On 2010-01-03 20:41:04 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 16:30:36 -0000, "Spider"
wrote:

"Spider" wrote in message
...

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
I think I've asked about this before, but not got a solution.
A house near me has some very early snowdrops, which are already 2 - 3
inches high with buds showing white. They cheered my heart this
morning. There's no sign of my snowdrops yet.
These have quite wide leaves, certainly wider than galanthus nivalis.
I asked the house owner once, but he'd "inherited" them when he bought
the house and did not know the variety. I'd like to be brave enough
to ask if he thinks they need thinning!
Can anyone suggest an identification?

Pam in Bristol


As Sacha says, there are *so* many different snowdrops. However, one of
the more common wide-leaved forms is Galanthus Elwesii. Mine are very
occasionally ahead of the others, but not this year. There is a good
snowdrop site somewhere; I'll see if I can dig it up.

Spider

Hi Pam,

Pardon me answering my own posting, but here is the link to that snowdrop
site. However, I had some trouble opening it. If you do, just try googling
on "Judy's Snowdrops".

www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/

Spider

Oh my goodness, I didn't realise that there are so many varieties of
Elwesii. What a shame the pictures only show the flowers.
If we get more sun and no snow, I'll try and get a photo to put up
here. The ones I'm trying to identify are not out in flower yet.

The picture at
http://www.rainyside.com/features/pl...s_elwesii.html
looks similar, but I'll know more when my local ones are out in a week
or two.
Thank you Spider for that site and thank you Sacha for the advice
about the book. I've been to The Garden House several times in the
past but not for many years now I can no longer drive, and have only
been in the summer.
I've looked in the online library catalogue for the book but it's not
there but Wikipedia gives it as;
SNOWDROPS A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus. Griffin Press. pp. 17.
ISBN 0954191609.

I've been once to Colesborne Par, Glos, the home of the Elwes family
but when we went they were largely sold out of bulbs except for common
ones or very expensive ones; over £10 a bulb!
Thanks all


Pam in Bristol

You could always try sending a photo of yours by email to the Garden
House and see if they can ID it.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon