Comments on: Alan Shipp, Hyacinth Grower https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:56:54 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Nancy Marrison https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1152253 Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:56:54 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1152253 Good Morning from Maryville, Tennessee, at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It was such a pleasure to sit back and read about your adventures in growing hyacinths. I’ve never grown a one in my own gardens here in TN but my dad always had them in our spring gardens and he was adventurous and we had them early when he always planted them in shallow glass bowls with just colorful rocks and bulbs. We so enjoyed them in the house.
Looks like after reading a few of these articles, I’ll be purchasing a few hyacinths for my garden. I love the sweet smell and truly have no idea why I have neglected such a lovely addition from my own gardens.
Thank you for your love of such a precious flower.
Yours truly,
Nancy

]]> By: L Warwick https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1149228 Wed, 10 May 2017 23:36:41 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1149228 Thank you for your wonderful work! If you sell your favorite varieties to OHG, I’ll buy them and grow them in my gardens in Massachusetts. I have a bunch already and I love them. I so appreciate what you do!

lyn

]]> By: Scott Kunst, Old House Gardens https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1148712 Sat, 06 May 2017 12:30:10 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1148712 We love Alan and his bulbs here in the States, too! Thanks for a wonderful portrait in words of a wonderful man — a generous, down-to-earth visionary — who has enriched so many gardens and lives.

]]> By: Michelle https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143285 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 19:47:53 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143285 Agree with the above superlatives of ‘one of your best.’ Fascinating!

This year I’ve been volunteer-teaching teenagers to envision, build and write their own blog, thanks to your class, GA. I will definitely use this character sketch as an exemplary model in class this week.

]]> By: Alan Shipp https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143280 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 18:25:25 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143280 I was interested to read the comments of Caroline Murray and whilst I do not wish to argue the point but wish to say that I understood that Mary was married off at the tender age of 16 to a 64 year old man, her parents considering it a wise move. Consequently she became a widow at the age of 24, eventually remarrying again to a Rev Delaney who was an Angelical preacher in Ireland. After Delaney’s death Mary was alone but had the advantage of good connections to the Court of Caroline and George the third, this was how I assumed that she had access to a bulb that cost £800, a largish fortune in those days. Caroline, I like to have my facts correct so I would welcome all due corrections to my current facts.

]]> By: pauline taylor https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143262 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:55:57 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143262 Sitting here looking out through my garden door at Mrs Blackbird having a bath in the dish of drinking water just outside I can also see that one of my cream hyacinths is on bloom, no doubt it is a very ordinary one but I love them.

]]> By: Helen Breen https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143259 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:25:45 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143259 Greetings from Boston,

GA, what a wonderful, warm, and colorful story. I agree with above poster – “one of your best.” Particularly appreciated this morning as I look out my window and see my car covered with frost. Spring is nowhere in sight here in New England…

]]> By: Caroline Murray https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143253 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 10:01:34 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143253 I was there yesterday in glorious sunshine – thanks to Alan and all involved! Just one niggle – Mrs Delany was not a ‘penniless vicar’s widow’. She was an aristocrat who was a close friend of the natural historian the duchess of Portland, the famous Sir Joseph Banks, and of Queen Charlotte and George III. I’ve have written twice (briefly!) about her, and these blogs contain links to much more information about a remarkable and talented woman. (http://bit.ly/2n4J37i, http://bit.ly/1OXmTMI)

]]> By: Ian Harper https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143251 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 09:00:27 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143251 Dear Author,
this is a gem amongst your many great articles.
I want to know more about the Romance in Romania- what a great start to the day to read of this mans love of his work.
The missing treasure among Tulips is also red and white – Augustus.
I les Corbières in France wild tulips grow too so perhaps there is a link to the Caucuses that goes back in history- or perhaps it was the Romans ..
” more power to his elbow”

]]> By: Barbara Elsmore https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/03/26/alan-shipp-hyacinth-grower/#comment-1143241 Sun, 26 Mar 2017 07:08:19 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=155525#comment-1143241 Wonderful posting thank you and don’t the hyacinths look even more beautiful in the weathered wooden crates rather than in the plastic variety.

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