New Zealand Snowdrops

[snowdropman]

Good luck Lesley - I would offer to send you some, but of course they would never be allowed (back) into NZ!

[t00lie]

I purchased a couple of plants of Galanthus elwesii 'emerald ' from Blue Mountain Nurseries on friday.

I thought a few recent shots of a nice clump in a friends garden would show it to better effect.

Cheers Dave.

[t00lie]

I'm no Galanthus expert but it appears close to G. elwesii 'selborne green tips' ,(which i don't grow).

The only difference i can tell from flower pics i've seen ,is that 'emerald' appears to have more rounded ends to the 3 tips ,(one facing up --two facing down),of the green inverted v on the the inner segments.

Any comments ?.

Cheers dave.

[Maggi Young]

That is a nice meaty snowie, Toolie....if I had been naming it I'd have called it 'Poirot', for the fine moustaches!! Or maybe 'Racoon' cos it looks like a masked bandit...... perhaps I should be breeding these white things so I can have fun naming them

[mark smyth]

The problem is you guys down there have senn so few snowdrops and the variety they come in especially G. elwesii.

This is 'Selbourne Green Tips'

[Lesley Cox]

So, quite distinct from 'Emerald.'

I was wondering where you were Mark, lately.

And while I didn't wish to start a new pandemic of white fever, since Dave has already done that I'll post a couple of pics from yesterday. Nothing special but if anyone has comments about ID I'd be grateful.

First, G. niv. 'Winterwood' which is a larger selection (Australian) from 'Atkinsii.' The white petals are 4cms long.


Then a couple which may be straight, un-named nivalis




And what I think is probably 'Atkinsii.'


Could pic No 3 be 'Magnet?'

[Maggi Young]

My ignorance of snowies is too great for my opinion to be worth anything , Lesley... though I do like Dave's new one.
Your whites are looking bright... must be all the rain you've had..

 Really posting to remind/inform any new readers that if they click on your photos the photos will expand to give a clearer view.....

[t00lie]

Mark thanks for posting your pic.

Gee do i need a good pair of glasses !!!.


I now see 'Selbourne green tips' and 'Emerald' are so far distinct from each other as Lesley mentioned i wonder why i ever made my earlier comment.

Cheers dave.

[art600]

Mark

What is the European equivalent of 'Emerald'? or is it available here?

[art600]

Lesley

Is there a reason that all your snowdrops appear to be grown in pots?  I always grow new ones in pots to appreciate their beauty at least once, and then, if not rare and expensive, I put them in the garden.

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

I believe that this snowdrop is being grown here as Galanthus elwesii 'Hughes Emerald'.

Look back earlier in this thread for a background to the naming of the plant. Indeed, it seems that "G. 'Emerald'" is an invalid name but, as it often the situation with names, when one gains common usage, even if invalid, then it is very difficult to get the valid name into common usage.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

As in Stanley/Denis Hughes, former owner/owner, father/son, at Blue Mountain Nurseries. In other words, this is a New Zealand selection.

Arthur, these snowdrops are in pots as are hundreds of other things for the simple reason that my garden which is far too big, is a major disaster area and I have neither time nor energy at present, let alone the filthy weather, to do much about it so at least the potted plants are better looked after. My aim of course is to have everything possible in the garden and in fact G. `Straffan' which is planted out under a maple, is doing and increasing well. There's a very long journey between the good intention and the action unfortunately. My mother used to tell me the road to hell was paved with good intentions. I'm probably well on the way.

[Paddy Tobin]

But Lesley,

Think of all the good company you will have on that road paved with good intentions. And, again, I imagine the company in hell would be very interesting also. Might even be many keen gardeners there.

Paddy

[art600]

Arthur, these snowdrops are in pots as are hundreds of other things for the simple reason that my garden which is far too big, is a major disaster area and I have neither time nor energy at present, let alone the filthy weather, to do much about it so at least the potted plants are better looked after. My aim of course is to have everything possible in the garden and in fact G. `Straffan' which is planted out under a maple, is doing and increasing well. There's a very long journey between the good intention and the action unfortunately. My mother used to tell me the road to hell was paved with good intentions. I'm probably well on the way.

Lesley
I recognise your problems.  Since my return from holiday in Iran early May, I have not managed to get on top of the weeds at the bottom of the garden - my wild garden with nettles especially for the butterflies.  After I finish the never-ending re-potting, I must make the effort to tidy before the winter - of course the Olympics will not help, and the football season is about to start. 

[johnw]

G. `Straffan' which is planted out under a maple, is doing and increasing well.

This is one Galanthus that has consistently petered out for me. The very last bulb was mush when de-potted yesterday; no sign of disease above ground last Spring. Yet all the books says it is an increaser.  Ditto Robin Hood.

Anyone else?

johnw