have any Irish 'drops.
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We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now
Ahead of 'Three Ships', Emma? It's generally an early season here so I stopped the clock on anything growing in my garden a few weeks ago when I saw 'Three Ships' was out at nearby Anglesey Abbey.
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A week later than three ships here
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At some point in the future I'll list the names of the near-misses also. I have 'Colossus' in flower here, about two weeks earlier than ormal.
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Three ships a few days from flowering here, also have Colossus out but it's at home in a sun trap.
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It's autumn again and I am resurrecting this topic to add a snowdrop mentioned by Roger Harvey in his article in The Garden October 2015 page 66. This is an unnamed Hiemalis Group elwesii distributed as 'from Broadleigh Gardens'. Roger describes it as "One of the best most reliable selections of this group...'.
The list of snowdrops is in the first post of this topic - which I edit to add new entries. If anyone has further entries please post them here or send me a message. To keep the list to a finite size I have chosen to exclude reginae-olgae and peshmenii.
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Hello Alan
I was interested to see your post about early snowdrops.
I have have been growing seedlings for several years with the aim of trying to find new snowdrops that are either early (according to your definition) or late (March).
I may have had some success but plants are still under observation to ensure meet their early promise. Some look like early hybrids which would be a nice variation from the usual r.o or elwesii.
Watch this space!!
Michael Broadhurst
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That's an exciting prospect indeed, Michael. 8)
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Thanks, Michael, that's very interesting. I have already included some of your snowdrops in my list; I hope I have them all and that the details are correct.
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By the way, I recently added two snowdrops from the back section ('for sale by tender' page 42) of the North Green catalogue http://www.northgreensnowdrops.co.uk/Catalogue/NorthGreen2015.pdf (http://www.northgreensnowdrops.co.uk/Catalogue/NorthGreen2015.pdf) . These were "Hogget's Narrow" and "Manor Farm Early".
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`Faringdon Double` is showing above ground here today.
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From the ones on the list that I have managed to acquire, 'Barnes', 'Hollis', 'Remember Remember' and 'Peter Gatehouse' are all in flower now.
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Alan
I have both Yvonne Hay and Howard wheeler in flower today.
Yvonne Hay is not on your list :)
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Wouldn't photos of these early flowers be nice to see? ::)
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I agree. A photo for all those listed on page 1 would be great also
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Wouldn't photos of these early flowers be nice to see? ::)
If the weather is better tomorrow I will try.
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I'm not sure about 'Yvonne Hay', Arthur. It seems to be extremely variable in flowering time but mostly a good deal later. The next earliest reference I can find is here http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=4674.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=4674.0) on 14th December 2009 when some people report 'Yvonne Hay' in flower but you say yours has only just broken the surface.
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I'm not sure about 'Yvonne Hay', Arthur. It seems to be extremely variable in flowering time but mostly a good deal later. The next earliest reference I can find is here http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=4674.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=4674.0) on 14th December 2009 when some people report 'Yvonne Hay' in flower but you say yours has only just broken the surface.
Alan
I have 3 flowers 8)
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Arthur, based on your 2015 and 2009 experiences it does not look as if Yvonne Hay is consistent enough to make the early-flowering list although it is clearly capable of sometimes flowering very early. I may add a note.
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Added Galanthus 'Castlegar', an Irish hybrid, to the list.
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Michael Myers is working on a list of all autumn-flowering snowdrops including the named cultivars of reginae olgae and peshmenii. His current draft list includes several that I missed hitherto; elwesiis 'Epiphany', 'Hoggets Round', 'Midwinter' and 'Yuletide'. There is one called 'Christmas Cheer' that is supposed to be a hybrid and plicatus 'Henham No.1' which flowers slightly later that 'Three Ships' so would be a near-miss according to my arbitrary criterion.
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Epiphany isn't autumn flowering for me
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Epiphany isn't autumn flowering for me
Nor me Mark, in fact it's only just flowered in the last fortnight or so.
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For me it comes out in January and is over by now but I must go check
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I don't grow 'Epiphany' myself but I came to the same opinion as Mark and Brian and have not included it on the the list on Page 1 here. However I was very glad to see somebody else (Michael Myers) also trying to compile a list similar to the one here. He gave a talk at the CGS Snowdrop event on Saturday (20/2/16) and he gave me a copy of his printed list afterwards. I know next to nothing about 'Midwinter', 'Yuletide' or 'Christmas Cheer' and would be very interested to hear from anyone who grows any of these.
I'm also in the process of investigating one called 'November' that is distributed by Roger Norman of Ivycroft Plants.
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I've just looked and the last flower is hanging on to it's inners - just. I think the clue is in the name as Epiphany is after Christmas!
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I have one flower
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I have heard that Galanthus 'North Star' is a very early double. I would be grateful if any one can confirm this. I have had one myself since 2015 but it did not flower this season. This snowdrop is not in the reference books - even Freda Cox does not mention it.
...'North Star' is one of John Sales discoveries - in his talk at the 2006 Galanthus Gala he said "Another seedling found in the garden [his garden at 'Covertside'] is similar to 'Lady Beatrix Stanley’ but earlier flowering and more star-shaped. It increases rapidly and is very free-flowering, producing dense masses of flowers, I call it 'North Star’."
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Matt Bishop is now selling a snowdrop called 'Blue Octopus' and I have added this to the list. He writes:
G. elwesii var. monostictus from David Culp that stands out from among the ranks of 'old year' clones of this species for the shape, size and quality of its flowers, followed by amazing long foliage suggesting the name 'Blue Octopus'
It turned out that the snowdrop being distributed by Ivycroft Plants that i had thought was named 'November' was originally from Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers where it is sold as "Galanthus elwesii November flowering form" so 'November' was just part of the description of an unnamed snowdrop.
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I returned home from holiday to discover that 'Autumn
Beauty Belle' had put in an appearance whilst I was away.
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
This is the first of my autumn snowdrops to appear. I got 'Autumn Beauty Belle' earlier this year as a kind gift from a fellow galanthophile, so perhaps the shock of being moved has caused it to flower a bit earlier than usual. I do not know who originated this snowdrop but it is supplied by a company called "Cambridge Alpines" with an address in Newmarket and was sold at RHS Wisley in 2009 then subsequently for several years - perhaps it is still? It is supposed to be the result of a cross between reginae-olgae and elwesii and in appearance mine looks much more like an elwesii than a reginae-olgae. Unlike most named snowdrops, which are clones, this one is reported to be a grex, meaning a group of seedlings from the same seed pod, so there is variability in the markings. See message http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg365958#msg365958 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12486.msg365958#msg365958) below for more details.
Edited to add a third photo
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List of early-flowering snowdrops via Michael Myers, who says :
" With snowdrops now starting to make an appearance I thought members of this group might be interested in a checklist of early varieties. The following list was compiled originally to support a talk I did to the Cottage Garden Society Snowdrop Group on early snowdrops. It includes the raiser/finder/namer in brackets. Please feel free to make any comments, corrections, additions etc. Please send any comments, corrections and additions to michaeldmyers@btinternet.com
Thanks to Ruben Billiet, Alan Briggs, Mark Brown, Melvyn Jope, Margaret and David MacLennan, Joe Sharman, Wol and Sue Staines for their help in compiling this list."
Checklist of snowdrops generally flowering in the Autumn up to Christmas
[attachurl=1]
My thanks to Michael for allowing the list to be posted here.
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I wrote to Cambridge Alpines regarding their snowdrop 'Autumn Beauty' and R F Hunter was kind enough to send me a detailed reply.
'Autumn Beauty' originated at the nursery of Cambridge Alpines in a sand plunge between pots of reginae-olgae (several forms). Thus it was initially thought to be a variation of reginae-olgae. However about 2 metres away in the sand plunge they had pots of G. elwesii monostictus (was G. caucasicus) early form which in some years overlaps in flowering time with some of the reginae olgae (so there is the possibility of cross pollination or even of an elwesii seed pod moved by ants).
'Autumn Beauty' was originally distributed through RHS Wisley and from this they got feedback that there were two clones, not one. Examining the nursery stock they found that less than 10% was differently marked and they have tried not to distribute this minority clone since.
'Autumn Beauty' has a narrow horseshoe green mark whilst the second clone - now named on the nursery 'Autumn Belle' - has a much wider marking.
From this description, it looks as if the form I have is 'Autumn Belle' and not 'Autumn Beauty'.
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Oh well done. I'm going to try and make some peshmenii X reg-olg
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Do you know how long the pollen stays viable if you wanted to try crosses between the autumn-flowerers and eg. a yellow February one??
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The pollen keeps for quite a while in the freezer
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Thank you Emma. My first reginae-olgae are out so as I have a couple of days off soon I shall collect some pollen.
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Here are some photos of 'Autumn Beauty' that Michael kindly bought and posted to me
The leaves are applanate and have a hood
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Thank you, Mark. I understand that 'Autumn Beauty' was (and might still be) on sale at RHS Harlow Carr this year and the Michael you refer to is Michael Myers, who has produced a list of early-flowering snowdrops.
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My bulb of what I take to be 'Autumn Belle' had leaves that were supervolute on one side and did not touch on the other side.
[attachimg=1]
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Still only in bud but incredibly early for a plicatus, this is 'Mary Hely-Hutchinson' in her first year with me.
[attachimg=1]
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'Mary Hely-Hutchinson' is now in full flower and enjoying the mild weather.
[attachimg=1]
I've made a few changes to the master list which is in the first post on this topic, adding 'Frank Lesba' 'Frank Lebsa'. You can see a picture of that on on Ruben Billiet's web site here: https://passionforbulbs.wordpress.com/galanthus-autumn-flowering/#jp-carousel-264 (https://passionforbulbs.wordpress.com/galanthus-autumn-flowering/#jp-carousel-264)
Thanks to Maggi for correcting my misprint
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Galanthus 'Autumn Beauty' is supposed to be an accidental cross between reginae olgae and a Hiemalis Group elwesii. Until we have DNA testing for snowdrops, nobody will know for sure. But looking down at the leaves you can see they are concave even if not totally supervolute.
[attachimg=1]
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Something I didn't intend to post (a copy of the first post in this topic) was here so instead here is a picture of 'Autumn Beauty' purchased this year at RHS Harlow Carr. I think the mark on the inner petal looks a bit like a house with a pitched roof and a large door. But the house is on fire and you can see the light green flames rising above the dark green roof. What do you see?
[attachimg=1]
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Maybe another name for your list r-o 'Topaz'
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Thanks, Emma, but I thought that reginae-olgae snowdrops were self-evidently early-flowering so I have not tried to list them. I was also fearful that if you plot the number of named reginae-olgaes against time you might see that this number doubles every year or so. Michael Myers is taking a more comprehensive approach so we should check that his list includes 'Topaz'.
My list is intended as a sort of aide-memoire so you can quickly identify which named cultivars are early-flowering without having to trawl through a book and read each detailed description.
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Apologies if I've added this one already
Galanthus elwesii ex Rix. Its been out a couple of weeks
The flower height to the pedicel/ovary join is 6.5cm. The leaves are 1.5cm high x 10mm
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Thanks, Mark, I don't have that one listed. The list is in the first post on this thread and gets updated as new ones arise.
A Google search on galanthus "ex Rix" finds no relevant results. Was this Martyn Rix? If so, it's not the only elwesii he distributed, e.g. http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11363.msg294866#msg294866 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11363.msg294866#msg294866) . Mark, if you know who is distributing this one, can you ask them to give it a better name or a fuller description. "Small, early, ex Rix" would be much less ambiguous than "ex Rix".
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Added 'Haconby Early', an elwesii var.monostictus distributed by Cliff Curtis.
I've been trying throughout this year to get the attention of Ian Christie to give me details of the early snowdrops he has named and quite how early they are, relative to 'Three Ships' for example. If anybody sees him in person can they please give him some strong encouragement to provide those details. A post on this thread would be great.
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Ian the Christie kind is a very busy man and one who has had a terrible time this year with serious family illnesses - I expect he has more on his mind that how early a snowdrop flowers.
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I actually got a reply from Ian, almost as soon as I made the previous post. I had not realised about the serious family illness and was very sorry indeed to hear about it. He seemed to have taken-on extra work with the responsibility of organising the SRGC Snowdrop Day next February so I got no hint of his difficulties.
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I keep editing the list (which is the first post on this Topic). I have recently added 'Haconby Early' from Cliff Curtis and 'Xmas' from Carolyn Walker. I have tidied-up some of the links and colour coded those snowdrops that might be hard to obtain in Europe.
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Its another interesting list, I have been trying to find G elwesii 'Yuletide' for some time. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.
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Wol and Sue Staines had two pots of 'Yuletide' on their sales table at the Harvey's Garden Plants sale last Saturday. I snapped-up one (as I had not previously found that snowdrop) and the other one sold quickly afterwards.
Wol and Sue were also selling an early-flowering form of Galanthus caucasicus. There is a named one of these, 'November Snow' in circulation but this is the first time I have seen anything like this on a sales table.
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Alan ,
I do think "November Snow" is a early flowering form of G.transcaucasicus :)
Hans
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Yes, Hans, that is what I was given to understand. But I have never seen 'November Snow' nor even a picture of it that shows the leaves.
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I have recently bought November snow and the one from Wol and sue . I shall try and take a photo to compare them , both have finished flowering mind
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Time to revive the list as the 'earlies' of this season start to appear. A lot of new and exotic early elwesii snowdrops are appearing - originating from collectors in Germany and Belgium in particular. These include green-tipped and virescent types that would have seemed highly unlikely to ever be found just a few years ago. This early elwesii is called 'Frühes Elegantes'. Quite long outer petals which are supposed to have green tips, although not for me this first time around.
[attachimg=1]
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Two new ones for you, Alan.
First, to set the perspective, my Barnes and Peter Gatehouse are just now blooming. Coincident with that bloom time is my very early (for my garden) elwesii 'Mayfair Chapel' selection. MC began blooming here two weeks ago which is approximately two weeks ahead of Barnes and Peter Gatehouse. Photo below.
G. reginae-olgae subsp vernalis 'Alex Duguid' came into bloom today. This is obviously on the early side for vernalis, but here is a photo taken today in the garden.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Rick
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In reality Galanthus reginae-olgae can exhibit a wide range of flowering times; anything from late September onwards in my area. I'm not sure if anyone has laid-down rules for where the split between subsp. reginae-olgae and subsp. vernalis should occur but wherever it should be there are bound to be some borderline cases. 'Alex Duguid' reportedly flowers around Christmas in the southern part of the UK so it is interesting to know that in other locales it can flower earlier. But I have not been including reginae-olgae snowdrops in my own early-flowering list here, ostensibly because it is obvious that they are early flowering but also because I find them difficult to grow and therefore not so much of interest.
Rick, did you name 'Mayfair Chapel' yourself? Has it been distributed? It looks to be a handsome snowdrop but in the UK and nearby parts of Europe there is already a wealth of Hiemalis Group elwesiis so new ones need some USP. For example, new arrivals 'Hoggets Round' and 'Hoggets Narrow' are selections by Matt Bishop based on flower shape. I suspect that quite a lot of Hoggets Ordinary were rejected during the selection process. On the other hand, I only know of 'Potter's Prelude', 'Standing Tall' and (if it still exists) 'Christmas Cheer' that have originated in the USA. Does this reflect a lack of suitable candidate snowdrops or a lack of galanthophiles to find them?
I have added Paul Barney's 'Lady Latife' to the list as he is now distributing it commercially.
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'Alex Duguid' reportedly flowers around Christmas in the southern part of the UK
I think mine's been out for at least a week. I seem to remember Melvyn, Joe or Tom giving a talk and pointing out that G.r-o's could be flowering at quite different times in a locality according to their altitude.
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Brian, thanks for that interesting point that it is altitude that seems to drive bloom time in G r-o. I am at about 200 ft for what it is worth.
Alan, thanks for your questions on Mayfair Chapel. It is quite an early flowering elwesii...similar timing to Barnes and much earlier than 'Potter's Prelude'. I imagine that it would bloom for you in late September.
While it has an elegant form, it is not what I would consider otherwise highly distinctive beyond being very early. I did name it and it has not yet been widely distributed to date. The relative few American introductions to date is likely some of both of your assumptions along with other reasons. I think both factors are changing as "Snowdrop Fever" is going strong here in the U.S.
Best!
Rick
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Here are a couple flowering now, as I said before 'Alex Duguid' has been out for about a week and more to come and so has 'Advent' which I am sure is earlier here this year than before.