Galanthus AGM by Roundtable AGM Report 2016 © RHS/ Lee Beel Author Kirsty Angwin AGM round table coordinator, The Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB RHS Galanthus AGM by Roundtable The criteria which a plant needs to fulfil in order to receive the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) are: excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions available of good constitution essentially stable in form and colour reasonably resistant to pests and diseases AGM by roundtable discussion is a method of awarding AGM when the genus or plant group in question displays any or all of the following criteria: impractical or impossible to trial not in the trials plan for the next 5 years proposing plant committee does not contain the expertise to recommend ‘in house’ and has the following attributes: current lack of AGMs relevant to today’s gardener outside expertise is identified Present at Meetings: Christopher Grey-Wilson (Chairman), Rod Leeds, Mary Randall, Dick Bathe, Jan Pennings, Alan Street (present at second meeting only) Apologies: Sir Nicholas Bacon (both meetings) Host Gardens: 10th February 2016 at Mr and Mrs Staines, ‘Glen Chantry’ and Mr and Mrs Leeds ‘Chesnuts’ 24th February 2016 at Dr Ronald Mackenzie ‘Barn Cottage’ and Colesbourne Park (courtesy of Sir and Lady Elwes RHS Staff: Kirsty Angwin (AGM Round table Coordinator) Background Information The Galanthus forum was created by RHS Joint rock plant committee to assess snowdrops in 2015. On February 10th and February 24th 2016 the forum comprising; Christopher Grey-Wilson (Chairman), Rod Leeds, Mary Randall, Dick Bathe, Jan Pennings and Alan Street (second meeting only) met on two occasions to assess a total of 104 Galanthus cultivars. The criteria for selection has included; Available from several suppliers Recognisable and distinct Garden worthiness Longevity in the garden Early, mid and late season varieties It was judged that the forum put together from breeders, nursery men, collectors and from the RHS joint rock and bulb committee had sufficient knowledge to arrive at a sound conclusion on the cultivars awarded. Hardiness rating for all Galanthus up to H6 = -20/-15 Hardy – very cold winter. The voting forum made the following recommendations at this roundtable discussion: The Panel recommended the Society's AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT to: Galanthus ‘Ailwyn’ Found at Anglesey Abbey Cambridgeshire in 1994 and named after Lord Fairhaven. A selection made a few years later as ‘Lady Fairhaven’ was deemed to be the same, so the name ‘Ailwyn’ takes precedence Description: Group: Hybrid Cultivars Often described as a perfectly formed double, this fine early spring flowering cv deserves wider recognition. Leaves glaucous, more or less erect, 7-10 x 1.2-1.5 cm at flowering, with a hooded apex. Scapes equalling the leaves, arched, Outer tepals 3, concave, half-spreading, 22-25 x 14-17 mm, plain. Inner tepals 9-15 mostly, about two thirds the length of the outer, with a shallow apical notch, marked by a two small green apostrophes, one on each side of the notch, these occasionally joined into a narrow U-shape; anther imperfect, often accompanied by several unmarked petaloids. Ovary very narrow, conical. Picture © Galanthus ‘Ailwyn’ Rod Leeds Forum comments: ‘Ailwyn’ and ‘Lady Fairhaven’ are the same plants. It was agreed that Ailwyn is the correct name Galanthus ‘Augustus’ No exact date is known for the name. It was named by Amy Doncaster over forty years ago for the doyen of gardeners Edward Augustus Bowles. Description: Group: Species Cultivars A well-known and prolific and vigorous cv ideal for naturalising in the garden. Leaves broad and curved, ascending, glaucous with shiny deep green stripes, 9-14 x 2-2.8 cm at flowering, with margins clearly revolute in the lower half. Scapes solitary, occasionally two, more or less erect, to 18 cm long. Outer tepals markedly concave, curved, 18-23 mm long, slightly less wide, the surface noticeable puckered. Inner tepals about half the length of the outer, almost as broad as long, with a very shallow apical notch, with an apple-green X-shaped mark Picture © Galanthus ‘Augustus’ extending to most of the length of the tepal, with paler green between incurved basal "arms"; the green lines Rod Leeds inside run from close to the apex to the base. Ovary rounded. Forum comments: Bulks up well. Galanthus elwesii (Hiemalis Group) ‘Barnes’ The stock came from the last garden of Oliver Wyatt in Suffolk. It is a very reliable flowering autumn snowdrop that bulks up quickly. Description: Group: Species Cultivars Flowering well before Christmas, this is possibly the earliest G. elwesii selection to come into flower the closely similar 'Earliest of All' in fact flowers several weeks later on average. The flowers are faintly scented. Leaves glaucous, 2, sometimes 3, erect, only partly developed at flowering and then 5-7 x 1-1.3 cm. Scapes erect 12-16 cm long. Outer tepals shallowly concave, plain, 20-24 x 10-12 mm. Inner tepals about a half to two thirds the length of the outer, somewhat longer than wide, with a mid-green, uniform U mark just below the shallow apical notch, with the inner green lines confined to the upper two thirds of the teal. Ovary egg-shaped. Forum comments: Flowers from November over a long period and is a good and large garden snowdrop. Reliable in both sun/shade. Picture © Galanthus elwesii ‘Barnes’ Rod Leeds Galanthus elwesii ‘Comet’ This large clone was spotted by John Morley in the rock garden at Wisley forty years ago. It was named after the comet Kohoutek which appeared in 1973. Description: Group: Species Cultivar An old and proven, widely grown, cultivar with well- formed large flowers borne on long arching stalks. Leaves glaucous, 2, occasionally 3, arched, partly developed at flowering and then 17-22 x 2-2.2 cm, with a slight hooded tip, pronouncedly wrapped (supervolute) at the base. Scapes arched to erect, to 27 cm long, the spathes curved, slightly longer than the curved pedicels. Outer tepals shallowly concave, half-spreading, 32-35 x 22-25 mm, plain white or with 7-9 uneven short green lines towards the apex. Inner segments about one third the length of the outer, longer than wide, with a well- Picture © Galanthus elwesii ‘Comet’ marked apical notch and a bold deep olive green Doug Joyce mark, like a deer trotter, just below the notch. Ovary narrow egg-shaped, deep green. Forum comments: An excellent plant with substantial flowers and big leaves. Reliable green tips. Galanthus plicatus ‘Diggory’ A Norfolk snowdrop which is instantly recognisable, with its large round and puckered outer segments. Proving to be very easy to cultivate in a sunny well drained position. Description: Group: Species Cultivar An unusual and distinctive cv readily identified in the garden, with the outer tepals curling in pantaloon-like giving the flowers a characteristic flat bottom. Leaves glaucous, usually two, erect, short at flowering and then 5-7 x 1.4-1.6 cm. Scapes erect, one, occasionally two, to 17 cm long, the spathes short and more or less Picture © Galanthus plicatus ‘Diggory’ erect, shorter than the arched pedicels. Outer tepals 24-27 mm long, almost as wide, markedly incurved in Rod Leeds the upper half and distinctly narrowed into a stalk at the base, puckered overall. Inner tepals about one third to a half the length of the outer, with a pale green mark covering most of the surface but free of the base, more or less X-xhaped with the lower half of the X filled in. Ovary egg-shaped. Forum comments: Superb texture to petals. A well-known plant and in demand, an outstanding snowdrop. Galanthus plicatus ‘E.A. Bowles’ Found by Michael Myers in 2004 in the garden of Myddleton House, Enfield. This was the garden of E.A. Bowles and was appropriately given his name. Description: Group: Species Cultivar One of the finest poculiform snowdrops, those with equal inner and outer tepals. The plant is a typical plicate with the distinctive folding of the leaves and larger than those of many G. nivalis cultivars. The flowers, like flared skirts, have 6 more or less equal pure white tepals, none with a notched tip, these about 28-33 mm long. Ovary egg-shaped. Forum comments: A nice distinctive snowdrop Picture © Galanthus plicatus ‘E.A. Bowles’ Rod Leeds Galanthus elwesii ‘Godfrey Owen’ Found last century by the late Margaret Owen in Shropshire and named for her husband. A stunning even six segmented snowdrop with great vigour. Description: Group: Species Cultivar A large-flowered and very distinctive snowdrop noted for its cartwheel-like flowers, being the only cultivar to date with a double compliment of tepals, being 6 outer and 6 inner. Leaves glaucous, two or three, ascending, 8-11 x 0.6-0.8 cm at flowering, weakly enwrapped (supervolute) at the base, slightly hooded at the apex. Scapes erect, to 18 cm long with arching spathes. Outer tepals 6, widely spreading, shallowly concave, Picture © Galanthus elwesii ‘Godfrey Owen’ symmetrically arranged into a wheel, 18-21 x 12-13 mm, blunt, unmarked. Inner tepals 6, Rod Leeds rarely more, the extras usually imperfect, forming a slightly disorganised whorl, half the length of the outer and with a small apical sinus, each adorned with a pair of small green dots close to the sinus or notch. Ovary conical, tapering into the pedicel. Forum comments: Distinctive, has a big flower, beautiful and elegant rounded petals. Early flowering Galanthus ‘John Gray’ A snowdrop that has stood the test of time. Over fifty years old, this cultivar is early to flower. It came originally from the garden of John Gray from Benhall in Suffolk.