> > 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 >