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01/03/2008


my photo

SNOWDROPS - Hope

Do you step out into your garden, full of good intentions of getting lots done, but instead spend more time taking photos than you do getting your hands dirty? Well since starting my garden blog, this is definitely the case for me. It suddenly came to me, as today is the 1st of March, that my Jan/Feb poll would have closed. I asked everyone, which was their favourite spring bulb, well the little beauties above are the winner.

Yes, the snowdrop received 51% of the votes, daffodil came in second with 25%, third bluebell with 16%, and last and definitely not least, the crocus with 6%.

There are approximately 100 different species and cultivars of snowdrop, the two most common being galanthus nivalis which flowers from January to March, and galanthus nivalis floro pleno, a double variety which easily naturalises.

I only have two clumps of snowdrop in my garden, I lost one clump last year. This year I am going to divide the clumps into small sections, and replant. My longterm plan is to have drifts, may have to wait though! This is best done immediately after the plant has flowered and while 'in the green'. Snowdrop bulbs are fiddly and unreliable, so division is the way forward. To increase my stocks I may be lucky enough to get a few clumps off my Dad, he has lots coming up through the lawn, they look beautiful.

Do you know that snowdrop enthusiasts are known as galanthropiles!

7 comments:

thepowerguides said...

I must admit I popped into your blog and as soon as I saw the mention of snowdrops realised you must be UK , and then in the next post talk about Jenny wren , at that point I knew UK and guessed south due to the posting time.

I do miss springtime in England more than any other we do not seem to get a spring here in the Midwest

steve

Anonymous said...

Well I voted for crocus, but in fact I like them all!
I think that I'll be putting some snowdrops in the plot for next year. Take care. xx

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

I ♥ snowdrops Louise...
We were lucky to inherit a few clumps in our new garden under our hazel trees..
I did try bring some in a pot from our last garden but alas they have given up the ghost!
Like yourself.. I see every corner of the garden as a photo opportunity.. well not every corner.. the compost bins are not photogenic.

Have fun out in your patch.
Love
Michelexx

Crafty Green Poet said...

I love snowdrops more than any other because they're generally the first to appear, bringing with them the first signs of hope for spring

Gina said...

Snowdrops are certainly beautiful..thanks for the tip on when to divide, I shall try again with a new batch this year! :O)

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

Lovely picture, I am eagerly awaiting my one and only clump of blue bells, I so adore these, I have lots of tiny daffs/narc. in the garden at the moment and in the current fall of snow they look stunning...making me smile today!!!

Lynn said...

I just love the snow drops. I made a big mistake a few years ago by relocating all the bulb and tubers into an area I intended to turn into a spring blooming garden, with an old stone well the focal point. Evidently I didn't do a good job preparing the soil. It's something I need to spend some time on.

I like the picture a lot showing them growing between ladder rungs. Very artistic.