{"product_id":"galanthus-shepton-merlin","title":"Galanthus ‘Shepton Merlin’","description":"\u003cp\u003eA particularly intriguing offshoot of the James Allen story.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Shepton Merlin’ was found in the garden of James Allen at Shepton Mallet during the 1990s\u003c\/b\u003e, long after Allen himself had died. It is generally regarded as probably being a seedling of his famous\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e‘Merlin’\u003c\/i\u003e, although the parentage has not been conclusively established. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDistinct from the original\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e‘Merlin’\u003c\/i\u003e, it has a notably\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eupright, almost spear-like habit\u003c\/b\u003e, with strong erect scapes and an unusually long, straight spathe rising conspicuously above the flower. The broad, cupped outer segments surround inner segments that are\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ealmost entirely green but neatly edged in white\u003c\/b\u003e. The colouring is somewhat paler and the whole plant has a more vertically disciplined appearance than\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e‘Merlin’\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is something rather appropriate about finding this distinctive seedling in Allen’s old garden: James Allen, the celebrated ‘Snowdrop King’ of Shepton Mallet, raised and selected more than 100 snowdrops during the late nineteenth century, although most were subsequently lost. His\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e‘Merlin’\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e‘Magnet’\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eare the two selections that survived and remain in cultivation. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Shepton Merlin’ therefore has a particularly attractive piece of provenance —\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ea modern discovery from the historic garden of one of the great pioneers of snowdrop breeding, and quite possibly a descendant of one of his most famous seedlings.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCultivation:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA vigorous, reliable cultivar for humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, preferably in deciduous shade or dappled light. Excellent for naturalising and particularly effective where its remarkably upright habit can be appreciated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eJanuary–February, mid-season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHeight:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ec. 25–30 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSpread:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ec. 10–15 cm per bulb, increasing to form clumps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eH6, approximately −20 to −15°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eIntroduction\/provenance:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eFound in James Allen’s garden, Shepton Mallet, in the 1990s; probably a seedling of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eGalanthus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e‘Merlin’\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Edulis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32781662978119,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.edulis.co.uk\/products\/galanthus-shepton-merlin","provider":"Edulis","version":"1.0","type":"link"}