Tickled

Yesterday I mentioned that I tickled the flowers with a paintbrush and fellow Blipper, Connections, commented that it would be nice to see me doing that.  This is the best I can do although it could be anybody! :-)   I take pollen from one flower and rub it onto the style of another.   Edit after AMS asked a pertinent question:   I do it to try and get the plants to set seed.   Doing it manually makes up for the paucity of insects in our winters.   Crossing the pollen between different plants of the same species usually increases seed set significantly and can help realise some of the natural variation that is present in their genes.   It's what would happen in nature as insects buzz around the wild populations.   Growing more from seed of cultivation means the plants ca be shared without anyone needing to go and dig them up - which is usually illegal without a license. 

Crocus sieberi, which has featured here repeatedly over the years, white and purple in endless variation.   An extra to show the variation in this pot of seedlings a 2010 sowing from my own saved seed.   Another extra of some fallen angels, rescued from the garden after being flattened by the stormy winds.   More local fence and shed damage became apparent today and the taller snowdrops out front have been shredded by contact with other vegetation and the ground as they thrashed around.   Shorter forms have come through OK.
Some cyclamen seeds planted, some admin, some work and a dog walk today.  Variety is the spice of life!