Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: johnw on February 18, 2008, 05:41:01 PM

Title: Grayswood?
Post by: johnw on February 18, 2008, 05:41:01 PM: Greetings, yet again. Indeed problems attaching (twice) and I deleted both messages. I was inserting rather than attaching. And my thanks to Maggi for coming to my rescue.

I'm new to the Forum but have been an SRGC members for many years. I garden in two locations in coastal Nova Scotia. My southern garden is much milder (for Canada) than the central southern coastal one. The snowdrops will be up in the south in a few weeks but here we have about a month to wait as the ground is bare and temperatures plummeted to -11c last night. Still the greenhouse here is full of blooming snowdrops, some 60 different cultivars in my collection. These have been collected over the last 23 years, many from nurseries and friends in England and Germany, my first ones from a late friend in British Columbia.

I have several unknown Galanthus from the above mentioned friend in BC. One unknown from 1986 marked ex Don's friend on Vancouver Island, I wonder if someone can confirm my i.d. of 'Grayswood'.

The weekend long I have been riveted to the conversations and wonderful pictures of many snowdrops new to me. I was hoping to find a picture of 'Martha MacLaren' from Colesbourne on the website.

I doubt I can add any expertise to the group but will gladly follow the group.

john - temperature rising to +11c and heavy rain here.
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: KentGardener on February 18, 2008, 05:46:21 PM: Hi John

welcome to the forum.

Sorry, I am not sure what the flower is in your post - but I just love the picture in your profile picture. Can I ask if it is Diggory - or something else? I cannot enlarge it to see for certain.

with many thanks

John
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: snowdropman on February 18, 2008, 06:22:20 PM: Hi John - glad to see you re-posting & hope that you got the email that I sent you earlier.

'Grayswood' is an elwesii - there are two clones but, according to the 'Snowdrops' book, the one authenticated by Chris Brickell has an inner segment marking of a small U.

I just went out in the garden to check my g. elwesii 'Grayswood' and this does indeed accord with the description in the 'Snowdrops' book.

Is there a particular reason why you thought your plant might be 'Grayswood'?

I have not seen a photo of 'Martha MacLaren' - John Grimshaw (who named this ex Primrose Warburg snowdrop for one of his niece's) tells me that only a few bulbs of this form exist at present, although I think that he intends to twin scale it.
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Maggi Young on February 18, 2008, 06:22:51 PM: A warm welcome to you, John!
I have edited your photo to reduce the size to allow the whole pic to be seen without scrolling across the screen... new size is 700 x 524 pixels.
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Anthony Darby on February 18, 2008, 07:45:03 PM: Welcome John. Fantastic elwesii with a lovely clear green mark.
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: johnw on February 18, 2008, 09:30:02 PM: John (Kentgardener): The profile picture is indeed Diggory and I attach a shot taken yesterday. I trust this one is not too large or small.

Snowdropman: I had found a purported picture of Grayswood on the internet which seemed to match this one. Do you think I can find that picture now? No!. However I should have cross-referenced with the book first. The marking is quite similar to Alanya which I have but this one's marking has a depressed or concave top whereas Alanya is flat-topped. The mystery continues for awhile.

I was lucky to get 'Martha MacLaren' from John Grimshaw's sister who lives here and I should have photographed it last Spring when it bloomed. I promise to post as soon as it flowers.

john - the deluge continues here.
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Anthony Darby on February 18, 2008, 09:33:20 PM: Ah 'Diggory' seen like that is much more better that the singletons I sometimes see in pics. 8) It has suddenly moved up the queue a couple of places. ;D
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Maggi Young on February 18, 2008, 09:44:54 PM: John W.... lovely 'Diggory' pic......perfect size, too! 8)
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: johnw on February 18, 2008, 11:45:57 PM: adarby - Diggory reminds me of a parachute. I'll try a close-up of the petals if the sun comes out.

johnw
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Anthony Darby on February 19, 2008, 11:19:04 AM: Quote from: johnw on February 18, 2008, 11:45:57 PM
Diggory reminds me of a parachute. I'll try a close-up of the petals if the sun comes out.

johnw

Yes, I would agree John. You have a lovely clump and it must look so distinctive in the garden? This is why I'm going to revamp my snowdrop border.

Anthony
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Hans J on February 19, 2008, 11:46:35 AM: Sorry to report - my "Grayswood" also turned out to be wrong named.
I have delete the pics from my wrong named G. "Grayswood" in Galanthus Februar 2008

I'm really glad for this topic !

Thank you all !
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: johnw on February 20, 2008, 10:56:19 PM: And here is a close-up of the parachute effect of Diggory, for those up late at night.

johnw
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Maggi Young on February 20, 2008, 11:00:38 PM: Lovely! Like spoons made to look like seashells! Even I can tell this one apart from the others..... I'm on the trail.....
Title: Re: Grayswood?
Post by: Anthony Darby on February 20, 2008, 11:20:50 PM: That really is quite something. You have a good eye for a picture John. 8)