Tuesday 15 March 2011

Unknown Galanthus and the Light of Spring


Each year I excitedly anticipate the snowdrops, and these are a particular favourite given by a dear friend. They are larger than most Galanthus, and I wonder if anyone can identify them?



I love the subtle yet defined green markings.


There's something especially appealing about snowdrops in shade - they can look quite magical!


Another unidentified favourite is this little Euphorbia, which glows ruby-like next to Stonecrop.


Myriads of Myosotis have self seeded everywhere, and will soon cover the soil in a cloud of blue. In the light of Spring, even their humble leaves seem to exude an inner gloriousness.


New furry foliage of Stachys lanata 'Primrose Heron' arises in lemon-hued vibrance from last year's winter-washed remains.



Seed-heads of 'Autumn Joy' glow like embers in a shady corner.



Illuminated by the light of Spring, their stems seem to flicker with haloes of fire.

Ingrid Sylvestre

Ingrid Sylvestre English Landscape Painter Durham North East England UK Landscape Art Garden Paintings Trees Woods Forests Paintings for Sale Fine Artist Visionary Artist. Durham Sunderland Newcastle Teesside Darlington Northumberland.

12 comments:

Malyss said...

I don't know the name of those flowers, but to see them jumping out from the ground gives me a great feeling of joy!

Phoenix C. said...

They do look very joyful - and I'm always so glad to see them 'jumping out from the ground' each year, Malyss! When the wind blows they look as if they are dancing.

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

Until I saw your snowdrops, I had forgotten I had planted some in a large pot and tucked it away at the back of a garden. I had better go outside and see how it has fared over the winter.

Phoenix C. said...

Hope your pot of snowdrops has survived the winter, Keewee!

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Your grass is already green!!!! :) Love the snowdrops, though I can't ID them.

Phoenix C. said...

Our grass stays green all winter - and has a large proportion of moss too, adding to the verdant look! Lots of lovely clover in it too, which the bees love. I like to sit and listen to them buzzing happily in the clover blossoms, while I paint!

Rune Eide said...

Snowdrops and no snow? :-)

These photos make me envious!

Phoenix C. said...

No snow here at the moment, RuneE, but it is falling not too many miles away further North!

Anna said...

Puzzling over your snowdrop. How tall are they and do you have any close up of the leaves ? Possibly galanthus atkinsii but I am not sure. The spring light is getting stronger by the day :)

Phoenix C. said...

Anna, they are quite tall. I'll see if I have any other photos - they've gone over now. I've just Googled atkinsii, and they do look very similar. Also Jill Bagnall suggested elwesii - which also look just like them!

Today's light has been subdued, yet radiant!

Prospero said...

Galanthus nivalis?

I'm not sure. You are a few USDA zones down from me!

Here's what I started this year from seed:
Lachenalia viridiflora
Lachenalia alba
Lachenalia carnosa
Lachenalia thomasiae
Cyrtanthus loddigiesianus
Daubenya capensis
Geissorhiza tulbaghensis
Gladiolus floribundus ssp floribundus
Hesperantha vaginata
Massonia depressa
Babiana pygmaea
Sparaxis grandiflora ssp grandiflora

The Babiana is quite rare, so I'm pretty excited. (These bulbs are Zone 8)

Phoenix C. said...

Prospero, your list looks very interesting - I'll have to look most of those up as I'm not familiar with them. To grow them from seed is very exciting!

My snowdrops are not G. nivalis, they are the smaller flowers, but probably elwesii or atkinsii, I am told.

Now it's daffodil time, in great abundance - lovely!