My Special Snowdrops

PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS SPRING 2016

Galanthophile:  A person who collects snowdrops.  The definition is as simple as that!

Currently as of, Spring 2015, my collection contains 23 various species and cultivars. Prior to 2013 I just could not see the fascination.  A snowdrop was a snowdrop was a snowdrop as far as was concerned.  In spring 2013 I was gifted a single bulb (Galanthus elwesii Mrs MacNamara) by a gardening friend who is a keen galanthophile.  It was his way, I think, of trying to convince me otherwise.  I promised to grow and cherish it so I had a permanent reminder of him in my garden.  The following year at an early bulb show held by the SRGC I got chatting to an extremely keen snowdrop breeder and collector and as she relayed a story about one of her snowdrops (G. plicatus Sophie North), I was hooked. You can read the whole story here.  The rest they say is history!

A full list of 'SPECIAL' snowdrops (BY NAME) growing in my garden.  I will endeavour to keep growing notes up to date.  Includes year of introduction. 

GALANTHUS AUGUSTUS (2015)
Said to be a good garden plant.  A plicatus seedling found by Mrs Amy Doncaster.
A robust somewhat dumpy plant.  Attractive very large leaves with a distinct broad silver channel.  Said to increase well. 

GALANTHUS BLONDE INGE (2015)

GALANTHUS BERTRAM ANDERSON (2014)

GALANTHUS BRENDA TROYLE (2015)

GALANTHUS CURLY (2016)
G. Curly is heavily textured and highly scented.  Large flowered with green markings on outer segments.  A particularly fine difussed almost X shape marks on the inner.
Curly was found and named in the 1960s by Richard Nutt and Herbert Ranson.

GALANTHUS PLICATUS EDINBURGH KETTON
In 1983 Chris Brickell received bulbs from The Royal Botanics Edinburgh, realising these were not G. Ketton - he renamed this clone.
Large flowers with an almost solid green mark on the inner segments.
    

GALANTHUS FARINGDON DOUBLE (2015) 

GALANTHUS FRED'S GIANT (2015)


GALANTHUS GALATEA (2013)

An early blooming variety.  Large flowers, visible in my garden from a distance swaying in the wind. A very robust snowdrop.  Growing in my garden since 2013 it clumps up well. Unscented. Recognisable by the perfect right angle of the inner green marking.   One of the largest from the nivalis group.










GALANTHUS HILL POE (2014/2105)
An old double, late flowering with tightly packed inner segments that form a firm rosette.
Listed as having 5 or 6 outer segments but not as a rule and will often have 3 or 4.
Named for the person who's garden is was discovered in 1911 Co. Tipperary Ireland.
In my garden there are 2 clumps of this snowdrop growing in similar situations.   





GALANTHUS HIPPOLYTA (2015)
One of the greatorex doubles.  Described as beautifully formed, rounded bells with frilled petticoats.  I have seen this listed as both an early and late season snowdrop. Here in my garden it seems to be on par with Galanthus nivalis in it's second year. As years progress I hope to have more detailed information.   
Height 20cm  








GALANTHUS HOMERSFIELD
Found by Michael Broadhurst in a Suffolk Village of the same name.  Robust and said to grow well in heavy soil.  Vigorous with 2 flowers per bulb.  Tall growing with distinctive thick outers.  Inner marks similar to Ketton but with greener eye spots.  








GALANTHUS JAQUENETTA (2013)

A greatorex hybrid.  Fully Double with plenty of green on inner petals.  Named after the female character in Shakespeare's play.  Jaquenetta is one of the taller Greatorex doubles.  All greatorex doubles are crossed hybrids between G. Plicatus and G. nivalis Flore Pleno. 
A single bulb planted in the green 2013 it has increased well.
Height 26cm Spread 8cm Hardy to -15°C





GALANTHUS JONATHON (2015)
G. elwesii Jonathon

GALANTHUS KETTON (NEW 2016)

GALANTHUS LAVINIA (NEW 2016)

GALANTHUS LITTLE BEN (2014)
Brought to my garden via Dr Evelyn Stephens garden in Dublane in 1924.
Short in stature with a large flower.  Inner segments have an emerald green rounded horse shoe.  The outer petals are large in comparison.  Considered to be one of the mighty atom series.  Origins are confused and it is is considered one of the easiest Mighty Atom snowdrops. 

GALANTHUS MERLIN (2015)
Described as a lovely clone who's inner segments are all green from top to bottom, with a very narrow waistline in the middle.  A tall snowdrop, with pure outer white segments. Discovered in the 1890s by James Allen of Shepton Mallet, said to be a good doer.  A hybrid between nivalis and plicatus. 






GALANTHUS MILLHOUSE (2015)

GALANTHUS MRS MACNAMARA (2013)

G. elwesii Mrs MacNamara (syn. Milkwood) 

Listed as a robust plant, increasing from a single bloom to 3 blooms in the 3 years it has been in my garden.  An early flowering snowdrop, has bloomed the first week in January each year here.  Slender flowers, stands clear away from foliage and small, thin V mark.  Originated from Dylan Thomas's mother in law. 







GALANTHUS SOPHIE NORTH (2014)

GALANTHUS SPINDLESTONE SURPRISE (2014)
A golden snowdrop,  strong and vigorous hybrid.  Found in 1997 by Ron McBeath
and Jim Jermyn at Spindlestone in Northumberland.  A chance cross which appears to be a cross between plicatus and nivalis Sandersii.   










GALANTHUS TRUMPS (2015)
Said to be stunning and vigourous.  An early bloomer with bright green outer markings on the outer segments along with a wide horse shoe mark on the inner.  Discovered in the 1990s by Matt Bishop in John Morley's garden.
Height 20cm








GALANTHUS VIRIDIPICE (2015)

GALANTHUS WENDY'S GOLD (2015)

Galanthus species growing in my garden.

GALANTHUS NIVALIS

GALANTHUS NIVALIS FL. PL.

GALANTHUS WORONOWII (2015)