pbs Digest, Vol 109, Issue 49

Jonathan Knisely jpsknisely@gmail.com
Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:35:53 PST
>
> Subject: [pbs] Galanthomania in the US
>
> Jim:


Galanthus blossom at a very opportune time in the gardening season, and if
they bloomed in June, I suspect there would still be galanthophiles, but
there would probably not have developed a culture around going out to
public gardens (and specially opened private gardens) to peep at them as
spring breaks through the remains of winter.

One issue about why we don't have galanthomania is the absence of large
collections to go visit.  Where there are collections of spring bulbs that
can be seen, people go to see them.  I remember being struck, in my 20's,
by the carpets of Scilla siberica that could be seen in people's yards in
the suburbs north of Chicago.  People would just drive along slowly and
gape.  I'd never seen anything like it, and I've been tucking scilla in
along roadside verges from that time onwards.  In a few decades, there may
be great expanses...

I too was startled by the price paid for the truly beautiful clone of G.
woronowii 'Elizabeth Harrison'.  I look forward to someday being able to
purchase a bulb of this variety and subsidizing the company that made it
possible.

Have I ever paid $20 for a galanthus bulb?  No, but the opportunities are
so limited, and when I've browsed the available species of the two
specialist nurseries that I know of on this side of the pond that have
established themselves as sources of galanthus (The Temple Nursery in
Trumansburg, NY and Carolyn's Shade Garden
http://carolynsshadegardens.com/2012-snowdrop-cata…), there's a dearth
of options because they've already sold out most of what they have to
offer.  They could probably have charged another $5 or $10 per bulb, given
the fact that so much of their stock has sold out!   I would like to avoid
paying the shipping and handling for just getting "some" named variety of
Galanthus (that doesn't look distinctive and beautiful to me).  For that
kind of money, I'd really like to get the ones I want!

Would there be a market for galanthus at these high prices?  There is.
 Will we be able to get more varieties as enterprising individuals bring
them over and propagate them?  Yes.  Are you going to make an order from
Europe?  Let me know!

Jonathan Knisely
New Haven, CT
USDA 6a (now 7)
where galanthus and a few tommies are up to keep the H. foetidus and H.
niger company

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