Galanthus

Antennaria@aol.com Antennaria@aol.com
Wed, 21 Jan 2004 15:16:33 PST
"Mark Smyth" <mark@marksgardenplants.com> wrote:

>I would like to point out that before 
>the recent chat about snowdrops
>started I had prepared an article on 
>this subject for your newsletter/magazine 
>'The Bulb Garden' complete with my photos 
>but minus the copyright. I have now 
>informed the Editor that I will no longer 
>be offering it to the group due to the 
>attitudes of PBS members. I have never 
>felt so ridiculed when talking about the 
>bulbs I grow. Can you imagine what it 
>would be like for everyone to sneer at 
>each members favourite bulb?

First of all, Mark, I'd like to apologize.  It was certainly not my desire nor intent to offend anyone on PBS, nor to have you withdraw an important article from the Bulbs publication. I can assure you I was not sneering at your favorite bulbs; Galanthus.  As I surely pointed out in my prior posting, I do indeed love the Galanthus, they're charming little plants.  But I will admit, I was poking some fun at the number of cultivars for a genus that's rather limited in... flower color.  You shouldn't take it personally, I'm not ridiculing you personally when I attempted to interject some humor into my opinion that they might be an over abundance of Galanthus selections.

Regarding my message on the watermark on your images, I had hoped here too, to put forth a touch of humor on the practice of branding images, I offered it up tongue-in-cheek.  Personally, I do find watermarks distracting... I do think it's ok to express that opinion in this forum, and I do understand why some people choose to utilize the practice of including watermarks.  Had I known that you were such a serious fellow, and would be offended in any way by my messages, I would not have delivered them as I did.  Thus again, I apologize for any distress I may have caused you.  I do hope you will reconsider the Bulbs article, and not let a couple of PBS contributors who tried to interject some humor, so negatively effect your PBS experience. I promise to "cool it" on the Galanthus front. Please believe me when I say, I do love Galanthus.

And it if offers any consolation, feel free to bash my favorite genus, many people do... Allium.  It's ok, I won't be offended.  After growing these great plants for 30 years or more, a genus dismissed as weeds, invasives, stinkers, or just dull and unintersting by many, often portrayed as such in literature, say what you will about Allium... it doesn't diminish the enjoyment I derive from growing and studying them.  I may still defend my opinion, but there's nothing like a good discussion on a public forum, where divergent and often opposing opinions are expressed.  It's what makes things interesting.


Mark McDonough        
Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States  
"New England", near New Hampshire  
USDA Zone 5
=======================================
antennaria@aol.com  
website: http://www.plantbuzz.com/
alliums, bulbs, penstemons, hardy hibiscus, 
western american alpines, iris, plants of all 
types!


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