Margot Navarre has shared her garden with us before. Last time she featured the towering flowering stems of Cardiocrinum gigantium. Today she’s focused on a group of much much smaller but no less special plants.
I live in Bellevue, Washington, and love all seasons in the garden. The snowdrops are one of my favorite plants, and they bloom October–February in my garden. Galanthus is a genus of 20 species and over 1000 cultivators. I have received some rare ones from my relatives in Victoria and have snowdrops from my grandmother and mother’s garden. The snowdrop gene must run in the family because you can never have enough snowdrops, and I always dream of getting a new one.
Snowdrops in drifts make more of a statement. Though the individual blooms are small, when they get together they are pretty wonderful. And of course, the fact that they bloom when almost nothing else in the garden is showing signs of life is a pretty big factor in their favor.
One of Margot’s favorites in the garden is the variety ‘Godfrey Owen’.
Up close and personal with ‘Godfrey Owen’. Most snowdrops have three outer and three inner petals, but this variety has six of each, which create a beautiful, elegant flower.‘Godfrey Owen’ was discovered by a famous English snowdrop lover, Margaret Owen, and she named this beautiful plant after her husband.
The snowdrops pair nicely with cyclamen, hellebores, ferns, and other woodland plants. Here they are blooming with Cyclamen coum (Zones 5–9), which is another treasure that blooms in late winter to early spring.
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Comments
Wow. I just realized I absolutely cannot live now without snowdrops, thanks to you. They are amazing! Wonderful to have such a passion.
I can easily understand your enthusiasm for snowdrops, Margot. They have such beguiling shy beauty when looked at individually and then make quite a sophisticated statement when gazed upon en masse .
I have a whole new appreciation for Snowdrops after seeing your garden and reading about them here.
Thank you for the nice comments.
I’m so in love with snowdrops... Grateful for the share. I planted many - last year saw a few- none so far this year. ?
Where did you plant them? They need some light in winter but shade in the summer. They do well under deciduous trees and like leaf mold. I liquid fertilizer when the are blooming but that isn’t necessary. Hope they come back.
Yes, they bloom in my garden starting in October ( a few rare ones) but mostly bloom in end of January and early February. Currently, they are all covered in snow but they can handle the snow.
Margot, thank you for inviting me to take another look at snowdrops! They are so beguiling, but shy. Are yours blooming now? I just realized yesterday that one of my white hellebores is in full bloom! The others all have buds, but this one is up next to the concrete foundation of our garage, so is protected - and it is lovely!
I see you post on Snowdrops and Galanthophiles on Facebook. Love your snowdrops!
Thanks do much
Margot, your beautiful snowdrops make me think of spring - here in the mid-Atlantic region they are the first flowers to bloom, but we haven’t reached that season yet Godfrey Owen is truly elegant
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I love Snowdrops too. I live in Newcastle, WA
We should do a snowdrop garden visit
I live a little ways south of you, and also south of Newcastle, and can't wait for this snow we all have to disappear so I can look for my Snowdrops! And if you haven't heard, there are rumors that we are in for 2 more snow events in the next week!!!Thanks for the cheery photos.
Yes, I have heard that rumor. Stay warm
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