Author Topic: snowdrops (Read 4468 times)

ugly gourd · « **on:** December 28, 2007, 14:01:43 »

Well here in windy but sunny north bucks my first snowdrop is just showing its head ;D

louise stella · « **Reply #1 on:** December 28, 2007, 16:17:33 »

OOOh thats early! - I love Snowdrops - i'll have to keep a lookout for my first one!

Louise

ugly gourd · « **Reply #2 on:** December 28, 2007, 18:35:12 »

Ive been known to have one or two out for xmas day but it really makes you think of spring. Quick where are the seed caterloges!! ;D

valmarg · « **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2007, 20:34:11 »

Got my first cyclamen coum flower out, and the helleborus niger is showing signs of flowers. Snowdrops are only just peeping through the ground, but have one daft daffodil that is showing yellow on its flower. Whereas the other plants are growing flower shoots at the same rate as leaves, this one has shot up a stem way above the leaves, and will be in flower in the next few days. The daffodils are normally in flower late January (variety February Gold). I don't think it's anything to do with climate change/global warming, this daff has just thrown a wobbly!!

valmarg

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2007, 13:02:02 »

My snowdrops are just coming up, the odd hellebore is out, and a few cowslip crosses are flowering.

Georgie · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2007, 13:36:54 »

I've been out in the garden for about an hour (having been fooled by the beautiful blue sky) but I've popped in to thaw out - the wind is awful here too.

Like Valmarg, my H.Niger will be out any day - best crop of flowers I've ever had - but the Snowdrops are only about an inch above the ground. No sign of any Daffs yet but the Acconites and dwarf Iris are peeping through. Biggest surprise was seeing the Leucojum (summer snowflake) coming up and buds on the Quercifolium! The Garlic Chives are also showing green shoots. :)

G x

valmarg · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2007, 20:19:08 »

What I love about this time of year is that the winter solstice is past. To me January and February are the worst months of the year, but come March the year's growing season is going to be so much better, hopefully :-\ :-\
valmarg

Garden Manager · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2007, 17:37:59 »

My first one came out today. Just in time for New Year! Not for the first time I might add, I have had them out in time for New Year a couple of times before.

moonbells · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2007, 17:45:49 »

I had a G. Elwesii out on Christmas Day, a full week earlier than usual. I did think they'd be even earlier as the buds were well above the soil at the start of Dec but the cold held them back.

moonbells

Steven · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2007, 21:50:53 »

None here in the east yet and i hope more flower this comming year.Three years ago i decided in my infinite nonwisdom to split them and then they sulked for a few years & wouldnt flower.

Last year more flowered,but i've learned by lesson. :)

Garden Manager · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2008, 15:47:04 »

My only concern with my snowdrops is that whilst some hve come up and started to flower, some havent apeared at all yet. i am hoping they are just late and nothign has gone wrong underground.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2008, 09:53:42 »

Your soil probably varies in temperature round the garden, and snowdrops are pretty variable as well. Give them time.

VP · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2008, 10:54:38 »

Some leaves are through, but no sign of a bud as yet. :( I got 1000 in the green as a birthday pressie a few years back :), so I now do an annual count. I had to do some guerilla gardening to get them all planted, so I 'expanded' out of the front garden and down the public land's bank next to the house. They do look good even if I say it myself!

VP · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2008, 19:02:45 »

Found 1 bud today ;D

lorna · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2008, 22:46:27 »

No sign of my snowdrops yet. Eric kindly sent me some in the green 2 seasons ago and last year I was in a panic as quite a few members had snowdrops in flower and mine were not even showing. They then popped up and were really lovely so I am not going to worry this year, for some reason mine seem to be late starters :)

davholla · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2008, 17:09:28 »

I planted some in the green last year (sadly not sure where)
and bulbs in November so I am really hopeful to get some soon.

However I am a novice gardener so I might have messed up.

froglets · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2008, 18:06:55 »

No sign here in South Chesh although we go every year to look at the snowdrops at Rode Hall just down the road and they run from start Feb so still a bit of time to go?

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2008, 21:36:28 »

Loads of time. Mine are up, but there's no sign of a flower.

Kea · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2008, 18:02:42 »

Mine are up and in flower and i only noticed them today! :-[
A couple of years ago they flowered at the end of November which ruined the whole 'promise of spring' idea for me. I didn't have many last year and I assumed they'd been taken by a squirrel.

Garden Manager · « **Reply #19 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:48:12 »

I am concerned about my snowdrops. Some have come up and started to flower but i still have large gaps where I did not have them before. I note Robert's comments about soil temperature etc, but I am not sure if this is the case as in the same patch of soil some have come up and flowered and others have not appeared. I cannot see that soil temperature can vary that much or make that much difference in the space of a few centimetres.

I looked back over photos from past yers and worryingly noted a gradual thinning over the past few years, coinciding with warmer wetter winters. Could it be some bulbs have just got too wet. It seems no coincidence to me that where the bulbs are coming up the site is either more sheltered (overhanging trees or shrubs) or the site s raised up and better drained.

To give some history our garden always had snow drops growing happily along the front of retaining walls at the bottom of our sloping garden They were happy and only needed a bit of thinning out. Then we redeveloped the area and the snowdrops had to be moved. Once the work was complete and new retaining walls built, the snowdrops were replanted, all be it more thinly than before. I expected a thin display the first year after replanting but expected them to bulk up again and restore the old display. This has not happened an as described above, rather than getting thicker the bulbs seem to have got thinner. it could be that the soil isnt as good here any more, or is less well drained, or maybe it is just the weather (climate change?).

I think I may have to buy in more bulbs to bulk up the display, but since I dont really know what caused the deterioration of the current bulbs, I am reluctant to spend money on new bulbs and plant them in the same place. Sad though it may be to do, it may be time to start again in a fresh site. This would be a shame since where they are currently is in veiw of the house windows and creates a nice outlook at this time of year..

Sorry for the lengthy post. I hope someone can advise me on this little problem. Thanks

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Author Topic: snowdrops (Read 4468 times)