Snowdrops, perhaps the most modest of early spring flowers, are a focus of infatuation that is inexplicable on the surface of it; they are small, basically white flowers, with all of the species looking far more alike than just about any other genus you could think of. Specimens with a small variation in the little green blotches on the inner petals can (and do) sell for over a hundred dollars each... if you can find them to buy. I say all of this not in disparagement, but rather in sheepishness, for I am not totally immune to this mania; I have a dozen kinds of snowdrops, and I would gladly take you about, and point out the minute differences that make each one a treasure. However, I am small potatoes in the ranks of galanthophiles; I would not pay more than $15 for a snowdrop bulb (maybe $20 if the little green blotches were particularly nice). If you want to meet a real galanthophile, Mark Smyth in northern Ireland has a snowdrop garden that contains something near 250 varieties (he's currently modifying his list; I doubt that means it's being pared). He has a website which has to be the most beautiful site devoted to snowdrops:http://www.snowdropinfo.com/(Picture above is of a double snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis flore pleno, taken last March.)
I love your snowdrops! I have such trouble finding variety!! No matter what I order, I seem to get the same...Last spring I saw true giant snowdrops at the US Botanical Gardens...I was amazed at their size!! I would love to know their source!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just beautiful....and thanks for the link there!
gg... no matter what you think you're ordering in snowdrops, you usually get sent one of the common ones. As for big, G. elwesii is the great or giant snowdrop, and is easy to get relatively cheaply. it does take a couple of years to get its size. If the snowdrops you saw were REALLY big, they were probably Sam Arnott, which can get 8-10 inches tall. If you keep your eyes open, you can pick up a single bulb.
ReplyDeleteDon
Good lord! $100 for a snowdrop! I'm not even close to being in your league if you're willing to spend $15-20 per bulb. I was disappointed with the ones we bought in Fall 2005. Very few came up but hopefully more will bloom this year. I guess you have to be careful where you buy your bulbs.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting inner flower structure in the ones pictured.
Ki...Well, you note I said I might be willing to spend $10-15; the most I've actually spent is probably $4.95. However I've got the cheap ones, so if I want any more kinds, it will get more expensive. Snowdrops are hard to get growing, as often the bulbs are pretty dried out, but once they finally take off, you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteDon
Thanks for the info on snowdrops. Before this, I didn't know anything about them, just amazed that there were these small white flowers who were the first to appear. This January's been so warm (well, before the snow finally fell here in NE Illinois), that our snowdrops bloomed January 14!
ReplyDeleterosemarie... yah, I've got a ton of them blooming (or at least, I think I do: they're under a foot of snow now.
ReplyDeleteDon