List of early-flowering snowdrops

[Alan_b]

Reading through Matt Bishop's report on the last snowdrop season in the 2014 Yearbook I found mention of one called 'Nice n Early' from Wol & Sue Staines; thought to be a hybrid seedling of 'Three Ships'.  The name gives away a lot about the flowering time but not whether it is earlier or later than its presumed parent.

[emma T]

Maybe email Wol and Sue and ask ?

[Alan_b]

I would do, Emma, but I don't know their email address.  Wol & Sue don't give an email address on their web site or order form.   If somebody who knows it can PM me then I will.

[Brian Ellis]

Reading through Matt Bishop's report on the last snowdrop season in the 2014 Yearbook I found mention of one called 'Nice n Early' from Wol & Sue Staines; thought to be a hybrid seedling of 'Three Ships'.  The name gives away a lot about the flowering time but not whether it is earlier or later than its presumed parent.

Mine is not out yet.

[Alan_b]

Thanks, Brian, and we already know your 'Three Ships' is out so it seems 'Nice n Early' is later - at least for you this year.

[Maggi Young]

I would do, Emma, but I don't know their email address.  Wol & Sue don't give an email address on their web site or order form.   If somebody who knows it can PM me then I will.

Wol and Sue are forum members so I expect they will find this eventually.......

[snowdropcollector]

Alan,

Nice and Early ( GC 15) is well up here and almost flowering. No sing of my Three Ships yet. It seems that, as always, flowering times
of snowdrops difference from place to place. Comparing to last year, lot of snowdrops with me are later or much earlier.

[Maggi Young]

A note from Wol and Sue, sent with a lovely photo of 'Nice n Early' :

'At the moment with us 'Nice 'n Early' is at the pointed spear stage.With  a bit of luck it usually starts flowering at the turn of the year in late [ie Late December to early January]  frequently for Christmas Day.  'Three Ships' has been on flower at Glen Chantry since the middle of November though the clump near where 'Nice 'n Early' was found has only just reached its flowering potential. The time differential for flowering on the same variety varies considerably in different parts of our garden. We  feel that 'Nice 'n Early' is too borderline to qualify as a consistent pre Christmas flowering snowdrop.'



 Many thanks to Sue and Wol for their help.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Well done, Maggi 

[Alan_b]

Thanks, Maggi, for eliciting the information and to Wol and Sue for supplying it - together with the superb picture.

[Carolyn Walker]

I've given 'Standing Tall' the benefit of the doubt and added it to the list.  If somebody in North America has 'Three Ships' maybe they can do a trade with Charles Cresson?

Edit:  I choose 'Three Ships' because it seems to be quite widely distributed.  If it's not available in North America I need a secondary reference there.

Alan, I have 'Three Ships' but it was just planted this September so I don't know how representative the bloom time is.  I also have 'Standing Tall' planted in March 2013.  Adjusting slightly because TS is in a sunny south-facing location and ST is in a shady north-facing location, I would say they bloom at the same time.  The buds are present and ready on both but nothing is happening due to terrible weather, high of 36 degrees (2.2 C) and snowing today, no sun for weeks.  I will know better next year.

[Alan_b]

Thanks, Carolyn, keep us posted.  I'll continue to modify and augment the list with any new information that arises.

[emma T]

We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now

[Maggi Young]

We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now

I like the shape of 'Castlegar'  but I don't have any Irish 'drops.

[Alan_b]

We have 'Castlegar' in flower at work now

Ahead of 'Three Ships', Emma?  It's generally an early season here so I stopped the clock on anything growing in my garden a few weeks ago when I saw 'Three Ships' was out at nearby Anglesey Abbey.