Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: KentGardener on January 24, 2012, 08:22:42 AM
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It's that time of the year again. ;D
I won't be able to visit as many places this year but will try and post some pictures of the places I do manage to get to.
My Galanthus wanderings started on Saturday with a trip to Kew Gardens. I met up with some of my jungle gardening friends for a behind the scenes visit to the glass houses that are not open to the public. But I insisted we spent the first hour looking at the snowdrops. They humoured me! :)
The very first snowdrop I saw there was a pretty little double with the label 'John Gray'! ::)
We then walked around the massive rock garden looking at the main plantings of drops.
1 - Not 'John Gray'
2 - Not 'John Gray'
3 - Autumn Colour
4 - A nice little nivalis. I think it was probably just doing this in its last days of flowering - but it looked attractive.
5 - Atkinsii clump
6 - Atkinsii
7 - Atkinsii
8 - 'Neill Fraser'
9 - 'Milkwood'
10 - a light coloured elwesii (deficient in something I wondered or always like this?...)
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And a few more pics from Kew.
1 - 'Kite'
2 - elwesii
3 - woronowii
4 - woronowii
5 - Grasses looking wonderful
6 - Some nice spiky things on the rockery
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'Milkwood' (pic 9) is a synonym of 'Mrs McNamara'.
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John ,I see Ali was there also
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6 - Some nice spiky things on the rockery
... Or, as we call them, Celmisias! LOL.
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6 - Some nice spiky things on the rockery
... Or, as we call them, Celmisias! LOL.
;D
Thanks Cliff.
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look forward to reading about your adventures this year :)
Also my beloved green waterproof over-trousers have given up their waterproofness ( thank you bow saw ! ) So you all shall have to put up with my new purple waterproof over-trousers .
I think they will look great with my new VERY ORANGE stihl waterproof coat and snowdrop hat, you wont be able to miss me ;D
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Atkinsii flowing between the rocks looks great, has given me an idea for the other bank in the walled garden ;D
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look forward to reading about your adventures this year :)
Also my beloved green waterproof over-trousers have given up their waterproofness ( thank you bow saw ! ) So you all shall have to put up with my new purple waterproof over-trousers .
I think they will look great with my new VERY ORANGE stihl waterproof coat and snowdrop hat, you wont be able to miss me ;D
Looking forward to seeing the whole ensemble Emma. 8)
I had visitors to see my garden on Sunday and was given a rather nice camouflage hat as a thank you.
(I am still hopeful of getting an EmmaT patented snowdrop hat one day. ;D )
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Looking forward to seeing the whole ensemble Emma. 8)
I had visitors to see my garden on Sunday and was given a rather nice camouflage hat as a thank you.
(I am still hopeful of getting an EmmaT patented snowdrop hat one day. ;D )
LOL you sir shall have one
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Lovely pictures John, those G woronowii in particular look much better than the usual ones the garden centres sell in pots. They have a really long flower, rather like some gracilis flowers.
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John
As you go round do you dish out brass plaques? Kent Gardener woz 'ere?
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I have been waiting for this years blog John,nice start. ;D ;D
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Lovely pictures John, those G woronowii in particular look much better than the usual ones the garden centres sell in pots. They have a really long flower, rather like some gracilis flowers.
Looking forward to more of your adventures (and photos) this year, a cracking start. I agree with Jo's comment, those woronowii look totally different to mine, much slimmer and more elegant. They are also much earlier, mine are only just showing, but of course that may be due to my cold heavy soil.
Chris
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John, it's great that you start your blog again. It is fun to read your stories about all the places that I will not visit, but would love to.
Lina.
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John - that really is an elegant form of woronowii. Just to show that those who love snowdrops have a soft spot for all of them, we have a woronowii with ridiculously tiny flowers, but somehow it is completely charming! (The picture doesn't do it justice, you have to see it in full flower in the garden).
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John - great photos and account of your trip. I love that autumn shot with the waterfall - very nice. When I first looked at the woronowii I thought they were krasnovii. Its amazing the variation of woronowii grown in different gardens. I am attaching a pic of mine - they seem to have a slightly longer pedicel ?
Looking forward to more of your blog
Jennie
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Indeed it was a pretty 'woronowii' flower - I wonder if Kew might have it misnamed (like the double 'John Gray' I first noticed...). What are others thoughts on it being something other than woronowii?
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Indeed it was a pretty 'woronowii' flower - I wonder if Kew might have it misnamed (like the double 'John Gray' I first noticed...). What are others thoughts on it being something other than woronowii?
I'd say definitely woronowii. The outers are the wrong shape and the mark wrong for ikariae, which is the only other thing it might be (but isn't).
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Today - "Australia Day" - started with lots of flags, an inflatable kangaroo and various unhealthy treats (kangaroo jerky, twisties, barbecue shapes, cherry ripe, and violet crumble) in the office.
We then found out at 8.00am that it was also 'India Republic Day' so two of my Indian colleagues put up a large 6ft by 6ft picture of an Indian Tiger and produced a tray of traditional Indian sweets too! Because of these two national days being important to various members of the team there was disagreement on what food should be ordered in for lunch! In the end everyone agreed to have Mexican food delivered!! ::)
Fortunately for me I was finishing work today at 11.30am and rushing up to Euston Railway Station for the 11.54 to Leighton Buzzard. Myself and some other members of SRGC (and a couple of lurkers ;) ) were lucky enough to be visiting one of the Galanthus National Plant Collections. We were all due to arrive at Steve Owen's house for 13.00.
Steve had prepared a warming lunch of soups and savouries (I am sure with some help from Mrs Owen ;) ). We all sat down and chatted about snowdrops, while contentedly stuffing our faces and frustratedly watching the rain, possibly sleet, fall outside!..... Fortunately for us, Steve had arranged the weather perfectly and as the last morsel of food was consumed the clouds parted to reveal some blue sky. I swiftly found myself outside with my camera followed seconds later by the others.
We spent a most enjoyable hour or two wandering around Steve's front, back and side gardens (oh, how I wish I had more space at my place!). There were so many lovely snowdrops to keep us all nattering for hours more but unfortunately the temperature eventually sent us all indoors to warm up. We entered the kitchen to find a wonderful array of biscuits and cake (and warmth :)) But sadly at his point I had decided to head off for my train to London so that I could then try and get back down to Kent before the full London rush hour occurred. I am sure the rest of them are still sitting there now talking about gardens visited and plants seen.... 8)
Steve has many wonderful plants in his collection and I spotted some that have been on my wish list for a while and some new ones to add to the wish list!
I didn't take as many pictures as I would like - but here are a few from today:
Pic 1 - the group shot (Alan, KentGardener, Richard, Margaret, Steve)
Pic 2 - 'Bagpuize Greentips' - I've not seen this before but rather liked it.
Pic 3 - Another of those rather interesting green ones coming from Mainland Europe.
Pic 4 - 'Huttlestone' - with those lovely green leaves.
Pic 5 - 'Moses Basket' - I didn't realise that this can be quite variable year on year. It has been on my wish list for a few years and is still so even when it is mis-behaving like this! 8)
Pic 6 - 'Kirtling Tower' - has been on my wish list even longer.
Pic 7 - The absolutely stunning 'Margaret Biddulph'.
Pic 8 - 'Sentinel' in the sunshine.
Pic 9 - Separate studying of plants
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Far, far better to visit Steve than have Mexican for lunch I think :D
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And the last few photos I did take.
Pic 1 - 'Vertigo' - funky flower
Pic 2 - 'Rosie'
Pic 3 - 'Myers Greentip'
Pic 4 - 'Rodmarton Regulus' - substantial flower.
Pic 5 - 'Rodmarton Regulus'
I hope you have enjoyed sharing today's outing. :)
That's it until the weekend as I have to do a long day in the office tomorrow - leaving home in the dark and arriving home in the dark :(
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For some reason my wife cannot look at your group shot without bursting out laughing?!?
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What a treat :) Your garden looks neat and organised Steve - very nice.
I love all the snowdrops and the photos are great as usual John. I think my favourites have to be Moses Basket for its long outers and markings then Vertigo which looks like a green and white crocus and very different (does it ever open?). Lastly Rodmarton Regulus for its chunky flowers and large foliage.
Great selection & good to see you all in the 'mug shot' !
Jennie
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For some reason my wife cannot look at your group shot without bursting out laughing?!?
Well, it made me smile! :P
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For some reason my wife cannot look at your group shot without bursting out laughing?!?
Well, it made me smile! :P
You saying that has made me laugh too. :D
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;D
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Wow Steve, what a collection.
Rodmarton Regulus and Sentinel are superb. Thanks for taking the group round. And super photos as usual John.
johnw :o - +2c and a big storm on the way.
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it was a really nice afternoon, so many great drops & yes Rodmarton Regulus looked amazing, just a shame the sun couldn't tempt it to open.
lovely food as well ;D
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Tim - Your woronowii's flowers are bigger than the one here. Quite agree, John's woronowii is quite something!
johnw
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John is picture 3 ,Selina Chords?
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John is picture 3 ,Selina Chords?
I wouldn't think this is 'Selina Cords' Chas, the pedicel and split spathe should both be much longer, unless it is literally only just out.
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Really enjoying your blog again John, thanks for making the effort involved.
Mike
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I really can't believe the weather was so bad before you went into Steve's garden.... there is brightness and the flowers look lovely... I think you were all making excuses to stay inside to eat Mrs O's fine grub!
What a super visit you had. 8)
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John is picture 3 ,Selina Chords?
I think there are a lot of these types being found in Holland and Belgium - and unfortunately some sites have had more than one person collecting from them so there are likely to be lots of very similar plants under lots of different names.
This one was marked down purely with a collection number HK39 - but I couldn't see the label clearly.
Edit: MK39 (Mens/Koln) - many thanks to a member from continental Europe for correcting me.
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I really can't believe the weather was so bad before you went into Steve's garden
Somebody looked out the window and said they saw sleet; but was that around the time we were offered the choice of either venturing outside or tackling some very substantial sausage rolls?
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Really great to see snowdrops in the garden - they are one of the strongest reasons to get out and tidy the garden up early! Temptation is obviously building because I hope to visit Steve's garden in February! I know it's a time of year that we want to get out be stimulated in the garden, but why is there not the same sort of following for the choice alpines that many gardeners have? Is it simply that we attach snowdrops to people we know, whereas alpines are so much more botanical?
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I really can't believe the weather was so bad before you went into Steve's garden
Somebody looked out the window and said they saw sleet; but was that around the time we were offered the choice of either venturing outside or tackling some very substantial sausage rolls?
wasn't a difficult decision :)
there is brightness and the flowers look lovely... I think you were all making excuses to stay inside to eat Mrs O's fine grub!
although it was sunny for the last hour it wasn't warm thanks to a cold wind so sadly nothing really opened.
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I really can't believe the weather was so bad before you went into Steve's garden
Somebody looked out the window and said they saw sleet; but was that around the time we were offered the choice of either venturing outside or tackling some very substantial sausage rolls?
wasn't a difficult decision :)
I knew it! 8) 8)
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I arrived at work this morning to find all yesterdays Australian treats had been consumed - except for the bag of Kangaroo Jerky which seemed to have lots left......
My job today required me to work through lunch and I was luckily able to sneak away 45 minutes earlier than usual and actually arrived home in Kent while there was still 20 mins of day light. :)
I rushed round outside looking at the flowers that had developed since I last saw my garden (without the need for a torch!). Below are some quick pics before the light faded completely. They really are not the best pics in the world, as it was all a bit of a rush, so I thought I would shove them on here rather than in the Jan 2012 thread.
1 - 'Bungee' - not looking as long in the pedical as usual. Perhaps due to the warm weather not leaving enough time for it to extend "slowly but surely?
2 - 'Wasp' - this was a generous gift from a member of SRGC in 2007. They very kindly posted me a little non flowering bulb that was only leaves the following year in 2008. Now 4 years after that I have a lovely little clump (and I have given a few away too). Thank you SRGC. 8)
3 - 'Don Armstrong' - another kind gift from one of this forums members. I received this in 2009. During 2010 and 2011 I excitedly watched the leaves develop and then sadly realised there would be no flower. Now in 2012 I have a big smile on my face at 2 flowers showing. (thank you SRGC) 8)
4 - 'Finchale Abbey' - these flowers are going far far too quickly in this weather! I only have 3 flowers this year as I gave a many away in the last 2 years. I am looking forward to having a small clump again as they really do have a unique tulip shape.
5 - I just spotted this 4 petal 'David Baker' before it has gone over. I remember commenting to someone about a 4 petal one last year - I really should have tried to keep the 2011 bulb separate as I now don't know if it is the same bulb or just something that 'David Baker' does randomly.
6 - Another 'Mrs Thompson' flower. I love how a clump of this has so many different weird things going on. ;D This very full flower caught my attention today.
7 - I came home with this lovely thing from Phil Cornish when I last visited in 2008 (I can't believe it is that long since I went to Gloucestershire! :o ). I've always grown it as 'Ballerina' and thought that was a lovely name for it. Tonight I read 'the book' and have realised it can't be 'Ballerina' from the description. I will need to write to Phil now and find out what this pretty little flower is that I am growing.....
Tomorrow morning I am off up to Cambridgeshire on the 7am train - hopefully I will come home with some photos of snowdrops in the countryside and woods to share. (I will be wearing my long johns tomorrow after getting frozen yesterday! ;D)
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KentGardener/John--All your snowdrops photos are wonderful but cause me to dwell on the lack of availability in the US. I just got shut out on 'Wasp' again this year :'( (that's my first use of one of these faces so you know I am sad). If any forum readers in the US want to trade for 'Wasp' please send me a message. On the bright side I expect to add between 3 and 6 new cultivars to my collection this year and that's about as much as I can assimilate in an organized fashion. Keep up the excellent blog. Carolyn
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Wasp looks very striking in a clump like that. I hope I've managed to rescue mine by chipping what was left of the bulb last year, it was given to me by a group as a thank you for a tour & really don't like losing things like that, it'll be going into a lattice pot if it recovers.
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Wasp looks very striking in a clump like that.
Nail on the head there, Richard... they all look great ( better??!!) in clumps. When one thinks how glorious drifts of flowers are in the garden, it's a shame that so many of these 'drops are destined to spend their lives as one or two bulbs in a pot and getting split up all the time... I feel kinda sorry for 'em.
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it's a shame that so many of these 'drops are destined to spend their lives as one or two bulbs in a pot and getting split up all the time... I feel kinda sorry for 'em.
true, it has been nice not to sell any for a few years and let them bulk up. I'm lucky to have the space to play with & a visit to Colesbourne inspired me to plant bigger clumps so I started to plant the banks in the walled garden, 5 years on and I'm starting to see results despite the horrible soil. John's Atkinsii flowing through rocks pic has inspired my next project, a "river" of Mighty Atom down the other bank :)
my Mighty Atom hedge project is currently covered in mud, turf and boot prints thanks to some kind contractors >:(
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my Mighty Atom hedge project is currently covered in mud, turf and boot prints thanks to some kind contractors >:(
You have my greatest sympathy Richard having had a similar experience this week >:(
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I did actually stand with them, point at the bed and say that's where the special snowdrops are, so don't dump anything on it :-\
we're open next weekend and it really does look like a building site :'(
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Carolyn - I'm afraid we'll both be Wasp-less for quite some time. It is such a beauty.
johnw
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John I'm guessing from the size of your snowdrop clumps you dont have Narcissus problems?
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Hi Mark,
I'm afraid I do get the dreaded fly here - I have no idea where they came from as no one else gardens round here and there are not any mass plantings of narcissus for miles in any direction.
The little pests always seem to choose the extra special plant that I only have one bulb of to turn into grub poo! >:( I've lost some really special things, over the years, that never got their chance to shine. :'(
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05.04.19 am :o You were early up enough to catch them John ;D
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You can tell a lot about a person from what they post on the forum, and you can certainly tell that KentGardener is an early-riser.
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Really great to see snowdrops in the garden - they are one of the strongest reasons to get out and tidy the garden up early! Temptation is obviously building because I hope to visit Steve's garden in February! I know it's a time of year that we want to get out be stimulated in the garden, but why is there not the same sort of following for the choice alpines that many gardeners have? Is it simply that we attach snowdrops to people we know, whereas alpines are so much more botanical?
Back to SRGC after two days away. Just need to point out that the principal reason for the midweek gathering here was to EAT and there also happened to be some snowdrops out.
Tim, hope you do manage to get here; many of my snowdrops are grown in a large raised gritty alpine bed with no shading whatsoever (completely contrary to the received wisdom about deep loam and dappled shade being ideal growing conditions) amongst crocus, primula, lots of dwarf Daphne, soldanella, cyclamen etc. I recall that many of the snowdrops at Sue and Wol Staines' super garden are also grown in very open conditions, albeit in richer loam than my alpine bed.
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Just need to point out that the principal reason for the midweek gathering here was to EAT and there also happened to be some snowdrops out.
Steve... you are proof that white fever need not mean the loss of other passions... well said! :D
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John is picture 3 ,Selina Chords?
I think there are a lot of these types being found in Holland and Belgium - and unfortunately some sites have had more than one person collecting from them so there are likely to be lots of very similar plants under lots of different names.
This one was marked down purely with a collection number HK39 - but I couldn't see the label clearly.
Edit: MK39 (Mens/Koln) - many thanks to a member from continental Europe for correcting me.
;) Was that the 'David Baker' that Ruby gave you? ;)
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Hi Tim, welcome to the Forum 8)
I've sorted out your mix-up with the quote box... seems to be catching a few these days... must be the cold weather!
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;) Was that the 'David Baker' that Ruby gave you? ;)
Welcome TimB - how is your 'D B' gift from Ruby doing in it's new home in deepest darkest Wales?
It is great to see you on the forum. Now that you are retired and have a few spare minutes I know there are some people on here who will love to pictures of your National Collection of Asplenium scolopendrium. I have posted a few pics of some of the plants you have kindly given me from the collection in the past and they are often met with much interest.
Previously I have posted the photographs in the 'General/Flowers and foliage now' thread - but Maggi (the Boss ;D) might know of a ferny area you can post in?
John
edit by maggi:
no particular ferny place.... as you know, these delightful plants do well in many situations ;D General Forum http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?board=4.0 is just fine 8)
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Yesterday morning dawned to find me on the early morning high speed train to St Pancras International. It could have been so easy for me to then hop on a train over to mainland Europe - but todays journey was up into Cambridgeshire.
AlanB had invited me up to re-visit some of his favourite snowdrop sites (and, of course, to have tea and cake). I arrived in Cambridge at 9.30am and Alan met me from the train station and drove me to his house. His lovely wife Corinne had the kettle on the boil and some fruit and cake to prepare us for our day out. It was great to chat with them both while watching a Dummock, 10 GoldFinches, a pair of blackbirds, blue tits and a robin entertaining us a few feet from the window.
I donned my imaginary blindfold while I was driven to our first location in one of Alan's secret private woodlands. We had visited here last year and it was good to see that the same variety of different genetics were still present in the woodland. Our visit was weeks ahead of last years so the main drifts of drops were still 14 days or so from flowering. But we still managed to spot some yellows, some 'weird ones' (though not as weird as last year - there were still so many flowers to come out so hopefully they are still there), a variety of green markings, and a couple of reverse poculiform. We speculated how nice it would be if the reverse poculiform could breed with the yellows to produce a yellow reverse poculiform in years to come.
1 - yellow
2 - yellow
3 - Reverse Poculiform
4 - long flower
5 - green tips
6 - green tips (possibly due to damage of the bulb?)
7 - green marks
8 - Weird
9 - Weird
10 - Ladybug and Spider (I didn't spot the spider until I was sorting the photos afterwards)
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What a wonderful world!!!
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Nr.3 - the best I ever saw in this group.
And you went back home???
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Next we stopped off at the private woodland where Alan found 'Green Light' and Joe found 'Charlotte Jean' - there were some lovely drifts starting but we didn't spot anything unusual on this visit.
Finally Alan took me to a country park called Gog Magog where we walked over what passes for hills in Cambridgeshire and ended up somewhere I have always wanted to visit - Wandlebury Ring. This is the place that 'Wendys Gold', 'Bill Clark' and 'Wandlebury Ring' were found. It is probably the largest walled 'garden' I think I have ever been in - all just grass and trees now (with some rabbits and moles!) - but there were still a few drifts of plicatus snowdrops remaining under a few of the trees.
After a fantastic day out and about in the Cambridgeshire countryside Alan dropped me back at the railway station for the 2.5 hour journey home.
1 - Drift of snowdrops and acconites starting in the 'Green Light' area.
2 - The entrance
3 - The building
4 - A couple of birds that caught my attention
5 - Archway into garden
6 - Walled Garden
7 - Alan studying some drops
8 - Drift of drops under a tree
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Gog Magog where we walked over what passes for hills in Cambridgeshire
You'll get drummed out of the brownies, they are mountains for East Anglia ;D ;D
Great to see these John and Alan, and also to see Wandlebury Ring home to those famous 'drops.
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Alan & John
What a goldmine of snowdrop genes in that secret spot! And what a pity it couldn't be declared a protected spot for all to enjoy. But then we know what would happen if that were the case. Hats off to Alan for meticulously keeping this spot safe and secure from predators. Hopefully it will be never see bulldozers and developers.
johnw
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stunning green tipped, John
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I do wonder if it the colouring would be as strong in future years Mark. The bulb looked like it had been trod on by an animal as it was sprouting, the strong green tips were only on two petals and the third was much less stronger coloured, so I am guessing that really strong green might be a one off to enjoy for this year.
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John, this is a "normal" problem of the inverse poc.
I have to notice this colour ( and size) constellation also on my NEVER BEFORE and NOBODY IS PERFECT.
But this plant is worth a try!!!
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Some very interesting specimens found in Alan's secret location. I love the nivalis with very long outers - very elegant. I cannot fully understand what a 'reverse poc' is? Anyone?
Jennie
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Hi Jennie, I think a poc is when the inners are like the outers and an inverse poc are when the outers are like the inners and show some of their markings and also maybe a bit of the sinus as well :)
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Perfect description Jo 8) 8) 8)
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Yes, "poculiform" actually means "having the shape of a goblet or cup" but as applied to snowdrops it means that the inner petals take on something of the character of the outer petals, so the "best" poculiform (abbreviation poc.) snowdrops have six white petals, all much the same size (but still arranged as three inners and three outers).
In some snowdrops the outer petals take on something of the character of the inner petals. "Trym" is quite a good example of a snowdrop showing this behaviour. Nobody has coined a name for this type of snowdrop (AFAIK) so it sometimes gets called an inverse poculiform. But if somebody can think of a better name then there is definitely an opening.
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Hi Jennie, I think a poc is when the inners are like the outers and an inverse poc are when the outers are like the inners and show some of their markings and also maybe a bit of the sinus as well :)
Hi Jennie
Jo (and Alan) have explained it perfectly.
I first became aware of the actual term 'inverse poculiform' when Matt Bishop featured these interesting flowers in his interesting article in the 'Daffodil,snowdrops and Tulip Yearbook 2011'.
Remind me to show you the article when you next visit.
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Last year Matt was here too and he told about inverse pocs. I mean, it a good terminus and I renamed in my classification the group of TRYM into inverse poculiforme.
Here is another example
NOBODY IS PERFECT
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Hi Hagen
on this thread ( http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6670.120 ) are 2 pictures of interest - one shows the inverse poc that Alan had previously seen - and also a picture of the example of this type of flower that we found on that day this time last year.
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I`m happy about the time we will have to speak about these wonderful flowers. It`s only a question of few days :D.
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Hagen that one looks pretty perfect to me. What a beauty!
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NOBODY IS PERFECT
Hagen - How many outers on that one?
johnw
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Jo, Alan and John - thanks for the explanation of 'inverse poculiform'. I fully understand now although I do think the name is confusing and indicates long inners and short outers! Something along the lines of 'reflective group' would be less confusing ?
Jennie
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Gerard, like the name tells: it is not always perfect,
JohnW, 3 outers, 3 inners. It never differs in the number.
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Jo, Alan and John - thanks for the explanation of 'inverse poculiform'. I fully understand now although I do think the name is confusing and indicates long inners and short outers!
Wouldn't that just be inverse Jennie? If it is poculiform then it should have roughly equal lengths for the inners and outers so if this was inverse they would still be roughly equal length ;)
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Jo, Alan and John - thanks for the explanation of 'inverse poculiform'. I fully understand now although I do think the name is confusing and indicates long inners and short outers!
Wouldn't that just be inverse Jennie? If it is poculiform then it should have roughly equal lengths for the inners and outers so if this was inverse they would still be roughly equal length ;)
Of course :-\ I will get there in the end
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Jo, Alan and John - thanks for the explanation of 'inverse poculiform'. I fully understand now although I do think the name is confusing and indicates long inners and short outers!
Wouldn't that just be inverse Jennie? If it is poculiform then it should have roughly equal lengths for the inners and outers so if this was inverse they would still be roughly equal length ;)
Of course :-\ I will get there in the end
Ah Jennie, if you think this is complicated wait til you start to look at the Greatorex doubles ;D ;D ;D
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Wonderful crisp cold (-2) sunlit day at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire. Lots of pots of healthy Ophelia, S Arnott, Magnet, and others for sale, but just one plant per pot and £4-99 each. Not sure if it was the cold or the price made my eyes water.
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To be frank, if they are healthy and true to name, I'd think a fiver was worth it. Might seem a lot for one bulb.... but given the horror stories around the 'drop scene, I'd think I'd rather be safe than sorry!
Easy enough to get rubbish for diddly squat in some places... and rubbish for a king's ransom in others.... :P
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I'd think a fiver was worth it. Might seem a lot for one bulb....
Dear oh dear Maggi, I nearly fell off my chair :o
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Sorry Brian.... should have warned you. :-X
I don't know what came over me.... I think it's the crazy weather... I'm really not myself. :P
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I would have bought five of the Ophelia.
Anyone want to make some money and sell me 5 of each of the Greatorex doubles?
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Mark
I'm going past Waterperry again tomorrow. If you're serious I'll get you five pots of Ophelia.
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Mark I will gladly bring you 5 FOC
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Thanks Chas. I'm only going to the Gala this year. Are you?
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Yes ,will be at the Gala Mark
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Sitting here feeling dense this morning - what does FOC stand for?
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Free of charge?
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Free of charge i think
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Oops you already said that Martin. Still tired lol
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Ha! I was going through all of the Greaterox trying to work out which one was FOC....and of course there is not one!
Jennie
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Ha! I was going through all of the Greaterox trying to work out which one was FOC....and of course there is not one!
Jennie
Me too! ::)
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... and so did I !!!
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Perhaps the one on p127 of Gunter's book would have been better named as 'Foc' ;)
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:D :D :D ;D ;D ;D
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Was it only me who knew what FOC was?
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Perhaps the one on p127 of Gunter's book would have been better named as 'Foc' ;)
??? picture please
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Copyright Diane?
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Copyright Diane?
OK, name?? or description?? My guess it's a spikey
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it`s the name.. ::)
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Copyright Diane?
OK, name?? or description?? My guess it's a spikey
Hi Diane
I had to have a look in the book - Brain is having a play on words. There is a snowdrop in Gunter's book that sounds rather rude when pronounced in English. And the mysterious FOC snowdrop ::) could be similar sounding when said out loud in a strong regional accent. ;D
The one in the book is called 'Phuk'!.....
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Hi Diane
I had to have a look in the book - Brain is having a play on words. There is a snowdrop in Gunter's book that sounds rather rude when pronounced in English. And the mysterious FOC snowdrop ::) could be similar sounding when said out loud in a strong regional accent. ;D
The one in the book is called 'Phuk'!.....
Thanks for the explanation, John ;D
Hope you all have a good day with the drops. Too cold here for anything, but I hope it's all thawed for Ashwoods snowdrop day tomorrow, and hope to see a few of you there.
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I might not have time to update the blog for a few days as I have Hagen staying and lots of things planned for us to do (if we can get the car out of the snow!).
But here is quick post with a group pic of SRGC forum members (and a lurker ;D) from Myddleton House yesterday.
1 - Where is Alan?
2 - There he is. :)
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John showed us his garden yesterday evening. It was a fantastic late night show of galanthus :o. Today I mean, I make my trip in Switzerland ???.
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But here is quick post with a group pic of SRGC forum members (and a lurker ;D) from Myddleton House yesterday.
I notice you managed to get John Foster in the background on one photo and Brenda Foster on the other, very clever ;D
I hope the snow melts so Hagen can enjoy the snowdrops in England, typical Gala weather.
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It won't help the snowdrops,but I have just seen a tractor with a snow plough going past. Kent council said they were preppared this year and had hired farmers to clear minor roads. Kids have also been spreading grit in between the snowball fights.
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Kids have also been spreading grit in between the snowball fights.
Presumably so they don't slip over when lobbing them at each other ;D
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It won't help the snowdrops,but I have just seen a tractor with a snow plough going past.
they've been doing that here but as with last year it doesn't help at all, they just compact the snow more which freezes, the gritted road is ok but the gritters never go down the hill past my house ::)
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just rain here
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John, we known that you will appreciate the German compagny a lot. If not, give them a 'koffie verkeerd' (coffee latte) and you will ;)
Hagen (und Uli), we hope that you find the dragon of Brechin castle in the green ;D
We are sure that all of you enjoy the snowdrops and the friendship. It's as Hagen says:
At first it was a long way to snowdrops,
now it's a short way to friends !
We look forward to the report of the "snowdrops"week !
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I might not have time to update the blog for a few days as I have Hagen staying and lots of things planned for us to do (if we can get the car out of the snow!).
But here is quick post with a group pic of SRGC forum members (and a lurker ;D) from Myddleton House yesterday.
1 - Where is Alan?
2 - There he is. :)
It would be great for all of us geographically challenged galanthophiles if the photo could have a label with everyone's names. There is obviously a lot of interest as the photo has been viewed 93 times. Carolyn
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It would be great for all of us geographically challenged galanthophiles if the photo could have a label with everyone's names. There is obviously a lot of interest as the photo has been viewed 93 times. Carolyn
Hi Carolyn, there were 5 other forum members (and possibly more) that I forgot to round up for the photo.
In the photo below are the following:
AlanB, KentGardener, SteveOwen, a lovely Lurker, Kentish Lass, Art600, Lettuce Begin, EmmaT, Ali K, (insert John or Joan on the other pics at this point ;D ), Brian Ellis, Chas W.
I have a plea:
If anyone reads this in the next few hours and would like some visitors today? A Londoner, a Shropshire Lad, and my two German visitors are now at a loose end. The best made plans to visit two gardens in Essex today have fallen through as they have contacted me and cancelled due to bad weather in their area.
There doesn't need to be a lot to see - but Hagen Engelman, Uli, Paul and myself have a day free today and would enjoy meeting with people, chatting about plants and showing photos of Galanthus.
Please send me an email or PM if you have any suggestions for our Monday.
Many thanks, John.
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No good coming this way John,everthing is under 4" of snow
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Likewise, there has been a bit of an overnight thaw here but still more than enough snow to bury all the snowdrops.
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same here :(
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England looks good for me. Only 2 degrees C and a lot of snow to protect the galanthus.
At home it is -21 degrees C with only 2cm of snow. And I can do nothing for my drops.
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No snow in Dorset, but the ground is still frozen. Drops are looking happier than they did on Saturday.
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Oh dear.... I do wish I hadn't accidentally swatted theose helicopters Rob P. sent me.... it's beautiful up here- sun's out, no snow, happy drops :o and you would be most welcome :-*
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bright sunshine here, 12 degrees, and very warm. More like a summers day. No heat on and I should have been outside topping up the tan. Very pale after being sick :(
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Oh dear.... I do wish I hadn't accidentally swatted theose helicopters Rob P. sent me.... it's beautiful up here- sun's out, no snow, happy drops :o and you would be most welcome :-*
bright sunshine here, 12 degrees, and very warm. More like a summers day. No heat on and I should have been outside topping up the tan. Very pale after being sick :(
:'( :'( I wish, over here it's still freezing constantly and they predict temperatures down to - 20°C on groundlevel for the following night! So, there's not a snowdrop in sight under the snow!
But on the bright side, from tomorrow on temperatures will be gradually rising and after next weekend, it will start thawing ::)
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no snow
:o :o :o really??
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None at all... very strange!
Heard on the radio that the Fettercairn road is blocked by snow.... so it's getting closer. Some clouds coming over now that may have something in them to drop. We'll see.
Yesterday was even brighter than today... frost in the ground of course, but wonderful day.
Not sure how long my six different 'drops could keep the fiends happy , though...... ??? :-\
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;)
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None at all... very strange!
yes, strange indeed, down here had about 10cm or so
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Maggi if you only have six drops and invite the fiends you will find the garden full of them when they leave! (But your extra special six might have reduced in size accordingly!). Nice to begin to put some faces to names from the forum...
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;)
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We are just back home after a fantastic day out at Kew Gardens - I even wangled us a behind the scenes of the alpine stock houses (Many thanks to Graham, Kit, and Michael).
So I am now a happy man with some very happy guests as was well. 8)
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Excellent! Some nice folks there and they've done your guests proud.
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I do love Kew. I did 6 months work experience there when i was at college, many years ago. Great people, very friendly. I have never been to visit the snowdrops there.
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Sorry for the delay in updating the blog.
Saturday 8th 4th Feb - Myddleton House
9am sharp Art600, Dan and Kentish_Lass arrived at my place to collect me and my friend Paul. Our destination today was the Galanthus sale organised by Joe Sharmon at Myddleton House in Essex. I was really surprised that only about 60 people attended. Perhaps they were put off by the weather threatening to snow and the bitter bitter cold. Or perhaps the event was not well enough advertised? This worked perfectly for those that did attend as there was plenty of room to look at the sales tables. (and no pointy elbows to contend with like I have experienced at the RHS halls. ;D )
The range of drops available was amazing. Chatting to one of the nursery owners she said that it was possibly the best selection of different drops she has ever seen for sale in one place.
On site were 'Joe Sharmon of Monksiler', 'Mike and Ann Broadhurst of Ivy Cottage', 'Ann Borrill with her lovely assistant Brian Ellis', 'The guys from Wood Chippings (sorry - I am such an air head and have forgotten your names :-[ ), and 'Sue and Wol Staines from Glen Chantry'. There were so many wonderful drops for sale - a really mind blowing selection. I had set myself a strict limit on spending money as I am saving for my fast approaching trip to Madeira. (I only had to borrow £10 off my friend when I went over budget! ::) )
1 - The poster
2 - The surprisingly small queue that greeted us when we arrived at 10.15am
3 - The front of the queue
4 - Wol Staines came out in advance of the 10.30 opening and gave everyone a list of what GlenChantry
would be selling. A picture of us all reading it.
5 - We're in!
6 - Ann Borrill and Brian Ellis
7 - Me and 'Judys Snowdrops' buying some Eranthis from Monksilver
8 - EmmaT spotting 'Clovis'
9 - Kentish_Lass buying from Glen Chantry
10 - Ivy Cottage and WoodChippings
(3 more posts to follow about Saturday).
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A few familiar faces! I was highly tempted but need to consolidate a little more with the garden and nursery. Will look out for the day next year if repeated. Hoping it thaws out for the middle of the month!
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Some more pics from the Galanthus sale (entry fee to raise funds for the restoration of the E A Bowles Rock Garden).
1 - A slippery slope?.... My friend Paul buying his first ever 'named' snowdrop. ('Comet')
2 - Peoples bags are looking heavier! ;D
3 - Art600 and his friend Dan with Joan Foster behind.
4 - Another pic of EmmaT glowing with happiness at getting a plant that has been on her 'list' for a long time ('Clovis')
5 - It runs in the family! Emma's mum looking happy with her new snowdrop.
6 - Me showing off my E A Bowles entry sticker
7 - Walking back to the car park (Arthur, Jennie, Dan, Me, and Hitch).
8 - Jennie needed a cuppa from her flask to thaw out before we departed.
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John ,
::) ::) ::)
you write : Saturday 8th Feb
strange ...here in Germany is today 08.Februar ....saturday was 04.Februar
do you have a other calendar ?
:o :o :o
Hans
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D'oh!
Thank you Hans - It is my lunch break and I am frantically trying to catch up on reading all the posts from the last 4 days and post my new ones at the same time. i shall quickly change the date before anyone notices. ;) ;D
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John ,
no problem ;D
Is Joe Sharman now a member of the mormon people ???
(as you wrote Sharmon )
A other question :
Is Emma gardening with a chain saw her snowdrops ?
She use a jacket from STIHL ...this is a well known german chain saw fabric
::)
Hans
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Is Joe Sharman now a member of the mormon people ???
(as you wrote Sharmon )
Oops.
Spelling never was a strong subject for me at school - and that was 30 years ago :-\ :)
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;D I was only joking John ;D
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John
Absolutely fantastic photos and account of the day. Looking at them I feel like I am there again. I really, really enjoyed the day and wish I could have it all over again. For a newbie like myself it was like heaven on earth to see the cultivars for sale that everyone has been posting on here for the last two years. It was worth spending half of my bank balance and I enjoyed spending every penny of it ;)
I hope there will be another event like that next year.
Thanks John
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Great photos John. I love to see the beaming smiles on peoples faces, and no surprise too with the amount of snowdrops bought. Those sales tables look very tempting, do they accept credit cards? ;)
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After we were all 'shopped out' we had the chance to look at the house and wander through the grounds at Myddleton House. Sadly the sub zero temperatures spoilt out chances of seeing snowdrops standing proud. But this was more than made up for when one of the wonderful volunteers, who spend a day or two per week helping to look after the gardens, offered to show us the restoration work that is happening on the E A Bowles Rock Garden.
1 - Frozen snowdrops
2 - The House
3 - Plaque
4 - Frozen Pond
5 - Folly
6 - Rock Garden
7 - Rock Garden
8 - Ferns on the Rock Garden ( I hope they don't do away with these completely during the restorations as they looked so at home).
9 - Me and Jennie sharing a joke
10 - A couple of big Finches ;D
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Wish I could remember the joke as this snow is making me miserable. Great pic. I actually thought that bird was sitting on your finger for a second :-\
I thought those ferns looked really good too despite the rotton weather. I imagine the rockery snowdrops look a picture when not frozen. Maybe Arthur will take some photos when he goes there later this month?
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We all arrived back safely at my place before the snow fell. There was time for a quick 'cuppa' and a look in the garden before Arthur and Dan had to dash of to watch the rugby, taking Jennie with them.
1 - Jennie listing her new drops
2 - me taking pictures of the ones I do not yet have pictures of
3 - Jennie taking some pics of my drops
4 - Jennie getting attracted to an Eranthis called 'All Saints'
5 - 'Edith' - I almost purchased one of these but was told that the green on the outers does not always happen. Still a lovely looking big drop.
6 - 'Fieldgate Fugue'
7 - 'Priscilla Bacon' - great puckered petals
8 - 'Jonathan' - I so wish I had got one of these. I looked at them in the shed - but it was under electric light. It was only when I got home and saw someone else's one in natural daylight that I regretted not borrowing some more cash off my friend! ::)
9 - Jennies new 'Gemini ex P. C.'
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We all arrived back safely at my place before the snow fell. There was time for a quick 'cuppa' and a look in the garden before Arthur and Dan had to dash of to watch the rugby, taking Jennie with them.
1 - Jennie listing her new drops
2 - me taking pictures of the ones I do not yet have pictures of
3 - Jennie taking some pics of my drops
4 - Jennie getting attracted to an Eranthis called 'All Saints'
5 - 'Edith' - I almost purchased one of these but was told that the green on the outers does not always happen. Still a lovely looking big drop.
6 - 'Fieldgate Fugue'
7 - 'Priscilla Bacon' - great puckered petals
8 - 'Jonathan' - I so wish I had got one of these. I looked at them in the shed - but it was under electric light. It was only when I got home and saw someone else's one in natural daylight that I regretted not borrowing some more cash off my friend! ::)
9 - Jennies new 'Gemini ex P. C.'
Lovely images John... 8)
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John
It was so fun for me to see the photos of the Myddleton House event especially with the labeling so I knew who everyone was. I am really enjoying your blog. How fun that you went together. I almost felt like I was there, but I am sort of glad I don't have access to so many varieties. I wouldn't be able to control myself.
Carolyn
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very nice photos and good to see everyone had such a good time
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A other question :
Is Emma gardening with a chain saw her snowdrops ?
She use a jacket from STIHL ...this is a well known german chain saw fabric
::)
Hans
Its the jacket, i wear to work ( i am a gardener) it was a cold day and its the warmest jacket ive got .
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A other question :
Is Emma gardening with a chain saw her snowdrops ?
She use a jacket from STIHL ...this is a well known german chain saw fabric
::)
Hans
Its the jacket, i wear to work ( i am a gardener) it was a cold day and its the warmest jacket ive got .
Well yes, it looks cosy.... but can you honestly say you were not hoping to intimidate the opposition in the sales scrums into thinking you might be dangerous and stepping back ?? ... ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D
When I saw it , I thought you'd hit upon a master stroke! 8)
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If it gets really cold i shall be wearing my BRIGHT ORANGE stihl water proof !!!!!
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Emma ,
I'm glad that you are satisfied with this jacket ;D
Hans
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If it gets really cold i shall be wearing my BRIGHT ORANGE stihl water proof !!!!!
With the rather fab purple overtrousers, Emma?
Good for you..... bring some colour to the 'drop fiends' world 8)
[attach=1]
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Thank you for all the photos John, lets those of us that couldn't go have a flavour of the day & see what a great time you all had.
Really appreciated.
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Lovely photos John. There I am in the queue chatting to John Foster. Bang goes my anonymity!!!
It was a great day among so many happy friendly people and good to put names and faces together. As a newbie, I discovered I have a great talent for spending and came home a very happy bunny with Priscilla Bacon, Mandarin, Sibbertoft Manor, Anne of Geierstein, Alex Duguid, Marjorie Brown, Mark Solomon and Edith (I could't resist those green stripes, even if not every year as you say, John).
On 19th I'm off for a few days visiting Herts Hellebores, Waterperry, Colesbourne, Benington Lordship and Anglesey Abbey. Is there anywhere else in the vicinity I simply mustn't miss?
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Margaret - you certainly got off on the right foot with those lovely plants. I just love Edith and cannot wait for her to become more than one flower. I notice Alex Duguid is a reginae olgae and I have not had much luck with them so far. I will have a bash at growing them when I have enough to experiment with - my only two bulbs are in the greenhouse at the moment and still have not flowered.
You are certainly getting around to see some lovely places - maybe you would post some photos on here for us all to enjoy? Have fun ;)
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People view things in different ways: I showed Mary John's photographs and what caught her eye was the lovely beech hedge at Myddleton House, how beautiful the house itself looked, the pyracantha hedge in John's garden and Jennie's handbag - and that was the best of them all.
What snowdrops?
Paddy
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and Jennie's handbag - and that was the best of them all.
Well, Mary can have my handbag in exchange for your secret on how to grow such healthy snowdrops.....directly into the ground ;)
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On 19th I'm off for a few days visiting Herts Hellebores, Waterperry, Colesbourne, Benington Lordship and Anglesey Abbey. Is there anywhere else in the vicinity I simply mustn't miss?
let me know day & time you plan to visit & will make sure you get to see the walled garden which is normally closed, hopefully the garden will have thawed out by then but it's been snowing again for a few hours ::) so at this rate I doubt things will be at their best til the end of the month.
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Margaret - you certainly got off on the right foot with those lovely plants.
You are well matched Jennie and Margaret, I wouldn't like to bet on who has acquired the largest number of new snowdrops this year 8) Your secret is out Margaret ;)
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Saturday 4th February evening
In the evening Hagen and Uli arrived from Germany to stay at my house for a few days before they ambled off to the Gala. I had spent the last couple of weeks planning an interesting program of garden visits for the next few days. Unfortunately the weather man was warning that the best made pans might fall apart.... ::)
Pic 1 - Before my German guests arrived I whizzed round the back yard taking some cut flowers of galanthus so that we might have something to look at. :)
Pic 2, 3, and 4 - Once Hagen and Uli were here we had a quick torchlight garden viewing and then resorted to our laptop slideshows and my books and magazines.
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Sunday 5th February
We woke to a full blanket of snow! >:(
This morning there were meant to be 8 people arriving (from Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Kent) at my house for soup and a chat before we all went on to two other gardens in Kent. Sadly everyone cancelled due to the weather and bad driving conditions.
Hagen, Uli, Paul and myself had a hearty breakfast and then headed off to David and Anke Way (about 45 mins from me in Kent). The roads were horrible and we had to detour twice but did eventually arrive just 15 minutes later than expected.
The pictures in the following blogs are not going to be my usual 'snowdrop' snaps - but hopefully they may be of interest anyway.
1 - Did I wear the correct camo? ;D
2 - David was not up to a walking in this horrible weather so we took a quick photo, outside their backdoor, before the rest of us wandered off and he headed indoors.
3 - The garden was covered in snow - but Anke had a cold frame that she had covered with fabric in advance of our visit.
4 - Studying the covered drops
5 - Catkins
6 - Looking for the females
7 - Lichen
8 - Fantastic hedges made of upright posts a couple of feet apart and then the gap filled with surplus branches.
9 - Teasel in the wind
10 - Animal tracks
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Considering how nasty the weather was we still somehow managed to spend over an hour wandering about in David and Anke's garden. David did ask when we went back inside how we had managed to spend so long outside. ;D
1 - A rather cold seat!
2 - Frozen Pond - amazing shapes in the ice. These were not shadows!
3 - Anke pointing out a feature of the garden to Hagen
4 - Hagen photographing a clump of snowdrops
5 - 'Percy Picton' peeping through
6 - Next door neighbour
7 - What would normally be a big drift of drops under a tree
8 - A hellebore determined to flower
9 - A small slump of snowdrops in the snow
10 - A view from the back fence
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Eventually even the hardiest of us Galanthophiles were frozen solid and headed indoors for lots of hot drinks, cake and savoury snacks. (and German beers ;D)
1 - A drop in the garden
2 - a frozen drop in the garden
3 - a yellow drop in the garden
4 - Flicking through some snowdrop items
5 - A new drop that the Ways found in a garden centre and are considering the merits of.
We knew that the day was going to be a 'wash out' because of the snow so I suggested Hagen took his Projector and laptop to show some of the wonderful pictures I had seen the previous evening of Hagen's expeditions abroad. At David and Anke's we enjoyed sharing a trip to Turkey and were also privileged to enjoy wild nivalis populations in Poland.
6 - Setting up a presentation
7 - Looking at the first of Hagen's slides from Turkey.
8 - David enjoying a German beer. (I have tasted a lot of German beer this weekend as there were 2 crates of it in their camper van ;D)
9 - Enjoying the wonderful booklet of Hagen's plants and classification system that he brought to England as a gift to give out and discuss in gardens that he visited.
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John
Thanks for the postings.
I was so sorry to miss meeting Hagen and Uli, your soup - always delicious, and meeting David and Anke. As you found the roads were quite treacherous and I even had trouble getting out of my road.
Maybe next year in brilliant sunshine to visit David and Anke.
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5 - 'Percy Picton' peeping through
;D ;D ;D
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John - those are brilliant pictures of gardeners at their best! The yellow snowdrop poking out of the snow is great fun. David was Chairman of the Kent HPS when I was Treasurer and I remember many enjoyable Committee meetings sitting at the table you show covered in cards. Two very fine gardeners!
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Keep it up John.
Really enjoy reading your "blog" even if not all the pictures are of snowdrops ;)
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John - so glad you took photos at David and Ankes despite the lack of snowdrops. It was fun to see what you got up to and was pleased to see you all had a good chat and slide show afterwards - it looks like your hosts are enjoying themselves too. What a shame about the snow - I was looking forward to meeting Hagen & Uli and seeing the two gardens. Glad you all persevered and made the best out of a bad situation - gardeners spirit !
Love the one of Percy Picton - its leaves look like sharks circling (if you have a vivid imagination and blurry eyesight like I have) :) I would like to know how people find these new treasures in garden centres - that one is loverly.....
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5 - 'Percy Picton' peeping through
;D ;D ;D
It's a new one, Brian, G. 'Peeping Percy Picton'. Bet that one would sell!
Paddy
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Poor Percy... he looks more pole-axed than peeping to me. Hope the snow goes soon for more comfortable 'drop viewing.
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Maybe next year in brilliant sunshine to visit David and Anke.
Sadly the Way's are thinking of selling up and looking for somewhere with a smaller, more manageable, garden.
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John, I want to thank you for your great report of your visits, even as this year is not like last year, it is very nice for us (who can't go at all) to be witness of your adventures. :D
One question I do have. Where do you get these great black labels you use for your snowdrops? Because of the colour they are not as prominent as the white ones. And maybe the birds don't pick them too.
Lina.
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Hi everyone.
Many thanks for the positive comments on the Blog - it is a real shame that there are not a lot of drop pics! ::) But the words and pictures still take ages to do so it is really nice to hear that it has been worth posting.
Lina - I've sent you a message with all the boring details about my labels.
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Monday 6th February
We awoke still uncertain of what we would be doing today. We had found out on returning home the previous evening that both of the gardens we had lined up to visit on Monday in Essex needed to cancel due to bad weather.
The day started with a hearty breakfast of boiled eggs, cheeses, fruits, breads and biscuits - and Uli also requested that we cook porridge for Hagen to experience....
I made a few more phone calls and it was confirmed that we could visit Kew Gardens and have a look behind the scenes at the Alpine areas.
1 - Porridge
2 - a look at my garden while we finalised what we would do today
3 - Hagen comes from a very small town in East Germany so traveling on the train to London was an exciting part of the day.
4 - Seeing the 'Pink Floyd' album cover added to the enjoyment of the day for my guests.
5 - Experiencing the London tube network.
6 - Arrived at Kew station
7 - Our first glimpse of Kew Gardens
8 - We arrived to find there was an 'Orchid Spectacular' going on with a riot of colour!
9 - One of the dozens of 'towers of orchids' that were in place.
10 - Me under another tower of Orchids.
More to follow....
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We met up with friends and headed off to the 'restricted areas' ;D
1 - The first alpine beds we saw. These are on some very clever wheels so that you can easily move a complete section to the left or right.
2 - Brick built raised beds - outdoors with a covered roof.
3 - Having a good explore to see what might be flowering
4 - Group shot with two of our kind gatekeepers to these special areas.
5 - Indoors - slightly more protection.
6 - Cyclamen in the same greenhouse.
7 - Concrete troughs of Dionysia
8 - Hardy Cacti
9 - Whiteheadia
10 - Androcymbium greuterocymbium - the scent on this was amazing - a kind of butterscotch chocolate
and more to follow - there may even be some snowdrops! ;D
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John
lovely to see the orchids,we are down to see them in two weeks,hope they still look as good.
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Our visit to Kew Gardens continues. I feel a bit of a fraud writing a Galanthus blog with so few snowdrops this year - next year I hope to do better! :)
1 - Hagen looking at plants in the restricted area.
2 - Fritillaria raddeana
3 - Fritillaria eduardii
4 - Iris tuberosa
5 - Narcissus papyraceus var polyanthos
6 - Iris nicolai
7 - Iris Michael Tippett
8 - We stopped for picnic break. Hagen produced these cans from his bag that he told me was beer. I was rather surprised when I found out what it actually was!
9 - Gherkin in a can - the convenient snack for when you just have to enjoy a pickle on the go...... :o (I declined Hagen's very kind offer and stuck with my hoola hoops)
I promise there will be some snowdrops in my last post from Kew....
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The final few from Kew.
1 - Alpine House
2 - Galanthus nivalis
3 - Cyclamen
4 - Snowie Drops
5 - rizehensis
6 - photo taking
7 - ikariae
8 - wollemi - a ready made Christmas tree with it's own ball balls?
9 - Our final view before heading home.
There is just one last trip planned for this year - to the RHS halls on Tuesday - hopefully there will be more Galanthus to see than during my last few trips. Please come and say hello if you are there and see me.
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Just had a late night peek on the forum and found these amazing photos. Stunning pictures and a great blow by blow account of your day. I have not been to Kew for many years and it was great to get a virtual tour. I know it takes a lot of work to pick out suitable photos from hundreds and hundreds of shots, then resize them and add the wording - great job John - I really enjoyed it and will be going back many times to read the blog again.....and again.
That gherkin in a can is far out & I think I would have declined too :D What a bummer when you was expecting a beer!
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John - Another wonderful tour. Amazed what a differnce at Kew since last there in 1983!
Those Cyclamen rohlfsianums are totally outrageous. :o
johnw
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That gherkin in a can is far out & I think I would have declined too :D What a bummer when you was expecting a beer!
Maybe you could pickle the gherkin in beer and get the best of both worlds?
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Great blog John. Don't worry about including non-white things from time to time ;)
Fascinating to see the very different male and female flowers on the wollemi, and on such a young plant too.
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Great blog John. Don't worry about including non-white things from time to time ;)
Fascinating to see the very different male and female flowers on the wollemi, and on such a young plant too.
Don't worry John... you would have shown us more snowdrops if the weather hadn't conspired against you. The alternative visits you have reported on are most intersting... I must agree with Ashley about the surprise to see the (to me, precocious) flowers on the young wollemi pine.
I'm still getting to grips with the notion of the scent of the Androcymbium greuterocymbium - "a kind of butterscotch chocolate" :o 8)
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The smell was yummy Maggi. I kept getting a whiff of a wonderful perfume in the greenhouse and had to track down where it was coming from.
1 - I found the source of the delicious scent.
2 - For Ashley and Maggi. The small group of 7 Wollemi just behind the Evolution house were all flowering - even the tiny little one.
3 - A Wollemi again for Ashley and Maggi. They really did look like a decorated Christmas tree.
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Well John, I thoroughly enjoyed your pictures. Thanks for taking the time to show us.
Angie :)
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Thanks very much John. Apparently they are used as Christmas trees in Australia.
I've never seen any other Araucariaceae show such precocity, and the snow and recent cold doesn't seem to bother them at all 8)
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John
Thank you very much for this blog. Don't know what I like more plant images or garden visits and parties photographs. Wish I was there!
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You are most welcome to visit any time Olga. 8)
Last night Hagen and Uli arrived back at my house after a great tour of Southern England. I so wish I could have taken the week off and joined them as they visited some great gardens and met with some wonderful plants people.
Today is my last Galanthus outing before I head off to Madeira. We are heading into London to the RHS show halls and then my German visitors head back to mainland Europe.
Hopefully I may take a few photographs of the day. ;)
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Please do take some photos of the RHS hall exhibits John I love seeing them.
Mike
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David and Anke way, who featured in John's blog, are also featured in the Daily Mail here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardening/article-2100413/Drop-galanthophiles-The-snowdrop-lovers-beautiful-creation-attracts-visitors-world.html?ito=feeds-newsxml . They have a lovely garden.
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Thanks for that Alan, happy memories of visiting their National Collection of Penstemon in about 2000 - wrong time of year for snowdrops!
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Thanks for that Alan,somewhere for us to visit on the Friday ;D ;D
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Tuesday 14 February
Sadly, for me, the 2012 Galanthus season is already nearing its end. Before I know it I shall be walking the levadas of Madeira with my family - and my father will have reached the age of 80! (and I find myself wondering, does that make me old?... :-\ )
My Tuesday started with work meetings until 11.30 followed by a quick dash to Vincent Square for the 2012 RHS early spring flower show (or whatever silly name the RHS marketing department call it now ::) ). 95% of the attendees are there to look at plants, chat to friends and purchase from the nurseries. The show was once again split over 2 halls, the Lawrence Hall was bursting with plants, the Lindley Hall had 2 additional nurseries, an amazing selection of sculpture and various companies selling everything from paving slabs to astro turf.
It was a fantastic day - slightly less dense displays of snowdrops this year than one has come to expect at this show but still some excellent flowers to be seen. In fact it seemed easier to see the individual plants rather the usual mass of white.
I was gutted to find out that one of my favourite parts of the day was not going to happen - there were no snowdrops deemed good enough by growers to put before the Joint Rock Committee. :'(
I met up with many old friends and also made some new ones. This really is my favourite Galanthus 'social event' of the year.
1 - a general view of the hall
2 - Broadleigh Gardens stand
3 - Foxgrove Stand
4 - 'South Hayes' on Foxgrove
5 - Avon Bulbs stand
6 - SRGC forum member 'Ding Dong'...
7 - Avon bulbs newly named 'Sprite' - A lovely looking snowdrop but I resisted temptation, considering it not distinctive enough for my small garden (£60 for a healthy multi-nosed sized pot of flowering bulbs).
8 - Jacques Amand with a lovely display of Iris
9 - Another beautiful Iris - this one being the organiser of the German coach trip to see UK Galanthus
10 - It was brilliant a brilliant surprise to discover that David Quinton had managed the trip into London :)
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A few more pictures:
1 - Ruby Baker, John and Brenda Foster (apologies for writing Judy Foster on the image name! ::) I was half asleep when resizing the pictures.)
2 - A fantastic sculpture of a horse
3 - A snowdrop pot
4 - some big bronze conkers
5 - Joe Sharman's button hole
6 - At home, a reminder of my lovely German guests.
And there ends my Galanthus wandering for 2012.
I have every intention of spending a week on Mainland Europe during the 2013 snowdrop season. If anyone (members or 'lurkers' ;) ) would be willing to show their gardens to a wandering Englishman please let me know. :)
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You are most welcome to visit any time Olga. 8)
Thank you John! Hope one day...
Your last pictures are inhumane! :) Here we need to wait 2-3 months for such flowering.
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my father will have reached the age of 80! (and I find myself wondering, does that make me old?... :-\ )
Yes ;D :-* ;D
10 - It was brilliant to see that David Quinton had managed the trip into London :)
Absolutely, I hope you had a great day David, well done Katherine for bullying him into it.
...and of course many thanks John for a great report for those of us who didn't make it ;)
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I have thoroughly enjoyed your 2012 log John, thank you so much for all the effort it has taken.
Mike
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Hi John, if this is to be {near to} the end for this year can I say how much I have enjoyed your Blog { a lot !!}. I am not, by a long way, a serious grower of Galanthus, just a few in one of my bulb beds. However I have followed your blog daily and found it most enjoyable and educational, along with your other posts on other threads. Looking forard to next years posts already. ;)
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Back home again, now I can see all pics of your/our wonderfull trips with John. He is the best host I met in Kent. And Kent was our world.
But thank you so much to all forum members we met too. It was a great time with you all. We have a good net of friends in GB!!!
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Back home again, now I can see all pics of your/our wonderfull trips with John. He is the best host I met in Kent. And Kent was our world.
But thank you so much to all forum members we met too. It was a great time with you all. We have a good net of friends in GB!!!
It was wonderful to meet you Hagen and Uli . I hope your garden warms up a bit ! My local chip shop SELLS gherkins , lol :-X :-X :-X
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Thats Joze Bavcon, behind DQ, with Alan Lesley
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My local chip shop SELLS gherkins , lol :-X :-X :-X
I've just gone to my fridge to get sandwich fillings out - and guess what I found hidden behind the mayonaise?!?..........
Somebody has left me a nice surprise!!! :-X
Thank you Hagen! :D
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Go on John, you know you want to....GET ONE!! :)
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John - really great photos from the show and what a shame that is the end of your blogging for this year. My dad was 80yrs old this year......and I am old....you're still a youngster! Maybe you will post a few pics from Madeira? Have a fantastic holiday enjoying quality time with your parents.
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Back home again, now I can see all pics of your/our wonderfull trips with John. He is the best host I met in Kent. And Kent was our world.
But thank you so much to all forum members we met too. It was a great time with you all. We have a good net of friends in GB!!!
Hagen - I hoped to see you at the RHS but when I got there I was told you had already left for your journey home. Maybe I will meet you another time. Glad you enjoyed your trip - it looks like you have had a lot of fun. Even if you never saw as many snowdrops as you had hoped - you got to meet many people in the snowdrop world. Look forward to your photos.
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Go on John, you know you want to....GET ONE!! :)
Oh no I don't! :-X ;)
I could always post a can up to Redcar.... ;D
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i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins :o :-X :o
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BURP!
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or one person has looked at the jar 15 times ::) :-X
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"i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins"
BURP!
"or one person has looked at the jar 15 times"
Tee Hee! I think there's often a clue.......... Rennies, Mike?
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i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins :o :-X :o
More interesting than Snowdrops ??? ;D
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i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins :o :-X :o
More interesting than Snowdrops ??? ;D
More tasty???
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well there was a jar of pickled onions next to the jar of gherkins, maybe people got confused by the white and green and thought they were snowdrops ::)
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I think I need more than Rennies Maggi, :-\ more like one of those beefy firemen with a hose full Gaviscon ;D
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I think I need more than Rennies Maggi, :-\ more like one of those beefy firemen with a hose full Gaviscon ;D
Oooh! :o :-X Form a queue......
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Go on John, you know you want to....GET ONE!! :)
Oh no I don't! :-X ;)
I could always post a can up to Redcar.... ;D
I'm moving :-X ;) ;D
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i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins :o :-X :o
42 have viewed John's ... but there are two cans ;D ;D
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I think I need more than Rennies Maggi, :-\ more like one of those beefy firemen with a hose full Gaviscon ;D
Oooh! :o :-X Form a queue......
:o :o ;D ;D :D :D
i am surprised that 15 people have viewed my picture of a jar of gherkins :o :-X :o
42 have viewed John's ... but there are two cans ;D ;D
I looked twice....so I could see them both ;)
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According to the internet it actually sounds a bit nicer than I expected:
Looking for a healthy snack? Upgrade from your usual pickle-in-a-pouch and try this single low-acid unfermented pickle in it's very own can! You will not experience the sour after-taste most other pickles may give you. This pickle tastes so good all by itself, you will eat it as a snack without anything to go with it!
I will have to stop carrying around my 'usual pickle in a pouch'! ;D
Slightly put of by the German underneath the words 'Get One!' on the can that my mind keeps translating as
1 gross snack! ::)