Archive for Galanthus ‘Anglesey Orange Tip’

A Special Tour of Anglesey Abbey

Posted in bulbs for shade, snowdrops, winter, winter garden, winter interest with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 14, 2024 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

 

The house at Anglesey Abbey was originally built in 1600 on the ruins of a priory dissolved by Henry VIII in 1536.  Photo David Boughey

To access our current snowdrop catalogue, click here.  There are still a lot of great snowdrops left.

In February of 2023, Michael and I visited the magnificent winter gardens at Anglesey Abbey in Lode, England, about five miles outside of Cambridge.  We came at the invitation of the wonderful David Boughey, National Trust Service Assistant, who arranged a private tour of Anglesey’s snowdrop collection for us.  David is also a professional photographer and supplied many of the photographs for this post.  Thank you, David!

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Nursery News:  Carolyn’s Shade Gardens at Whitehall Farm is a retail nursery in Norristown, PA, U.S., zone 6b/7a. If you are interested in shopping here, send us an email with your full name, mailing address, and cell number to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com and indicate if you are interested in shopping at the nursery and/or snowdrops (mail order only). Current catalogues, hours/contact information , and directions are under Pages on the right sidebar. The only plants we ship are snowdrops to US customers. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

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The Anglesey Abbey grounds include Lode Mill, a completely functional corn mill, originally purchased and restored by Lord Fairhaven in 1934 but probably in existence prior to 1086.  Photo David Boughey

Our tour was conducted by very knowledgeable Senior Gardener David Jordan, who guided us through the winter gardens and the Specialist Collection of Snowdrops.  Anglesey Abbey has over 500 varieties of snowdrops so it is a great place for galanthophiles.  But before I get to the snowdrops, I want to show you the stunning winter gardens.  The following photos were taken by David Boughey.

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Now for the snowdrops……

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Anglesey Abbey has had to limit access to the snowdrop collection after a series of snowdrop thefts so the Specialist Collection is only accessible with advance booking of a guided tour.  The tours take place in January and February and sell out quickly.  The 2025 tour schedule was not available at the time of this post, but click here to check for updates.

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We passed this sculptural birch grove on the way to the snowdrops.

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There were also many naturalized snowdrops in the woods and gardens outside the special collection.

The snowdrop collection featured so many amazing and notable cultivars that it would be impossible to do it justice—you just have to visit.  In the meantime, I will show nine snowdrops that were discovered and selected at Anglesey Abbey:

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‘Ailwyn’, a RHS Award of Garden Merit-winning snowdrop discovered by the famous Richard Nutt in 1994 and named for Lord Fairhaven, the owner of Anglesey Abbey who donated it to the National Trust in 1966.

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‘Anglesey Orange Tip’ was discovered at Anglesey Abbey by our guide Senior Gardener David Jordan.  Its buds are a lovely apricot color, which fades to a glow on the tips when the flowers open.

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‘Anglesey Orange Tip’ in bud at Colesbourne Park.

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‘Anglesey Abbey’, though variable, is, at its best, a pure white poculiform snowdrop with glossy green leaves found by famous horticulturist Graham Thomas in the abbey gardens.

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The beautiful double ‘Lady Fairhaven’ appeared at the abbey in 1998 and is considered very similar to ‘Ailwyn’.

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‘Anglesey Candlelight’ was discovered by Senior Gardener David Jordan around 2014 and given its name due to the orange glow on the inner segments.

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‘Huttlestone’ was discovered in the abbey gardens in 1992 by Joe Sharman, the owner of Monksilver Nursery.  It is named for the first Lord Fairhaven.  Look at those leaves!

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‘Anglesey Cloudgazer’ was found in the abbey gardens by now retired Head Gardener Richard Todd and named by Michael and Ann Broadhurst at Rainbow Farm Snowdrops for a stargazing structure at the abbey designed by Todd.

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The beautiful and vigorous ‘Richard Ayres’ was found at Anglesey Abbey in 1987 by famous galanthophile Richard Nutt and named for a former Head Gardener.

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As recounted by then Head Gardener Richard Ayres, ‘Melanie Broughton’ was discovered at Anglesey Abbey during the 1998 Galanthus Gala and later named for Lord Fairhaven’s youngest daughter.  It is still available in our 2025 Snowdrop Catalogue.

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Carolyn

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Snowdrops in the Pipeline

Posted in bulbs for shade, New Plants, snowdrops, winter interest with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2017 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

 

Galanthus 'Pieces of Eight'

‘Pieces of Eight’ is a new snowdrop found by renowned snowdrop hunter Veronica Cross.

Our 2020 Snowdrop Catalogue is on line here, and we are currently taking orders.

Michael and I just returned from two weeks in England visiting famous snowdrop venues and meeting the rock stars of the galanthus world.  We found our way to Welford Park, Painswick Rococo Garden, Colesbourne Park, Avon Bulbs, East Lambrook Manor Garden (Margery Fish), Rodmarton Manor, the RHS Spring Show at Vincent Square, North Green Snowdrops, and Gelli Uchaf Garden in Wales. 

And, even more fun, we spent time with Sir Henry and Lady Carolyn Elwes at Colesbourne, Alan Street at Avon and the RHS Show (plus Maxine and Mickey), Simon Biddulph at Rodmarton, Phil Cornish in his garden, John Morley at North Green, and Julian and Fiona Wormald in their Welsh garden.  Thank you to all our wonderful hosts.

Nursery News:  Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade.  The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas.  For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com.  Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

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Galanthus 'Pieces of Eight'‘Pieces of Eight’ combines a very bold form of the ‘Trym’/’Trumps’ type marking with the fuller, rounder look that I prefer in a snowdrop.  I predict a big price on UK eBay if that hasn’t already happened.

1,500 photos later it is hard to know where to start especially since it is time for me to focus on shipping snowdrops.  However, I thought it would be easy and fun to highlight some of the amazing snowdrops that are coming down the pipeline or have been very recently introduced.  So here is a sneak preview of developments in the snowdrop world.

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Galanthus 'Neckless Wonder'Matt Bishop named this snowdrop ‘Neckless Wonder’ because it has no pedicel attaching it to the stem—not an endearing name but certainly descriptive.  It is fun to be able to look straight into the flowers.

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Galanthus 'Fiona's Gold' nivalisAlthough ‘Fiona’s Gold’, a G. nivalis cultivar, has been around for a few years, it really stood out for its bright yellow color.  Most of the yellow snowdrops we saw looked anemic compared to what I am used to in the states because they need sun to turn gold, and there isn’t any over there.  Michael and I expected terrible weather (and dressed for it), and we weren’t disappointed.  It was freezing cold, damp, and raining or snowing most of the time we were there.

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Galanthus 'Compu.Ted'This charming snowdrop called ‘Compu.Ted’ was in the Avon RHS display.  I was so busy helping to set up the exhibit and taking photos that I didn’t have a chance to ask Alan Street about the name.  Edit: According to Emma Thick, it is one of John Sales’s snowdrops named after his grandson who works with/likes computers.  Thanks, Emma!

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Galanthus 'Miss Prissy'‘Miss Prissy’ with her outward facing stance really stood out.  I wonder if she is named after the spinster hen in Looney Tunes.

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Galanthus 'Joy Cozens'‘Joy Cozens’ is not new but it was the first time I saw an orange tip in person—it really is orange!

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Galanthus 'Anglesey Orange Tip' elwesiiI was also thrilled to see this thriving clump of ‘Anglesey Orange Tip’.  None of the flowers opened while I was there so I don’t know if they maintain their orange hue.

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Galanthus NGZZZ-R-OVXVXPI thought this un-named snowdrop at North Green was gorgeous.

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Galanthus gracilis 'Andreas Fault' Matt BishopA lovely G. gracilis cultivar named ‘Andreas Fault’ by Matt Bishop.  Is it named for the San Andreas Fault in California or did Andrea do something wrong?  Edit: According to Janet Benjafield, it is named for Andy Byfield by Matt Bishop, a teasing name.  Thanks, Janet.

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Galanthus 'Long John Silver'Veronica Cross, sticking with the Treasure Island theme, calls this beauty ‘Long John Silver’.  Edit:  According to Janet Benjafield, Treasure Island refers to a patch in Veronica’s garden that yielded these new snowdrops.

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Galanthus 'Treasure Island'This is Veronica’s ‘Treasure Island’, a star money maker.  Unfortunately, it’s closed like many of the snowdrops I saw and photographed.  When it is cold, gray, and raining every day, you get desperate and take the photo anyway.  I never realized how lucky we American galanthophiles are with all our sun.

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Galanthus 'Grave Concern'Another gorgeous snowdrop—just look at those outers—from Alan Street and  named inadvertently ‘Grave Concern’.  Quite a somber name for such a beautiful flower, apparently it was found in a graveyard.

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Galanthus 'Golden Fleece' plicatusMy only sighting of the record holder for most expensive snowdrop, ‘Golden Fleece’.  A little out of focus as I was on the east coast of England with the wind howling in from the North Sea and snow was falling.  I always wonder if the name is a play on words.
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Galanthus 'Midas' seedling‘Golden Fleece’ is going to be given a run for its money by another yellow Trym-form about to hit the market, ‘Midas’.  This is actually a ‘Midas’ seedling as the real thing wasn’t open yet.
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Galanthus 'Dragonfly'Veronica Cross gave us ‘Wasp’ and now this beautiful and more substantial insect ‘Dragonfly’.
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Galanthus 'Dragonfly'A swarm of ‘Dragonflys’ at the Avon RHS Show.

Who knows when any of these gorgeous snowdrops will be available in the US, but at least we know what’s coming.

Carolyn

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Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

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Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.

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