Galanthus Emerald Isle

[snowdropman]

(Edit by maggi : this topic split from the thread "Three week Galanthus Blog.)


John, I forgot to ask - can you remember if 'Emerald Isle' was growing in an open position or in semi-shade?

I find that the green on the outer petals of my 'Emerald Isle' (which came to me from a very generous member) tends to be very pale - I have put this down to the fact that I grow it in a spot where it gets the full sun for much of the day and wondered if it might improve the depth of the colour if I planted it in semi-shade.

[Brian Ellis]

John, I forgot to ask - can you remember if 'Emerald Isle' was growing in an open position or in semi-shade?

I find that the green on the outer petals of my 'Emerald Isle' (which came to me from a very generous member) tends to be very pale - I have put this down to the fact that I grow it in a spot where it gets the full sun for much of the day and wondered if it might improve the depth of the colour if I planted it in semi-shade.

Interesting Chris as my 'Emerald Isle' is in full sun and is very pale too, if I remember correctly it may have been in an area at Cliff's in the shadow of the house, perhaps Sharon will pop out from lurking and let us know, the seedling is really coming on nicely.  Thanks John for the reminder of Cliff and Joan's lovely garden, did you take any in the vegetable patch?

[Paddy Tobin]

Chris,
Re Galanthus 'Emerald Isle': I grow bulbs in a shady position and they have quite light marks on the outer segments. I have never grown it in any other position - preferring not to touch the bulbs as they have the reputation of being a fussy grower.

John,
Re "Emerald Isle Seedling": there has been some discussion here in Ireland that G. 'Emerald Isle' is a clonal variety and so should come true from seed. The photograph for "Emerald Isle Seedling" is very close to how G. 'Emerald Isle' looks here.

I took some photographs today but haven't had time to put them on computer so here is a  photograph from last year.

Paddy

[KentGardener]

.....did you take any in the vegetable patch?

Decided to leave their veg where they were and buy my own in the supermarket.   

John,
Re "Emerald Isle Seedling": there has been some discussion here in Ireland that G. 'Emerald Isle' is a clonal variety and so should come true from seed. The photograph for "Emerald Isle Seedling" is very close to how G. 'Emerald Isle' looks here.

Cliff said that he has been told similar and that he should expect them to be identical in a year or two.

[snowdropman]

Chris,
Re Galanthus 'Emerald Isle': I grow bulbs in a shady position and they have quite light marks on the outer segments. I have never grown it in any other position - preferring not to touch the bulbs as they have the reputation of being a fussy grower.

Thanks for this Paddy - in their present location (in an open position) the green marks are so pale that you would have to know they should be there, otherwise you would likely not see them.

[Mavers]

I managed to purchase a g. ikariae 'Emerald Isle' from Joe Sharman this year.

Everywhere I've read says galanthus ikariae grows in wet/moist shade.

Has anyone any growing tips?

[Paddy Tobin]

Mike,

In its original site here in Ireland, G. 'Emerald Isle' grows at the base of a field hedgerow among grass, nettles and briers. Here, it is baked in summer sun (yes, we do get some here in Ireland) and thrives. A friend, with permission, collected a large amount of seed a few years ago and these have flowered true to seed.

I received a bulb about ten years ago and  now have ten flowers, quite a slow rate of increase but, given its reputation of being difficult, I have been very reluctant to disturb it, happy that it is still growing and increasing, though slowly. As it is an Irish cultivar it is one I  treasure. Unlike the UK we don't have the same swathes of naturalised snowdrops or large plantings and so don't get the same number of new seedlings, so must treasure those we have. Perhaps, as the markings are so faint, it may be parallel the saying that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

A little information on G. 'Emerald Isle'. This note is from a friend here in Ireland who has taken a particular interest in this snowdrop. I have also posted a photograph of 'Emerald Isle' which he sent on to me. It shows the snowdrop growing in its original setting, obviously thriving, spreading in what might strike us as an unsuitable position for snowdrops to do well and yet this snowdrop has consistently proven awkward to grow in the garden.

"The story of “G. ikeriae “Emerald Isle” is well documented and has been recounted by Nelson in “A Heritage of Beauty”. I was allowed to visit the site a few years ago by the family now living there. They are farmers and not gardeners. They do not interfere with the colony of snowdrops which grows at the base of a dry ditch and spreads for approximately 30 yards along the field. Snowdrops also extend onto the ditch and into the neighbouring field. These flowers are all identical, the subtle green stripes at the tips of the outer petals being discernible in virtually all flowers. In genetic terms, they represent a clonal phenomenon. As there are no other snowdrops on the farm, one would expect that there are no opportunities for cross hybridisation and I collected the seeds, with the owner’s consent. As expected, these have grown true to type and flowered in their third year, giving the true flower of the form with reliable green stripes at the tips in all flowers examined on the second year of flowering. However, bulbs given me by the landowners did not successfully transplant and neither have I had success with gifting seedlings to other gardeners. I wonder how well these bulbs tolerate transplantation and I make this observation as one who prefers to move bulbs in July during the dormant season than in March when in the green, as widely recommended and undertaken."

Note: I have made some alterations to the above text to conceal identities and locations.

Paddy

[Mavers]

VERY interesting Paddy, thank you.

What sort of situation are you growing Emerald Isle in your garden Paddy?

[Paddy Tobin]

Mike,

It is growing in what was our original "snowdrop bed" - Mary's snowdrop bed, I hasten to add. Prior to this we grew only G. nivalis, G. nivalis fl. pl. and G. caucasicul (elw, mono). So this bed was for our new snowdrops. It is about 2.5m X 2.5m immediately to the north of a beech hedge and an overhanding laburnum tree. The soil was amended with generous amounts of garden compost and leaf mould and then topped with gravel. There are box hedges in each corner. So, these snowdrops grow in strong shade, in a raised bed of good growing medium kept reasonably dry, especially in summer, by the roots of the beech and box hedges, and the laburnum tree. They have been very, very slow to increase, from one bulb to ten over ten years.

Paddy

[Mavers]

HI Paddy this is the Emerald Isle I bought.

The Green shading is quite distinct, not at all faint, it will be interesting to see (if I manage to keep it) if it remains so green in the future.

I'll try my best to keep it happy, not being to wet in the summer seems to be a requirement and shade which I can provide.

[Paddy Tobin]

Mike,

This strikes me as a strongly marked 'Emerald Isle'. Certainly those I grow and those in the original site are much fainter.

Good luck with it.

Paddy

[Mavers]

Is that the luck of the Irish you'll be wishin on me Paddy??

[Jo]

I managed to purchase a g. ikariae 'Emerald Isle' from Joe Sharman this year.

Everywhere I've read says galanthus ikariae grows in wet/moist shade.

Has anyone any growing tips?

Hi Mike,    the ordinary ikariae I grow are very happy at the base of a devon bank with lots of root competition.  The situation looks quite like Paddy's photo.  Mine spread away happily by seed.

I think I posted a pic the other day    I'll have a look.

So my tip is to let it have the companionship of other roots 

[Jo]

No I didn't, I just took it.  Here is my G ikariae, normal form at the base of a Devon bank.