Galanthus to mid February 2007

[KentGardener]

Chris - I am afraid that I think north of the border may have won on this one - I have heard more than once that Edinburgh Ketton is the better of the two ...

John

[Maggi Young]

Crikey, Chris S., you have me there. Mark told me there are two forms of Ketton, as you say, but I think it is Ketton rather than one associated with the city of my birth. If the chap is about, he'll let us know which it is.
Chris wrote "this is one of those snowdrops that looks fantastic in a clump!"
It may very well do so, all I can say is that you would need a clump to look good, since they are so small and skinny that ONE would be barely visible from any distance !!

[Maggi Young]

I've checked the photos on Mark's website, it is 'Ketton' rather than the Edinburgh version... I'll not be able to get back into the city, now   oops! Sorry, Embra!

[snowdropman]

I'll not be able to get back into the city, now oops!Sorry, Embra!

maybe I can square things by sending you an 'Edinburgh Ketton' which, as John intimated, some think is the better snowdrop anyway?

[Maggi Young]

A kind offer, Chris, but I'll risk the wrath of Embra, just enjoy my little posy of cut snowdrops from Mark and stick with the very few named sorts I have and just enjoy the wonderful  old species! Thanks anyway!

[mark smyth]

here is a pink tinged snowdrop and a very fine group of elwesii 'Fred's Giant'

[Maggi Young]

Brian :"I saw lots of elwesii labelled as nivalis in a garden centre (I stopped for lunch), picking over them I found one with four petals.  Is this common or likely to be stable?"
 It seems it is not likely to be stable, same for the green tips Mark and Ian found at the garden centre (see BulbLog) Didn't stop them buying them ,though!

[mark smyth]

Green tips may be a result of stress in garden centre bulbs. Ian and I saw an elwesii with a petal coming out of an ovary. What I was hoping to find was one with yellow markings or ovary. If I remember I'll ask the experts at this weekend's snowdrop event at East Lambrook Manor. I'll be giving the same lecture there but dropping one section

[Maggi Young]

Mark says "What I was hoping to find was one with yellow markings or ovary."
 Ian, bless him, was looking for nice fat flowers or ones with cute expressions!

[Michael J Campbell]

Mark have you a pic of Galanthus Sophie North?

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Michael, nice to hear from you. I am sure that Mark will have photos of G. Sophie North on his website http://www.snowdropinfo.com/
In fact he does, here is the page to see a close-up: http://www.snowdropinfo.com/plicatus-sophie-north.html
From the SRGC site, here is a picture of Sophie North being shown at the Stirling Show by Graeme Butler and photographed by Sandy Leven;

[Maggi Young]

Here's a pic from Mark of  G. Sophie North, taken from the Old Forum pages.http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/8/11.html
This was posted on 3rd February 2005


See also this page for Anne Chambers' print of G. 'Sophie North' from her lovely waterclour painting.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/shows/latebulb/report.html

[mark smyth]

someone else will have to post a good photo of 'Sophie'. I'm just in from surveying and wont have another day off in my own garden for a whopping 22 days 

[Maggi Young]

someone else will have to post a good photo of 'Sophie'. I'm just in from surveying and wont have another day off in my own garden for a whopping 22 days

Mark,I did, already! One is yours!

[mark smyth]

yeah but no but ... thats a shot from my old camera days. Quel surprise! I found one
Just for Micheal .. welcome back