Rosemary Burnham hybrids

[Rick Goodenough]

Hagen...a stunning shot of G. 'Rosemary Burnham'.

[Carolyn Walker]

This thread is about green galanthus, a very lovely theme.
Carolyn, in 2013 I got a chance to visit Sue and Wol Stains in their fantastic garden. I saw a lot of big clumps/tuffs of fine galanthus but one of the best was ROSEMARY BURNHAM. The Staines know the know how to get best results also with RB, also in GB.
Here in my garden I have a big number of different but good  Gn virescens. Alan spoke about GRÜNER SPLITTER. This cultivar is a real good doer, every year with a good number of offsets. HAGEN HASTDUNICHTGESEHN is another very unusual virescens and has also a high number of daughterbulbs every year. And in the yearbook I told about some other  Gn virescens of mine. In my trial the number of virescens is bigger than 60. But only the best will get names.
But I'm not a nursery man, I'm only a galanthophile.
So the problems of a nursery are'nt mine.

Sorry Carolyn, but European Galanthus and American phytosanitary claims are different ways

Hagen, Although the reviews are somewhat mixed, I will give 'Rosemary Burnham' a try when I next have access to it.  Your photo is beautiful.  I hope you didn't think I was hinting for you to send me a snowdrop from Germany despite the restrictions.  My aside of crossed out words was intended as a compliment to your beautiful virescents.  I just want to know which virescent to buy or trade for when and if I get the chance.

[Tim Ingram]

That is an amazing looking plant and I begin to see how such a strong interest can develop in these virescent snowdrops - they take you in such a new direction. I've heard so much about Wol and Sue's garden but have never visited in snowdrop time - I think you must have to achieve a certain level of wonder about these plants before you are properly prepared to see them grown so well. I don't think Carolyn will be the only one who will look at Hagen's plants with something of the same wonder. Really the only variety we grow is 'Cowhouse Green' which came from a visit to Rod and Jane Leeds, and I agree with Alan this is a good and distinctive plant for its soft colouring.

[Leena]

I just want to know which virescent to buy or trade for when and if I get the chance.

This is a very interesting discussion, and also I read it with the same thing in mind as Carolyn. If I want to buy one good one, which would it be? 'Cowhouse Green' seems to be not so expensive and available at least in Glen Chantry dormant bulb list. Also I like the ones which set seeds so there is a chance that they will multiply that way also (or are all virescent snowdrops fertile?). I bet even the ones Hagen doesn't think worth a name would be great, if you don't have any, but pictures of 'Green Mile', 'Gruner Splitter' and 'Rosemary Burnham' are something else.
A list of virescent snowdrops (like the list of early ones) would be good.

[Alan_b]

A list of virescent snowdrops (like the list of early ones) would be good.

I'll let somebody else make that list but I don't think there are very many to choose from.  Maybe we did not mention the original one, Galanthus nivalis 'Virescens' http://www.snowdropinfo.com/nivalis-virescens.html ?  And there is 'York Minster' which is early and virescent.

[Mavers]

Wow that clump of Rosemary B, Hagen .......I wonder what the secret is of growing it so well.

I bought a bulb of RB last year, hope it decides to like me 

[Alan_b]

... I also split 'Rosemary Burnham' this year (4 yrs old) because of overcrowding in the pond basket ...

I think I have a picture from last February, prior to the split.

[Rick Goodenough]

I think I have a picture from last February, prior to the split.

A beautiful clump in that pond basket, Alan. Curious how long it took to bulk up like that, and how many bulbs it had multiplied to? Looks to be very happy in your garden. Rick

[Carolyn Walker]

Here is a list of the cultivars that have been mentioned in this thread with their species if I could determine that.  I am updating it as people suggest new cultivars to be included:

'Castle Green Dragon' G. plicatus

‘Cowhouse Green’

'Emerald Isle' G. ikariae

'Federkleid' G. nivalis

'Federschwingen' G. nivalis

'Grakes Green Bells' G. nivalis

'Greek Olive' G. graecus (is this the official name?)

'Green Arrow'

‘Green Brush’ G. elwesii

‘Greenish’ G. nivalis

‘Green Light’ G. nivalis

‘Green Mile’

'Green Shadow' G. plicatus

‘Green Tear’

'Green Zebra' G. nivalis

GRÜNER FRÜHAUFSTEHER   ( edit by maggi : Hagens -  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8667.msg234236#msg234236  and pix of these and others of Hagen's Greens : http://www.engelmannii.de/bilder/galanthus/bestand/index.htm

‘Grüner Splitter’  (Hagen’s, not in the trade)

‘Hagen Hastdunichtgesehn’  (Hagen’s, not in trade, couldn’t find a photo)

‘Hugh Mackenzie’ G. nivalis

'Kryptonite' G. elwesii

'Margaret Biddulph' G. elwesii

'Morgana' G. elwesii

‘Rosemary Burnham’ G. elwesii

'Rushmere Green'

'Selina Cords' G. nivalis

‘Virescens’ G. nivalis

'Witchwood' G. nivalis

‘York Minster’ G. elwesii

The flowers range from a full green inner mark with full green shading of the outer segments like ‘Rosemary Burnham’ and ‘Green Tear’ to green-tipped flowers with unremarkable inners like ‘Green Brush’ and ‘Green Light’.  To me, the latter flowers are not "virescent" but instead are "green-tipped".  If they are, then ‘Viridapice’ should be included. 

What is needed is a proper definition of a virescent snowdrop.  I could not find one, although the term is used quite frequently.  Has anyone ever seen one or is it like the famous definition of obscenity by the US Supreme Court: you know it when you see it?  Perhaps Matt B. could let us know if there is a definition and whether it will be included in Snowdrops 2.

I made the list, but I am not the best person to figure out which snowdrops should be on it as I have never seen most of them in person only in photos.

[Alan_b]

Much as I love 'Green Light' and remain indifferent to 'Green Brush', they were only mentioned in passing and certainly do not qualify as virescent snowdrops.  If you want a definition, I would say that it is a snowdrop where both he inner and outer petals are predominantly green.

I was reminded today that there is already a thread on Green Galanthus here:  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8667.0

By the way, Rick, that clump of 'Rosemary Burnham' belongs to Carole Smith, not to me.  She opens her garden for charity one day in February and I was lucky enough to visit and take some photographs. 

[Rick Goodenough]

Got it...thanks, Alan.
   Rick

[Brian Ellis]

Scrolling through Judy’s Snowdrops and the Galanthus Gallery in a very unsystematic fashion, I think we may want to  include G. plicatus ‘Castle Green Dragon’ (AKA Castle Green or Castle Dragon?), G. plicatus ‘Green Shadow’, Dimitri’s G. graecus ‘Greek Olive’ (not sure if that’s the name), G. plicatus ‘Anne’s Green Stripe’ (found this by clicking on Castle Dragon on Galanthus Gallery), and possibly ‘Green Arrow’ and ‘Rushmere Green’. 

‘Castle Green Dragon’ is the updated name for ‘Anne’s Green Stripe’ and 'Castle Green' is another snowdrop.

[snowdropcollector]

Great discussion this is about my favourites  .

Some more to mention are Elwesii Morgana ( Andy Byfield), Niv Federschwingen, Niv Grune Streifenklocke, Niv Apfelgrun,
Niv Federkleid, Niv Witchwood, Elw Margaret Biddulph, Elw Kryptonite and there will proberly a lot more. We all know Hagen
has some great seedlings, also Valentin Wijnen found a lovely green snowdrop as seedling in his garden.
Gerard Oud was given a great green Nivalis found by two ladies. And not to forget the great looking green Plicates from Ruslan. Who knows how many more there are at the moment.

Would be great to plant those near each other and try to get seedlings from them. But of course the big question is how to get those all....Finding them to be available is one, and then the second thing is, when available, they often have a ridiculous price. Although some collectors are more then happy to help out getting those.

[Carolyn Walker]

Much as I love 'Green Light' and remain indifferent to 'Green Brush', they were only mentioned in passing and certainly do not qualify as virescent snowdrops.  If you want a definition, I would say that it is a snowdrop where both he inner and outer petals are predominantly green.

I was reminded today that there is already a thread on Green Galanthus here:  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8667.0

I went through that thread but it doesn't attempt to list all the virescent snowdrops.  There are photos of a lot more of Hagen's beautiful drops but I understand they are not available.  The only others were 'Selina Cords' and 'Grakes Green Bells', which I have added pending agreement on a definition. 

Although your definition makes sense, Alan, it is not the only accepted definition based on my readings in this forum and other places so I will leave GL and GB on for now.

[Maggi Young]

I was of the impression that a " viresecent " snowdrop was one with green markings - of any degree-  on the outers. One may have a personal  preference for less or more green markings, but is the very presence of green on the outers not   enough to warrant the description?