So what can I say? David Culp’s Gala was fun. Great seeing people excited about snowdrops, talking way too much about snowdrops, amazing lectures about snowdrops, and in general excited about the new gardening year. Selling went well. I was remarkably okay with seeing snowdrops leave my garden, somewhat insulted that a few favorites didn’t sell, and then just fine with bringing a bunch home for replanting. But… I was unusually luke-warm to new purchases and plant shopping in general. For the first time ever I tried to come back with more money in my pocket than when I went down, and in hindsight that was a terrible mindset since there were only 5 new snowdrops for the return trip and now I have to sit for months with only five new snowdrops when I really think all that work should have earned me dozens of new snowdrops!
And for the first year ever I didn’t treat myself to a new ‘Brandywine Hybrids’ hellebore. They were perfect, and seeing the others in the garden starting to stir to life makes the regret even harsher.
Each year the Gala hellebores are amazing. After years of coveting doubles I’m back to singles and any of the picotees or the purple stained whites could have easily joined me for the ride home.
I was distracted though. Maybe even stressed? The day worked out perfectly, but to be honest I woke up at 1 that morning sick to my stomach and got to enjoy that feeling right up to the minutes before the doors opened.. .and then in typical fashion it lifted right as the excitement began.
A few seconds after the doors opened. Tables are full, hands are empty, there’s little socializing but some real intense table scanning! Fyi this is the Suburban Home Nursery table, manned by the always entertaining Kevin and my exceedingly competent cashier-daughter.
Also in typical fashion I took next to no pictures. Just like every other year I’ll apologize and promise better but I think we know the truth, and it’s probably for the best too since 10 out of 10 family members will only use me as the last resort when it comes to any type of event photo. “ugh, just delete them all. Where’s mom?” should be a warning/reminder sticker on the back of my phone.
Edgewood Gardens warming up and coloring up with Adonis amurensis
I think it was mentioned that rather than work my own table, I had already committed to working the Edgewood table for the Gala, and a perk to this was a leisurely tour of Edgewood Gardens the day before. The week of above freezing weather had paid off. Things were embracing the weather and bursting out of the ground and starting off on that spring flush of color. Hellebores, winter aconite, Adonis, witch hazels, crocus… and of course snowdrops were scattered throughout the garden. At one point I was even unsupervised, and the low light, flowers, and bird song were enough to make me want to soak up the moment rather than consider what might fit into my pocket.
The best clump of ‘Blewbury Tart’ I’ve ever seen. How silly of me to have given this plant a lukewarm review years ago, I should have known it was more my growing skills and not the drop.
To round it out it was an excellent weekend. I was almost tempted to return this weekend for the Bend to Bank lecture at Winterthur, and hear Anne Repnow give a talk, but alas it might be time to spend a weekend at home. Trust me there’s plenty to do.
A coldframe inspection at Edgewood Gardens. Quite a few treasures here, both inside and out!
Will I do what needs to be done? Probably, if I can only get started. Last night was spent browsing houseplants on some fraudulent website, and then this morning I had to spend time canceling my credit card and getting it re-issued, but honestly entertaining the dog and cleaning the kitchen took more time than that. The garden is still waiting 🙂
A terrible picture of winter aconite (Eranthis) opening up alongside the snowdrops. I love these first cautious blooms.
So blog post done, maybe breakfast and a shower wouldn’t be the worst ideas either, and then maybe it’s time for a little work outside. Just because I stayed home to get things done doesn’t mean it will happen!
Enjoy your weekend, and prepare for the onslaught of even more snowdrop photos while I second guess the witch hazel and primulas which I also did not buy last weekend. Grrr.
sorta like suburbia 
Is that last photo your garden or John Lonsdale’s? Lots of lovely pale yellow eranthis! I came home with more plants than ever. I guess I felt confident that they would hold in the sunroom until they could be planted. Good thing most are still dormant.
That’s under the weeping cherry by the driveway. The eranthis have come up very nicely this spring! I was admiring the list of your new sanguisorba, they love your garden, I wish I had a damp enough spot here for a few to flourish.
I’ve learned to ask myself, “Will I regret it if I don’t buy this today?” and too frequently, the answer is YES, I will! Of course, now I’m free of college tuition, and that helps.
Blewbury Tart is fantastic.
When Kevin, Lora, and I went to Winterthur in June, we continuously heard, “Oh, you have to come in the early spring, when the bulbs are blooming!” Posse trip, perhaps? I considered Bend to Bank, but assumed it would too crowded for my inner introvert.
How you could resist that gorgeous hellebore is beyond me.
Hope you have a productive weekend at home, Frank!
Hmmmm maybe next year we can pull a bank to bend trip. It’s a lecture as well, which might be a stretch for our rabble-rousing members!
Yes I really regret my missing hellebore, and that witch hazel, and those primulas… ugh.
Ha! Just erased my comment trying to make a correction. Let’s just say I enjoyed your post as always.
Isn’t that annoying? I do it more often than I care to admit and the second try is never as funny or intelligent or as insightful as the first 😉
Glad to hear you had a good weekend. I share your disinclination to go for more and more snowdrops. We (Mary, that is) added just one new snowdrop this year and that’s enough for me.
For a while I was desperate to fill a bed or two with snowdrops, but now as they’ve multiplied it’s not nearly as bad. The snowdrop seedlings are what I look forward to nowadays! Even the average ones are nice, but anything remotely different is the most amazing thing to me. Long ago I realized I just don’t have what it takes to be a plant breeder. I would name almost everything and not cull a single plant.
Uh-oh, restraint is a sign of age! 😂
Over all, glad you enjoyed yourself. No need to break the bank before the season barely has started. 🤑
Hahaha, restraint isn’t the only sign of age around here! The kids at school have made a game of asking pointed questions like “what was it like seeing the pyramids built?” and “which side of the reformation were you on?” They think it’s the best thing since TikTok.
and I might be out looking for pansies today. Restraint can only hold you over so long 😉
Ha, love it. I’m even older, ‘OK Boomer’ golly-geez! 😀
I’m awaiting the pansy sales, too. Got the planter all ready for them!
Such a great event, I’m glad it went so well and the unease settled soon after the doors opened.
Thanks Tracy. I really did enjoy it. What a collection of hardy plant lovers all under the same roof!
Such restraint Frank? You will simply have to make up for those non-purchases at a later date. 😉 Glad all went well though. The Adonis in your photo at Edgewood is really gorgeous. They are so horrendously expensive here for some reason.
Your snowdrop and Eranthis patch is a joy to see. I didn’t have any Eranthis until a few days ago and hope one small pot will spread rapidly to several clumps. I wonder how your weekend in the garden went. Hope it has warmed up now!
Oh tell me about it! Adonis prices here make fancy tree peonies and snowdrops look cheap! -and word is the fancier ones like to dwindle and fade away if you don’t humor them with exactly the jokes and environment they want. A friend gave me a piece a few years ago and it’s a beauty, but the season is pretty short… which saves me from trying to $ource other rarer forms!
It’s warmed, the weekend was excellent, and this week has been more of the same. The garden is back 😉 Hope you’re enjoying the weather as well, even with the ups and downs