Snowdrop Varieties - Where Are They Now?

[Rob]

Woottens of Wenhaston are advertising Limey.

[Lesley Cox]

Any snowdrop - or anything else - named 'Dame Margot Fonteyn' would have to be very special indeed. There was a story I read years ago about her travelling up in a lift (elevator) in New York and complaining about the persistent rain. The lift man said "Ah but Ma'am, you can dance between the raindrops." I was very privileged to see her dance in what was, I think, the only performance she gave in this country.

[steve owen]

Any snowdrop - or anything else - named 'Dame Margot Fonteyn' would have to be very special indeed. There was a story I read years ago about her travelling up in a lift (elevator) in New York and complaining about the persistent rain. The lift man said "Ah but Ma'am, you can dance between the raindrops." I was very privileged to see her dance in what was, I think, the only performance she gave in this country.

I once had a brief (5 minute) conversation with her over a coffee in a Covent Garden market coffee shop.  Thirty years ago. She was luminous.

Martin, if you have a distinctive snowdrop that you want to call "Pelican"  and there's no sign of the Pelican in Snowdrops, and you are ready to distribute it, maybe you should just go ahead? Mao Tse Tung said "you don't get given power, you take it".

[Alan_b]

Seems quite ridiculous that these names cannot be re-used for another plant, especially if it can a) be shown to be no longer in existence...

You can search and search for something and fail to find it but you can never show that is doesn't exist.

...After all, there is not even an official Galanthus registry....

Don't say that to the Dutch.  The problem is that their registry misses-out most named snowdrops.

[Alan_b]

Martin, if you have a distinctive snowdrop that you want to call "Pelican"  and there's no sign of the Pelican in Snowdrops, and you are ready to distribute it, maybe you should just go ahead? Mao Tse Tung said "you don't get given power, you take it".

I would like to propose the name "Baxendale's Pelican".

[Martin Baxendale]

The problem seems to be the "publication" of a name. Once a snowdrop has been identified by a particular name in almost any kind of publication, even a nursery catalogue, or on a website, then the nomenclatural rules seem to demand that forever and a day that must be the name of the plant and no other plant of the same genus can ever bear that name, even in some re-hashed way such as 'Pelican' and 'Baxendales' Pelican'. Then again, who's going to physically stop you? 

[Lesley Cox]

You can search and search for something and fail to find it but you can never show that is doesn't exist.

Like the Loch Ness monster. It can't be proved it DOESN'T exist.

The general rule for naming when there is not a recognised registering body, is that the plant concerned should be published in an authoritative publication, with name, colour photograph and clear, detailed description of appearance, habit, size, flowering time etc. If this hasn't happened, anyone can call any plant whatever he/she pleases. But if you want a name officially recognised, then get it published properly and THEN no-one else may use that name for a plant of the same genus.

[Brian Ellis]

Then again, who's going to physically stop you? 

Quite probably nobody, and if it is widely distributed and grown then I am sure we, the general public, would hold sway

[Alan_b]

So there you have it, Martin.  You just need to send one to everyone on the forum and you will win the day! 

[Sean Fox]

Martin, if you have a distinctive snowdrop that you want to call "Pelican"  and there's no sign of the Pelican in Snowdrops, and you are ready to distribute it, maybe you should just go ahead? Mao Tse Tung said "you don't get given power, you take it".

I would like to propose the name "Baxendale's Pelican".

I can't see why this couldn't be used, how may snowdrops have the used the words Magnet, Merlin or even Ketton?

[Martin Baxendale]

Martin, if you have a distinctive snowdrop that you want to call "Pelican"  and there's no sign of the Pelican in Snowdrops, and you are ready to distribute it, maybe you should just go ahead? Mao Tse Tung said "you don't get given power, you take it".

I would like to propose the name "Baxendale's Pelican".

I can't see why this couldn't be used, how may snowdrops have the used the words Magnet, Merlin or even Ketton?

Plenty, and apparently it's "not allowed". Lesley, we were told at the last snowdrop gala that the nomenclatural rules have now been broadened out so that any publication anywhere now consitutes official publication of a plant name, probably based on the ludicrous way researchers have gone back through literature finding obscure early references to prior names for widely-used later names so they can change them and annoy us all. 

[KentGardener]

I wonder in this modern technological age whether posting a name on SRGC would be enough to call it published?

[Martin Baxendale]

I wonder in this modern technological age whether posting a name on SRGC would be enough to call it published?

I think it might well be.

[Martin Baxendale]

I wonder in this modern technological age whether posting a name on SRGC would be enough to call it published?

Just checked via google and a new ruling by the International Botanical Congress takes effect this month allowing new species names to be "officially" published online as well as in a paper publication. I would guess that the same will, or soon will, apply to cultivated plant names.

[Alan_b]

... I presume Diane Broughton originates from a snowdrop found at Anglesey Abbey so they might know if it still exists. 

So much for that idea.  I spoke to the deputy head (?) gardener at Anglesey Abbey today.  He confirmed that "Diane Broughton" originates from Anglesey Abbey but they don't have it there; he has never even seen one!