Snowdrops are officially called Galanthus. This snowdrop is Galanthus elwessii with larger than normal blooms and a honey scent the other main species are Nivalis and Plicatus. The snowdrop is very hardy, grows in most soils and prefers partial shade.

Gardeners Snowdrop Tips

• Other AGM snowdrops include Galanthus nivalis and the double flowered version pleniflorus ‘Flora Pleno.’
• For late flowering Galanthus there is a bell shaped flower Diggory or David Shakelton, Ikariae or Hill Poe
• One of the earliest flowering is called Atkinsii.
• For double varieties there is Lady Elphinstone, Nivalis  Flore Peno,  Hill Poe and Mrs Thompson.
• Reginae-olgae can prove tricky to cultivate and seems to appreciate a drier and sunnier spot than but it is autumn flowering
• There are some 75 species of snowdrop and many more cultivars and hybrids. Well worth making a collection of your favourites.

Cultivation

• Snowdrop bulbs should not be allowed to dry out or they die.
• Plant  with green leaves shortly after flowering no later than mid summer as they go dormant.
• You can do worse that scrounge off neighbors when they split clumps as snowdrops spread quite effectively.
• Snowdrops do not come true to seed except species but you can propagate by twin scaling.

The process was originally developed for narcissus, but works well with galanthus producing 10-30 new bulbs from one old one.

Top  Snowdrop Sites

Waterperry Gardens Oxfordshire
In the shade of Fountains Abbey for the National Trust.
RHS Wisley Surrey
Hopton Hall Derbyshire
East Lambrook Garden Somerset
Sherborne Gardens Somerset.   Local gardens open for the National gardens Scheme
Brandy Mount House Garden Hampshire National collection of snowdrops
Easton Walled Garden & Little Ponton Hall Lincolnshire
Bennington Lordship Hertfordshire
Hodsock Priory Garden snowdrop display in February 2010
Angelsey Abbey.
Heale Garden
Welford Park Wiltshire
Painswick Rococo garden Gloucestershire
Cambo Estate Fife Snowdrop Spectacular 1st February – 15th March
See our favourite snowdrop locations in the top ten
National garden schemes from mid January
For other sites in Scotland visit the Royal Botanic garden in Edinburgh or search the National Trust for Scotland web site.
This is our selection unless you know better – if so let us know.

Check for open days in February and March for a day out to enjoy. You may also find snowdrops in unexpected locations. I snapped these pictures in Haworth church Bronte land.

Snowdrops in an alpine house at Harlow Carr.

Galanthophiles see beauty many varieties.