HELP! I'M BECOMING A GALANTHOPHILE
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| Snowdrops growing in the grass by Lord Byron |
Last Saturday I visited a garden with a snowdrop collection. It was open under the National Garden Scheme and promised hundreds of varieties grown in the ground and in pots. There was also a plant stall selling - you guessed it - snowdrops.
Everything was carefully labelled. I'd read up a little and watched an informative video from the Alpine Garden Society recommended by Noelle, so I'd made a little mental shortlist of the varieties I was interested in.
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| I fancy getting one of these |
I was concerned that to me they would all look alike, but they didn't, and so I bought a few to take home. The start of a collection perhaps?
Left to right they are Fieldgate Tiffany, Selborne Green Tips, Heffalump, Anglesey Abbey and Trumps.
I've put them in a border where snowdrops seem to grow happily, so fingers crossed they will thrive. There have been double labelled in a belt and braces approach, so hopefully I will not loose track of them.
Growing in the Lord Byron border are various early Spring flowers. It's been warmer this week so the Hellebores have begun to open up again. The Kaufmanniana tulip 'The First' is living up to its name. Sadly it always looks a little ragged.
Meanwhile the Galanthus nivalis continue to open down in the Arboretum.
Where they give us a lot of pleasure.
Whilst the tulip is always reliably early, this one is a bit of a surprise - Fritillaria Raddeana. This one bulb seems to be out of sync with the others and has popped up ahead of schedule.
Garden jobs this week have included cutting back the clematis. The late flowering ones have had a hard cut back, whereas this large flowered one just has its dead looking bits cut out. It seems reluctant to shed all its dead brown leaves, like the Berginia which was also tidied up,
No photo of that as I think I've already used up my allowance.
That's it for now but see you next week. Don't forget all the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations where Jim the Cornish plantsman, shares his knowledge. I'm off to Thenford later to see the snowdrops there.
You have chosen some nice snowdrops for start your collection. I was quite restrained yesterday, and will show and tell next week.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to it.
DeleteTulips already! How wonderful, I spotted a few leaves beginning to push through the leaves, but nothing spectacular yet.
ReplyDeleteThis variety is super early every year.
DeleteWhat is a 'belt and braces' approach to labelling? Love this garden, and that Fritillaria!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous. I have two labels on each Snowdrop - the one it came with and a hopefully immovable slate marker too.
DeleteThe phrase is a colloquialism, since you don't need both Belt and Braces (or Suspenders in American English) to hold up your trousers as just one will do the job.
Gosh - tulips in February. Lovely. I suspect your new Snowdrop purchases are the beginning of something rather slippy... and slopey! They are rather splendid though.
ReplyDeleteI blame SoS for introducing me to the fancy snowdrops. Before that I was happy to scoff at such enthusiasms.
DeleteThis is the best time, and maybe the best place to have made your choice ! Lovely fritillaria
ReplyDeleteYes - and they were quite reasonably priced.
DeleteYou must continue to seek out 'Godfrey Owen' as it is an extraordinarily beautiful snowdrop. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Thenford, a place I would love to visit and to meet Emma who takes care of the snowdrops there.
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky enough to hear Emma do an introductory talk on the snowdrop collection which was great.
DeleteYour snowdrops are beautiful <3 Not sure if I can get that range of varieties here, or even if they would grow in my garden. The snow-bells do however.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping these will do well as the common variety has definitely made itself at home. The more unusual ones need to be purchased from a specialist nursery though.
DeleteYou’ve started on a slippery slope! Lovely varieties that you’ve chosen.
ReplyDeletethequiltinggardener
It's been lots of fun learning about all the different varieties but part of me hopes I can resist making a 'collection'.
DeleteI like the snowdrops you have chosen to start your collection, good choice, but you do realise that you are now on a slippery slope, welcome to the club!
ReplyDeleteThank you
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