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Author Topic: Galanthus January 2021  (Read 9011 times)

Gail

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Galanthus January 2021
« on: January 09, 2021, 08:55:18 PM »
Cold and frosty all day today, nice to see the sun but I brought this one inside, the better to appreciate the perfume;



Galanthus elwesii 'Green Tip'
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 09:33:57 PM by Maggi Young »
Gail Harland
Norfolk, England

Maggi Young

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2021, 12:32:58 PM »
 Alan Street of  Avon Bulbs tells me he will feature  in the  programme "Open Country" in an episode  called "Snowdrop Country"  On  BBC Radio 4  today  in the  UK.   The  programme  is  at  1500 UK time  ( which may be  10am EST) - and  I  hope  that those  outside the  UK will be  able to listen via the  internet. ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000r4w1 )

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qgft?fbclid=IwAR2wTqr2no-fCb1JhX9mtUZ75Rqn5INZaDmklwJBHpRxSm5quu6iAglJXtQ

From the  programme  website:

"Over the past decade there’s been an explosion in “Snowdrop Mania” – galanthophiles, or snowdrop fans, desperate to get their hands on the newest species of snowdrops, paying hundreds, or even upwards of a £1000 at auction for a single bulb.

Two years ago, Radio 4 producer Polly Weston heard of a man in Somerset who had discovered and named many of the most sought after varieties – Alan Street. Polly pictured following him around the countryside in search of the snowdrop which might make him his fortune. The truth turned out to be very different. Alan works for a family-owned nursery, where new varieties of snowdrop seed themselves around a little woodland – thanks in part to the huge number of species they already grow, working in collaboration with the family’s bees. Alan’s lost count of the number he’s discovered and named – “50, 70, 100 or more perhaps… I’ve more than enough.” Yet he still keeps looking. He isn’t interested in money – the auctioning of snowdrops to the highest bidder makes him uneasy – and has spawned the unfortunate side effect of snowdrop crime – people stealing snowdrops. As we record, 13,000 are dug up one night from an abbey in Norfolk. Alan is ever vigilant. Once upon a time, snowdrop bulbs were only ever swapped by galanthophiles, just for the love of it.

Through the seasons, Alan tends and protects this small landscape, and cultivates each of his newly discovered, and rare varieties. We begin to realise the meaning behind each one – many are named after people, many of whom Alan knew and have now gone. It takes years for new varieties to become established and ready to be shared. But as we follow the progress of Alan’s snowdrop landscape through 2020, we approach a snowdrop season which has never been so meaningful or welcome. "
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Hannelore

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2021, 12:39:34 PM »
With thanks to Zephirine who gave me these last year (among a lot of others) and Anne Repnow who organized the donation at the Schneeglöckentage Mannheim 2020.
679031-0
« Last Edit: January 14, 2021, 02:19:32 PM by Hannelore »

Andrew Gardner

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2021, 12:57:17 PM »
Rocking the greenhouse the last couple of weeks are my favourite yellow, Ronald Mckenzie, with Dryad Gold Star, and Green Tear.

Maggi Young

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2021, 01:48:20 PM »
Podcast  from the  RHS, featuring Lady  Catherine  Erskine  of  Cambo Gardens on snowdrops...... 16minutes long

https://rhs.podigee.io/247-snowdrop-special

"In this week’s episode we visit Cambo Gardens in Fife to meet snowdrop enthusiast Lady Catherine Erskine and her impressive collection of these iconic winter flowers. Plus contributions from nurserywoman Jane Rowlinson of Galanthus specialists Morlas Plants, and snowdrop growing tips from RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker."

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardening-with-the-rhs/id605769651?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
« Last Edit: January 15, 2021, 01:51:14 PM by Maggi Young »
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Maggi Young

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2021, 07:48:41 PM »
The  German magazine  GartenFlora has  this  article  about  snowdrops - and  Anne  Repnow


Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Roma

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2021, 09:41:03 PM »
A few snowdrops flowering now.  Most pictures are from a week ago but Mrs Macnamara was in December.

Galanthus corcyrensis - the bulbs in the front garden started flowering in November and are long gone but this group behind the house start later and go on for longer.  They are in shade most of the time and the soil stays moist for longer.



Galanthus Mrs Macnamara on December 12th



Galanthus 'Fred's Giant'



Galanthus 'Fly Fishing' - for some reason one flower is well ahead of the rest.




« Last Edit: January 19, 2021, 09:59:58 PM by Maggi Young »
Roma Fiddes, near Aberdeen in north East Scotland.

Tristan_He

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2021, 03:02:48 PM »
Hi Roma, I think this photo is very interesting.

Over the past week or two I have been wondering 'how is it that snowdrops with such varied flowering times can belong to the same species'? There are forms of several species (reginae-olgae, elwesii, plicatus) that flower months apart in the garden and so I wondered if there were hidden species that are reproductively isolated by flowering season. I did a bit of reading and this article was very helpful, emphasising that wild populations vary continuously according to genetics and environment:
https://www.revolution-snowdrops.co.uk/galanthus-reginae-olgae-part-i/

Also your photo shows that individual forms can vary quite a lot in flowering time (of course things move slower in winter, with individual flowers sometimes lasting for weeks).

Bart

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2021, 05:10:25 PM »
Late sunshine bringing out the colours nicely:
G. 'Wendy's Gold'


G. 'Deer Slot'


G. 'Fly Fishing'


Surprising how some of these bulk up so quickly- and how they keep being relatively expensive. And also, why aren't more gardens full of different varieties if they do multiply so readily. Do the more specialist selections suddenly die out occasionally- just some thoughts whilst enjoying everyone's pictures of them!
« Last Edit: January 22, 2021, 06:02:21 PM by Maggi Young »

Alan_b

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2021, 08:25:55 PM »
That's a good question about snowdrop prices, Bart.  They tend to start very high and then typically fall quickly from one year to the next.  Then some disappear off the radar and become hard to find (should you want to) whilst the more popular ones reach a stable price that is still hugely expensive by comparison with most other bulbs.  Presumably enough new people are coming along and wanting those snowdrops to sustain the price.       
Almost in Scotland.

Mariette

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2021, 08:44:42 PM »
That´s certainly correct. First, there´s pressure to keep prices high among suppliers, second, cheap snowdrops don´t provide much bargain. That´s why they tend to disappear from the market. As long as there are customers ready to pay more money than the propagation of a certain snowdrop is actually worth, this system works.
Just a Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus, but one with character, I think: ´Dorothy Foreman´



A Galanthus elwesii from a mixture with green tips.



Later it will spread it´s outers like ´Dorothy Foreman´



A pale-eyed find from a local wood.



« Last Edit: January 22, 2021, 09:12:07 PM by Mariette »

ashley

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2021, 09:31:02 PM »
A nice selection Mariette.

... Do the more specialist selections suddenly die out occasionally ...
Some newer, therefore scarcer & more expensive, selections also turn out to be decidedly underwhelming (even ordinary) in the garden :P
Ashley Allshire, Cork, Ireland

Alan_b

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2021, 10:51:07 PM »
Some newer, therefore scarcer & more expensive, selections also turn out to be decidedly underwhelming (even ordinary) in the garden :P
New snowdrops are almost always bulked-up by twin scaling or chipping.  Then they are frequently sold on the basis of novelty value rather than garden-worthiness, which may not have been much tested.   
Almost in Scotland.

Mariette

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2021, 10:10:20 AM »
That´s my experience, too. Nevertheless I do appreciate the effort spent to make a novelty like ´Golden Fleece´available. It took inspiration, knowledge, time and labour. Also, it´s a variety which grows well in my garden and bulks up very quickly. It´s hard to understand why other varieties, which were simply chance-seedlings or lucky finds, are offered at similar prices.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 10:12:06 AM by Mariette »

Leena

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Re: Galanthus January 2021
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2021, 01:32:22 PM »
Good conversation!
Also, I would rather pay 50€ for a snowdrop which stands out from others (and is vigorous), than 5 x 10€ for five different cultivars which in practice may  be so similar to each other or even to any unnamed species, that I can't identify them in the garden. Although the expensive ones may also be very similar to other already existing snowdrops,  it is not easy to find snowdrops which are good, vigorous and stand out.
Leena from south of Finland

 


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