Some of my earlier flowering snowdrops are starting to go over but the snowdrop party isn’t over yet. A few varieties are later flowering than most and extend the snowdrop season by a few more weeks. I’ll start with some smaller species.
This is a very sweet little species snowdrop which was obviously found in the Caucasus mountains before being brought back to the British Isles.
This little one isn’t increasing very well, it has taken such a long time to make the few flowers that you see, G. scharlockii. Maybe I need to move it to some better soil. In this snowdrop the unusual bit about it is the spathe, the green bit standing up above the flower. In other snowdrops this is one piece, but in G. scharlockii, it has two which are said to look like donkey’s ears!
Galanthus Augustus is a hybrid. The petals are balloon shaped with a texture like seersucker material. The leaves are broad with a pronounced silver line down the centre.
The opposite side of the path has G. Wareham now flowering, the same leaves as G. Augustus, but different flowers.
A very dainty little snowdrop with lovely markings is G. St. Annes.
Opening in the warm sunshine yesterday is G Alison Hilary with strong marks on the inner petals.
Still waiting, G. Baxendale’s Late is always the last one to flower in the garden here. It is only just starting to flower and should be flowering for about a month. Again the leaves are similar to G. Augustus and Wareham, broad with a silver centre line.
This will probably be my last post about snowdrops for this year, only another 9 months to wait before it all starts over again! While looking at the snowdrops, other flowers were demanding my attention, more seem to be opening on a daily basis.
Eranthis hyemalis isn’t happy in the garden here, it doesn’t increase in spite of allowing it to go to seed. I’ve been reading lately that it prefers an alkaline soil, I am the acid side of neutral, but I keep hoping.
New last year is Hamamellis Robert, this is the only witch hazel to flower here this year, my other two decided not to. I think maybe I should have watered them when we were having our lovely hot summer. H. Robert was watered because it was in the part of the woodland where I have made a new bit of planting, but the other two were missed, I’ve learnt my lesson!
Primula sibthorpii always takes me by surprise, I should be used to it flowering so early by now. I think I will move it when it has finished flowering to the bed behind the alpine scree where I would be able to see it far more easily. At the moment it is under the pergola which leads to the fruit and veggie garden and I’m not often up there at this time of year.
Pulmonarias are all starting to flower now, they are marvellous for any early bees that venture out.
This little Forget me not was flowering over a month ago and it is still at it. There are lots in the garden, but only this one in the woodland is flowering.
Cardamine pratensis is flowering underneath one of my Daphnes. I grow this as it is the larval food plant for the Orange Tip butterfly which we see in the garden later in the year.
Having just done a post about the hellebores, I don’t need to include them here. Day by day more flowers are opening and the birds and I definitely think that spring will soon be here. Are you noticing lots of changes in your garden yet?
Nice to see some pulmonarias already flowering. Here there are little changes – a few crocuses and the tips of iris reticulata just showing. 🙂 I also grow Cardamine for the orange tips, but the flowers on yours seem a little more elongated than mine, which won’t flower just yet. Very pretty!
The weather is warming up here Cathy, just slightly, but it makes all the difference, you can feel that spring is on its way.
Everything is so early in your garden – my Pulmonarias are still sleeping! Your Galanthus Baxendales is very beautiful!
Sigrun
The benefit of having the Gulf Stream bringing warmer water across the ocean from the Caribbean means that our climate is fairly mild. We are on the SW corner of the British Isles and this means we are also quite wet with lots of rain straight from the Atlantic. In spite of all this, the plants seem to like it!
Galanthus Augustus is very attractive with floating little balloons over substantial foliage.
I agree Alain, it is different from the usual snowdrop and can be identified from a distance.
I do enjoy all the different varieties of snowdrops you have, how lovely to have other plants flowering too! Spring does suddenly burst forth around now doesn’t it, finally my daffs have opened.xxx
We only have a few daffs open Dina,but the temperature is rising a little each day! The birds are convinced that spring has arrived, the males are looking very smart in their breeding plumage. Snowdrops have been very good this year, the wild ones are seeding around but I will soon be splitting them to make even more.
Spring is a comin’ in your area it seems! Thanks for the preview. 🙂
Thanks Natalie, spring is certainly here at last and more flowers are opening each day.
Lovely snowdrop photos. Difficult to decide but I think my favourite is G. Caucacicus as it looks so dainty. I do hope Eranthis isn’t too fussy about the alkaline soil as I have just ordered some bulbs ‘in the green’ and we have a definite acid soil here. Oh well, live and learn. As for spring, it is very close here. As you say, the birds are showing spring behaviour. They are dashing about a lot more visiting our feeder tree, as well as some definite hanky panky going on.
Our spring flowers are coming up now. Our first Iris reticulatas opened yesterday and we have Crocuses and Anemone blanda flowering as well as some early daffs about to open. It is still very cold though.
My Anemone blanda aren’t showing yet Annette but I’m sure it won’t be long now until I see their beautiful flowers once more.
These Eranthis flowers were my third try at growing Eranthis, 2 others disappeared without trace. This one has been here for about 4 or 5 years now, so I hope it will be permanent!
What a lovely post Pauline, I love seeing all your snowdrops. I think I am going to look out for Alison Hilary next year, I like ones with a strong green marking. I love Augustus, I once read that the whole of the Augustus stock is infected with a virus but they always look perfectly healthy to me. It is one of my favourites.
Your Baxendale’s Late is a plicatus like my late flowering one. Maybe this is what mine is; it grew in great carpets in my previous garden. Some plants had enormous flowers. It is a beauty.
G. Alison Hilary is a good one Chloris, it has increased very well indeed here, I thoroughly recommend it. G. Augustus doesn’t seem to have a virus, I hope not anyway as I would be very sorry to lose it. I think we have both well and truly fallen for snowdrops haven’t we, and why not, they are such beautiful little flowers brightening up the garden while everything else is asleep.
Good to see all your late flowering snowdrops Pauline – I bought Baxendale’s Late this year but I don’t think it has any buds showing so I might have to wait till next year 🙁
G. Baxendale’s Late will soon increase Cathy, mine has increased a lot since I bought it a few years ago. It’s nice that we can extend the snowdrop season with these late flowering bulbs.
I thoroughly enjoyed the last glimpse of your later flowering snowdrops Pauline. I’ve also noticed that my scharlockii in a pot have been slow to increase. Maybe it’s just a less vigorous variety. I’m waiting for one last snowdrop order of the year to arrive which hopefully will include ‘Baxendale’s Late’ and another late flowerer 🙂 Can I ask where you got your bigger black name labels from? Also I would welcome some suggestions on a snowdrop id mystery and am wondering whether you have an email address that I could use to send an enquiry and photos to?
It’s interesting Anna that your G. Scharlockii have also been slow to increase, maybe I was just being too impatient!
For the black labels I just Googled Black Plastic Labels and up came The Essentials Company, Springfields, Station Rd, Pulham St. Mary, Diss, Norfolk,IP21 4QQ.
I will e.mail you with my e.mail address and will do my best for you, but I’m no expert!
Thanks for the information regarding the black labels Pauline and for your email address. Email to follow later today.
A pleasure Anna, I will wait to see your photos!
I used to use these labels and found they easily snap if you stand on them and because they are smooth the writing wears off more quickly than those with a textured finish. Just my experience…
So far my labels are all intact with just a couple that have been chewed by something. I use an oil based pen to write the names, they need turps to remove the writing, rain will not wash it off.
Hi Pauline, You have so much life in your garden! How wonderful! Your Pulmonaria and Forget-me-nots remind me that they are part of my garden as well. Something to look forward to…..Your blog heading picture of the Hellebore is amazing! Each blossom is perfect.
Happy Gardening!
We have been very lucky with our winter weather Sally, no dreadfully cold weather like you had and no snow down here in the SW corner of England.
Many thanks for your kind comments re my header photo. This was taken a couple of years ago when I picked just one flower from each plant, then floated them in a bowl of water.
I hope your weather improves and is a bit warmer to tempt your flowers to show.
I didn’t realize how long the blooming period can be for snowdrops. With the right mix you are able to enjoy them for several months and each one is so interesting. I’ve been planning to add forget-me-not to my garden. They have such charm I think.
Some people Susie have snowdrops that flower in October, but I feel there are still plenty of flowers in the garden then and don’t feel the need for snowdrops at that time of year.
Forget me nots are such lovely little flowers, they don’t usually flower at this time of year, more like April/May with us, but just one seems to be determined to flower at the moment.
happy springtime, Pauline. Lovely closeup photos. My garden’s starting to move, too, recovering from summer.
Thanks Catmint, springtime is just around the corner, we are still having frost at night time but the birds and flowers think spring has arrived! We could do with just a little of your heat!