I promise this will be my last post about snowdrops this year, or at least I think it will be!!! Galanthus nivalis, or the wild snowdrops, are now flowering away in the woodland and shady borders, making small drifts of white here and there. More splitting to be done to achieve the wonderful drifts that we see in the press at this time of year. Both the singles and doubles of the wild one multiply so quickly, it really is easy to get loads and loads of them within a few years. Most of the photographs in this post are long shots of my snowdrop borders with just a couple of special ones included.
Other bulbs are now coming up and joining in with the snowdrops, the lilac flowers in the distance are Crocus tommasinianus, wonderful when they open up in the sunshine coming through the trees, the bumble bees soon find them and are buzzing everywhere.
At last, the sun shone enough to make ” Robin Hood” open up its flowers, can you see the lovely marking on the inner petals?
“Robin Hood” in all his glory! What a lovely X mark on the inner petals, so unusual.
This one is “Green Man “, I think it looks like a grumpy old man, or is that just my imagination!
Some hellebores have joined the snowdrops, adding more colour to the woodland floor.
These wild ones were split and put here in a rhododendron bed about 3 years ago, they all look as if they are ready to be split again ! I normally split them when the flowers have finished and the leaves are still green . I know , there is another school of thought that they ought to be done when they are dormant, when dormant, I would never be able to find them! I usually split them into lots of small groups of about 3 or 5 bulbs, then plant them deep enough so that all the white on the stem is covered, then water in well. I have never had any problems doing it this way and the clumps soon multiply well. Are you tempted to have drifts of wild snowdrops under your deciduous trees and bushes, I can certainly recommend them. They brighten a dreary winter scene and make us think that spring is just around the corner.
Hi,
I don’t yet have any clumps large enough to divide them up; but hopefully soon as I’d love to have somewhat of a carpet of them – although I don’t have a great deal of space to play with! 😀
They do look gorgeous and I love the x of Robin Hood – very nice!
Hi Liz, your clumps will soon be big enough to divide, it doesn’t take long, honestly! They can share the same space as deciduous shrubs if your haven’t any spare space, then when the shrub comes into leaf, it hides the dying foliage. Robin hood is gorgeous isn’t he, one of my first specials, he has a lot to answer for!
We seem to have clumps and clumps of snowdrops and I don’t remember planting that many! The hellebores are a bit the same. Every year I discover things I didn’t remember from last year. It’s always a surprise. Lovely closeups, Pauline.
Thanks Janet, I think mine are starting to seed around, wherever I see one all by itself I think it must be a seedling as I always split them into 3s and 5s, maybe yours are doing the same! Lovely when they give us so many surprises, wonderful time of year.
My snowdrops are starting to go over now. I can see the value in having different varieties to spread out the flowering season. Fortunately my daffodils are now flowering so they are now taking the limelight.
Yes WW, snowdrops have been flowering here since before Christmas, different varieties certainly lengthen the season. Soon it will be all yellow where it was white, early spring is such a wonderful time of year!
Pauline you are not boring us with your beautiful snowdrops, you are just tempting us! 🙂
Your woodland looks amazing! I’ve started with some plain snowdrops this year for the first time, then who knows? I might start to collect the more extravagant cultivars that you keep…
So glad I’m not boring you with the snowdrops Alberto, it’s just that they seem to have been flowering for such a long time now, since before Christmas for some of them. I love going for a little walk in the woodland strip, there is usually something new flowering each day at this time of year. Saw your snowdrops on your blog, once you start collecting the unusual ones, they are addictive, be warned!!
I enjoyed that first picture, framed by fern leaves. Trying to encourage my Ifafa lilies to bulk up.
Thanks Diana, I’m amazed the fern fronds are still surviving, usually they have collapsed by now. Will have to look up your Ifafa lily, don’t know that one, but I hope they increase like my snowdrops, for you!
Pauline,
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing your pretty photos. I am just starting on creating a snowdrop patch, so seeing yours is inspiring. So pretty with the ferns, crocuses and hellebores! And I do really like Robin Hood. Very different markings than I have seen.
Julie
Snowdrops are such a welcome sight so early in the year Julie, I love them all! They look so lovely with the other early flowers and make us fell that spring can’t be far away, good luck with your snowdrop patch!
I am sooo not bored. Great advice about planting in 3 or 5 when you split them, I would love to know if mine self seed.
So glad your’re not bored with snowdrops, Deborah, I feel I do go on about them a bit, but I love their flowers so early in the year! Some of mine are seeding about but the clumps of wild ones seem to multiply so quickly that you get drifts within a few years by splitting the clumps, more work I know, but well worth it I feel.
Very nice snowdrops…
Snowdrops do very poorly here… We do have summer snowflake, though… very similar in appearance, and the leucojum spreads and naturalizes very well.
Can’t imagine life without snowdrops Stone, are you too warm for them to grow, they do need a cold spell to get them to flower? Glad your snowflakes like life with you!!
There’s no need to apologise for showing us snowdrops; they are delightful. I’ve always planted and divided while they are ‘in the green’, I do the same with Muscari and this year is the year they will need dividing! Christina
I think we’re both going to be busy Christina, you with your muscari and me with my snowdrops! So glad you agree with the old method of splitting our bulbs, if it works, why change it?!
So enjoyed seeing all your lovely photographs. Am now waiting for pictures of your wonderful meconopsis !!. Am I being too impatient ??. The snakes head fritilaries are a wonderful sight.So that is why I have never been successful with growing them. Our soil is never damp enough. My pleonies have been really lovely again this year, Such delicate little flowers, I just love them. Hope to see you soon.
You’re a bit early for Meconopsis Jean, they will appear around the end of the month or May, depending on the weather of course! You have such well drained soil so I’m not surprised you have problems with them, will look forward to seeing your pleoniesnext visit!