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Sun, Mar 2, 14 at 8:00
| I bought my woodland last year and because I was busy converting the horsebox, I never spent much time at the woods until May.....so missed the colonies of snowdrops which have covered the entire western edge of the woods. After WW2, a reclusive ex-officer, Heyrick Greatorex, lived in a railway carriage in the next village, where he bred double snowdrops (G.nivalis flore pleno x G.plicatus) which became known as Greatorex doubles. A few are still extant and highly sought by galanthophiles (Desdemona, Titania, Ophelia and, most famously, Hippolyta). Somehow (probably ants) a few colonised the woodland edges....and after 50 years of total neglect, the little bulbs have increased into huge drifts of stunning white huge flowers. I planted around 200 or so seedlings (campanulas, hesperis, millium) but would still have felt utterly overwhelmed with a sense of futility (given the millions upon millions of weeds emerging now)......if not for the snowdrops. True, they had little competition, growing when they do.....but looking at the huge numbers of umbellifers, silene, betony (along with chickweed, nettles, brambles and cleavers), I have renewed faith that I just need to add in a little extra diversity - a nudge in the right direction rather than an attempt to subdue the natural enthusiasm of life. Taking a 3 pronged approach of roots, shoots and seeds - growing plants which have thick taproots or stoloniferous roots, able to thrive amidst competition (verbascum, poppies, campanula, phlox)....plants which are early and bulbous (narcissi, bluebells, anemones) and plants which have millions of seeds and an ability to seed around with abandon (foxgloves, welsh poppies, chaerophyllum, epilobium). I just need to add in a few, then wait and observe. I will also dig some of the snowdrops and start a few more colonies in other parts of the woods in the hope that they will join up over the years in sheets of loveliness. In the meantime, I have asked a galanthophile friend to come and attempt some identification of the glorious doubles here in the wood (although I have generally preferred singles, these are a revelation). |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Pictures of the snowdrops please...? |
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| Yes, please!!! Pictures, if you can! Sounds beautiful! :) |
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- Posted by daisyincrete 10? (My Page) on Tue, Mar 4, 14 at 2:52
| Yes please. I also would love to see photos of your snowdrops. I have a handful of Galanthus elwisii which are joyful every winter, but to have sheets of them! Spectacular. Daisy |
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- Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. (My Page) on Tue, Mar 4, 14 at 11:12
| Another snowdrop lover here, I have 5 different varieties but only know what one is for sure 'ikariae'. One double, one very tall, one not quite so tall and the little common one make up the rest of what I have. One day I'll sit down and peruse Judy's Snowdrops and see if I can sort them out. I'd love to see a picture of yours, growing in drifts must be a glorious sight. The drifts of English Bluebell you have over there are so very beautiful, I've finally managed to get them going, just a pitiful 5 or 6 but it's a start. Spanish Bluebells grow like weeds here, in fact they are hard to get rid of once you've got them, but those elusive little English Bluebells I can only wish. Annette |
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| Great story and great find. I bet subduing the brambles or at least making an attempt at it will go far in making your woods more snowdrop friendly. Before you know it you'll be shooing away early spring snowdrop tours! I'd love to see pictures too :) |
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