greatorex double ID

[robsorchids]

hi guys, i have been chatting with paul (granite chippings) about sybil roberta, and the rare plants website says that this is the old name for dionysus.

paul says his sybil is distinct from dionysus, are these two distinct cultivars now?

i find the ID of the greatorex doubles very confusing!

thanks
rob

[Anthony Darby]

That's not true as 'Sybil Roberta' is quite a new name.

[Brian Ellis]

i find the ID of the greatorex doubles very confusing!

You are not alone

[carolesmith]

The monograph book also says that Sybil Roberta is a syn. for Dionysus and that "Of all the Greatorex doubles this is undoubtedly the most historically confusing."  Sometimes the book helps, usually it is right but there is always a chance it could be wrong!  I am really looking forward to a new updated version.

[Anthony Darby]

You will notice I didn't say that 'Sybil Roberta' wasn't a synonym for 'Dionysus', but I got 'Sybil Roberta' from her daughter and remember it being described in an SRGC journal.

[Maggi Young]

Galanthus plicatus  'Sybil Roberta' was named by SRGC Member Evelyn Stevens, after her late mother.
The following is extracted from Evelyn's article on new snowdrops in "The Rock Garden" journal Volume XXV, Part 4, Number 101 of January 1998........
The plant was awarded a PC from the RHS Joint Rock Committee in February1997 . The plant had been given to Evelyn by Henry and Margaret Taylor, who recalled they had got it from Jim Sutherland in 1973, he had probably received it in the late 1960s from Col. Campbell in the Black Isle. Evelyn had given the palnt to Jum Jermyn ( then of Edrom Nurseries) who had taken it to an early  spring show at Vincent Square, where it was seen by Mathew Bishop who contacted Evelyn in early 1996 for more details, expressing expressing his view, and that of other southern galanthophiles, that it should be named.




I'll see if I can get a copy of the photo to post.

[Maggi Young]

Okay, here we go, a photo of Sybil Roberta and the four pages of Evelyn's article....

[Maggi Young]

You will see that there is an upturned flower at the foot of the photo of 'Sybil Roberta'; very handy.
Here is a photo of 'The Linns', from the same article

and, for good measure, 'Sophie North' ( from a show report)

[Maggi Young]

Here is Paddy Tobin's lovely pic of Dionysius from January 2007
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=163.msg3047;topicseen#msg3047

 G. 'Dionysius'

[Paddy Tobin]

Oh Maggi,

Here I am all flattered at seeing my photograph reposted.

However, I was about to post a comment on G. 'Sophie North' which for me has double appeal, first that it is a beautiful snowdrop and secondly for its association. I know I have mentioned this previously but it really does resonate with me and I treasure it for this association; something shared by Anthony Darby, I believe.

Today I lifted a bulb of G. 'Sophie North' to send off to a friend. It has an amazingly big bulb, a real whopper, big as many a narcissus. In the days when snowdrops are named at the drop of a hat it is good to have one which so deserved to be named and performs excellently and with robust good health in the garden. An excellent snowdrop indeed, one to be treasured.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

Well said Paddy, and thanks for doing all that homework Maggi . Mick North was a colleague of Evelyn's, hence the connection. I must pop up and see Evelyn as I have some nice snowies to swap with her. She only lives a couple of miles up the hill from me.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a nice double I've recently acquired: Galanthus X plicatus 'Baylham'. [Picture from Ebay.]

[Maggi Young]

 That is certainly a distinct looking 'drop. With that strong green I may even be prepared to overlook its being double!
Never heard of the variety, Anthony,Is it named for a place or a person? As I type this, I remember that I borrowed "the book" from the local group library at the last meeting at the end of January.... I really must open the flippin' thing and read it  I think I left it under a pile of papers in the dining room 

[Anthony Darby]

This is the description from Ebay: "This is a new double nivalis x plicatus cross which is not available from any other source. It is a unique cross found ten years ago by myself, and which I have bulked up. The plant has all the beauty of the Greatorex doubles,with cleanly shaped inner petals in a stunning shade of green. The plant is a good doer and grows to approximately 5”. The flowers are deliciously perfumed."

[Maggi Young]

The flowers are deliciously perfumed

I'm liking it more by the minute!
Seriously though, if it makes a habit of opening so fully to show off that deep green inner, it is a 'drop that IS going to be easy to tell from the others as well as being handsome in a clump. Hope it "does" for you, Anthony.