2024 NEW DRYAD SNOWDROPS
Our NEW registrations for 2024 include the first to be registered of our yellow inverse poculiforms (ipocs), after 16 years of targeted breeding work, two true inverse poculiforms, our first green ovary/yellow mark cultivar, and a diminutive little green.
These will only be available on EBAY this year, where I can spare some.
DRYAD APOLLO
DRYAD APOLLO
In Greek and Roman mythology, the multi-talented and beautiful Apollo represents the sun (along with many other things - from prophesy, archery and music to poetry and healing). One of the most important of the Greek gods, he is the son of Zeus and Leto, so it is satisfyingly fitting that this stunning snowdrop is bred from Dryad Leto as mother and Dryad Zeus as father.
These two parents were in turn deliberately bred as a route to yellow inverse poculiforms (ipocs), each having Wendy’s Gold as one of their parents, so both carrying the genes for yellow colouring into the second generation. It is so rewarding when a plan comes to fruition!
DRYAD APOLLO bears its flowers on strong upright stems about 12cm high, over plicate leaves which are short and spreading at flowering time, displaying the flowers beautifully. The flowers are almost perfectly conical, dangling neatly from a softly curved spathe. The short pedicel and cylindrical ovary share the same golden colour as the double mark on the outer segments, which consists of a large oval in the distal half, notched at the apex, and a softer shading just above the base. This double mark is repeated on the inner segments, but here the two parts are of equal strength and almost joined with just a paler band between them.
This dazzling snowdrop will be impossible to ignore in the garden, and promises to be the pride of any collection.
DRYAD SUNRISE
DRYAD SUNRISE is a distinctive and eye-catching snowdrop to bring movement and light to the spring garden.
The first seedling to be registered from our breeding programme for the green ovary/ yellow mark characteristic, DRYAD SUNRISE was named for the inner segment mark, deep and dark over the sinus, becoming glowing yellow above.
Flowering at 15 cm high under glass, DRYAD SUNRISE has large shapely flowers held on a long pedicel which hangs free of the curved spathe, allowing the flowers to swing with the breeze. The leaves are neat and narrow, semi-upright and short at flowering time, presenting the flowers well.
The tip of the pedicel is yellow where it joins the pea-green ovary. The long outer segments are cupped, ridged and of heavy substance, with a long claw that reveals the markings on the inners. These are washed pale yellow apart from the crisp white margin. At the apex, there is an inverted V, deep olive over the narrow sinus, grading into glowing golden yellow, shading gently towards the base where there are two more diffuse yellow patches. The underside of the inner segments is strong yellow, which adds to the overall glow when lit from behind. The golden colour deepens as the flowers mature.
Bred from South Hayes x Blonde Inge, it is worth noting that it carries genes for both ipoc and yellow characteristics, so may produce some surprising seedlings!
DRYAD MINUET
DRYAD MINUET is the third of our green seedlings to be named, this one bred from Greenkeeper x Angelina. Flowering at only 10cm high, above gently arching, narrow leaves, the upright stems bear relatively large flowers of heavy substance, the outers deeply cupped and shouldered, and with a strong band of bright apple green hatching across the apical half of the segment. The inner segments have a deep green W over the deep sinus. The flowers are held at the tip of the spathe, giving MINUET an attractive and characteristic posture. This striking little gem will be difficult to miss in your collection, and is small enough for troughs, rock gardens and containers, although equally at home in the open garden.
DRYAD ROMULUS AND DRYAD REMUS
DRYAD ROMULUS and DRYAD REMUS
Important twins in Roman mythology, their mother was the daughter of former king Numitor, who had been usurped by his brother Amulius. In a twist reminiscent of the tale of Moses, the new king considered them a possible threat and so they were abandoned into the river Tiber, from where they were rescued and raised in secret, famously being suckled by a she-wolf.
To cut a long story short, the terrible twins eventually reinstated their grandfather as king, and went on to found the city of Rome, unfortunately disagreeing so much upon which of the seven hills to build it that Romulus killed his twin in order to get his own way. Kids eh?
This Roman pair were chosen as a nod to the alternative term for ipocs – pterugiform – which refers to the segmented ‘skirt’ worn by Roman legionaries. A true pterugiform/ipoc has all inner and outer segments the same length, and identical in markings i.e. they have in effect six inner segments and no outers. These forms typically have fairly short segments for that reason, appearing at first sight to be double flowers.
DRYAD ROMULUS and DRYAD REMUS are true ipocs, both having this qualifying feature, differing only in the marks on the segments.
Both flower at about 20cm high under glass, probably shorter outside, with almost erect leaves.
True ipocs are very rare in cultivation, so this pair will be a remarkable and characteristic addition to any collection.
