Sally Petitt welcomes a little winter cheer into January, as snowdrops prepare to bring a sense of spring optimism to gardens across the region
Images by Howard Rice
January can often feel like the gloomiest and longest of months, with the Christmas hubbub over and a diminished sense of optimism. Even for the hardiest, most enthusiastic gardener, the idea of spending time outside can wane, but winter flowering plants such as mahonias and viburnums are able to brighten even the darkest days.
For me, though, it’s hard to beat the sense of cheer provided by delicate snowdrops – or Galanthus to give them their botanical name. From the moment that their slender leaves pierce the soil in the depths of winter, there’s a sense that things are on the up. The emergence of their first flowers instantly lifts the spirits.
Understanding snowdrops
When discussing snowdrops, gardeners often come across three ways they are described: species, cultivars and hybrids.
Galanthus alpinus x Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’
A species snowdrop is one that’s found naturally, such as Galanthus nivalis or Galanthus elwesii. A cultivar (short for cultivated variety) is a plant selected by gardeners or growers for a particular trait, maybe unusual markings, double flowers or an early bloom. Hybrids occur when two species are crossed by either nature or humans, producing plants that blend features of both parents.
The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is home to a diverse collection of approximately 40 snowdrop species, hybrids and cultivars that visitors can enjoy throughout winter. Some are grown in small numbers, such as cultivars ‘Kite’ and ‘Anglesey Abbey’, while others, such as Galanthus ‘Magnet’, thrive and produce carpets of nodding white blooms that flutter in a breeze.
The humble, common species (Galanthus nivalis) is naturalised in the Botanic Garden’s wilder areas, but it is frequently found in woodlands across the UK. With a native range stretching from the Pyrenees to Ukraine, Galanthus nivalis has been grown here since the 16th century, though some accounts suggest it may have been introduced by the Romans.
Such is the appeal of this diminutive winter-flowering species that there are estimated to be up to 2,500 different hybrids and cultivars, satisfying the appetite of the most dedicated galanthophile.
Spotting the differences
Snowdrop species, hybrids and cultivars are common in having solitary white flowers and in usually displaying three inner tepals with green or yellow markings and three larger, unmarked outer tepals.
Tepals are the flower’s petal-like segments. Botanists use this word because a snowdrop’s petals and sepals (the outer protective leaf-like parts that protect flowers when in bud) look alike.
What makes each variety distinct is the size and shape of the green marking, the shape of the flower, the size and position of the tepals, the shape and texture of the leaves, the height and even vigour in the garden.
Among the range available, there are a number of widely grown, reliable forms. Galanthus elwesii, a Balkan species, has broad, glaucous leaves that reach 30cm in height, broad outer tepals and a green arc on the inner tepals. In contrast, the cultivar ‘S. Arnott’ has shorter, narrower leaves, delicate outer tepals and a thin V-shaped mark at the tip of the inner tepals.
If you fancy something a little rarer, ‘Trym’ is a charming choice. With tubular-looking flowers, the inner and outer tepals have a green apical mark and notch. The range of forms is almost endless and the sky is the limit regarding value – with an individual bulb of the rare ‘Golden Tears’ reaching £1,850 in 2022.
Growing snowdrops at home
Snowdrops grow freely in the wilder areas of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, like the Cory Lawn
Whether you prefer rare and expensiveor more common types, all enjoy dappled shade in well-drained, humus-rich soils. Bulbs can be bought in autumn, but the best way to plant snowdrops is ‘in the green’ (when they are still in leaf). As such, they are easy to place in the garden beneath trees and shrubs, but also among herbaceous plantings. There isn’t an easier way to add winter interest to your garden!
Be sure to get your snowdrops from a reputable source. Many are protected in the wild as their habitats are under threat of destruction for housing or agriculture and because wild populations have shrunk due to collecting for the horticultural trade.
Where to see snowdrops in the area
Of course, you may prefer to simply admire the snowdrops in local woodland or even somebody else’s garden. Several popular East Anglian gardens have stunning snowdrop displays, including Chippenham Park, Benington Lordship Gardens, Easton Walled Gardens, Walsingham Abbey and Anglesey Abbey.
Here at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, we have a lovely snowdrop trail that is a wonderful way of discovering the subtle differences between these joyful flowers and learning more about them. If you’re looking to do just that, visit botanic.cam.ac.uk/whats-on.
A word of warning though: once you’ve dipped your toes into the world of snowdrops, you may be in danger of developing galanthophilia!
Gardening jobs for January
- Look through seed catalogues and plan what you’re going to grow from seed this year.
- Finish clearing debris and leaves from the garden.
- Cut back hellebore leaves to reduce the risk of black spot and to expose the flowers.
- Continue covering tender plants if frosts and snow occur.
- Clean pots and tools and tidy tool sheds.
Top of the drops
Sally selects her favourites from Cambridge University Botanic Garden’s snowdrop trail
Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’
Loved for its double flower.
Galanthus elwesii
Named after Henby J Elwes, a British botanist who identified the original plants
in Turkey. The flowers have two green spots on the inner tepals.
Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’
A great one for bulking up with a light honey scent. Named after the keen gardener and snowdrop fanatic Samuel Arnott.
Galanthus ‘Magnet’
Flowers that nod in the wind, with a V-shaped green mark on their inner segments.
Galanthus nivalis ‘Scharlockii’
Often called the ‘donkey’s ears snowdrop’ with its long green petal-like collar (spathe) split into two ‘ears’.
Sally Petitt is head of horticulture at Cambridge University Botanic Garden. From gardens for the senses to beds of roses, explore more of Sally’s gardening tips.
