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Feature Article Confessions of a Galanthophile By Carolyn Walker

have always loved snowdrops. But I still wasn’t a all looked different to me. II loved them so much that I set my galanthophile, a British I only have 34 varieties seasonal clock by them. When they word describing gardeners though, hardly qualifying bloomed, it was no matter obsessed with snowdrops. as a collection in the eyes what the calendar said. When we In my pre-galanthophile of UK galanthophiles who purchased our property in 1983, it days, I thought (and have easy access to hun- came with thousands of common I shudder to put this in dreds of named . snowdrops, nivalis. Many writing) that once you had Luckily (or unluckily) un- of my original snowdrops are on an the double ‘Flore Pleno’, The common double usual snowdrops are rarely open south-facing hill and often start and the giant G. elwesii, snowdrop 'Flore Pleno' is available in the U.S. due to bloom at the beginning of February. and the green-tipped very pretty. to their endangered spe- That’s when spring began for me. ‘Viridapice’, and the glossy green- cies status, saving me from creating When they bloomed, I would put on leafed G. woronowii, you pretty much a system to keep track of hundreds of my warmest set of work clothes, head had the snowdrop field covered. The snowdrop cultivars in my garden. The out to the garden, and leave the winter rest all looked the same, didn’t they? British snowdrop ‘bible’, Snowdrops: doldrums behind. What were those collectors getting so A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus In 1991, I began taking the Long- excited about? by Matt Bishop, Aaron Davis, and wood Gardens certificate courses, and But one day, I realized the error John Grimshaw (Griffin Press 2006), in 1995, I took the wonderful Hardy of my ways and was seized by the describes over 500 cultivated variet- Spring and Fall course. It was galanthophile obsession to collect ies, and the authors admit that it is there that I learned that the snowdrop every snowdrop I could get now out-of-date, and a second volume world wasn’t comprised solely of my hands on. Actually, it didn’t really is underway. but included other happen in a day—more like years. But there are rational reasons aside enticing varieties. My snowdrop world It started with reading the snowdrop from pure lust to justify collect- soon expanded to include additional sections in the (old) Heronswood ing snowdrops, and I want to share the cultivars and easily available catalogues. Dan Hinkley was a master three that motivate me: bloom time, from companies. at plant descriptions, and I ordered a ornamental characteristics, and history. few new cultivars each year. However, my fate as a galanthophile was sealed when I visited Charles Cresson’s gar- den during snowdrop season. Charles can make you see and appreciate the finest distinctions in , and he is so generous with his treasures. Now I had the wild up-facing double ‘Blewbury Tart’, and ‘Magnet’ with the fishing line stem, and the The common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, drop-pearl earring shaped ‘Atkinsii’, The double snowdrop Galanthus nivalis f. ' ' multiplies prolifically and combines beautifully and the classic ‘S. Arnott’, and the pleniflorus Blewbury Tart always looks like it's having a bad hair day. with Italian Lords-and-Ladies, Arum italicum rabbit-eared ‘Sharlockii’, and . . . they 'Pictum'.

Vol. 27, No. 1 /Mid-Atlantic Group 3 Ornamental Characteristics With bloom time covered, I must admit that ornamental characteris- tics are even more important to me. Snowdrops at a time of year when I have the luxury of studying them closely without being called to a competing garden task or by a plethora of other gorgeous blooms. As Charles Cresson said in a The double snowdrop 'Lady Beatrix ' 2006 ' The fall-blooming snowdrop Potter's interview, “No matter how impressive Stanley is as elegant as the name implies. Prelude' in November and December and is quite vigorous. the big picture, in a great garden even I think virescent snowdrops with the smallest vignette is a work of art. delicate green shading over the outer Season-extending Snowdrops True beauty is in the details.” It is no segments are lovely. I have my eye on First, if you love snowdrops, it is coincidence that many of the most ‘Green Tear’ but at £360 it’s out of my natural to want to extend their season, impressive gardeners in the league. Angular snowdrops where the especially to parts of the year when Valley collect snowdrops, a plant that outer segments are shaped and marked your garden is winding down. With epitomizes elegant detail. However, a modest selection of some of the in my own garden, I want to avoid varieties available in the US, you can Sources collecting for collecting’s sake—each Carolyn’s Shade Gardens (C. Walker) have snowdrops blooming from early snowdrop must be distinct enough so carolynsshadegardens.com/2012-snowdrop- October into April. catalogue/ that I can identify it without looking at [email protected] For example, Galanthus reginae- the label. 2013 online catalog available in January. olgae starts blooming in my garden With that qualification in mind, The Temple Nursery (H. Lyman) in early to mid-October and lasts for Box 591 I have sought out distinct snowdrops Trumansburg, NY 14886 about four weeks. Just as it goes by, to admire in the off season, and I will Send $3 for a catalog. the first flowers of G. elwesii mention only a few of my Brent and Becky’s Bulbs var. monostichus ‘Potter’s 877-661-2852 favorites here to illustrate www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com Prelude’ appear and continue my point. You may think all through December. The gi- Black Hog Horticulture (John Feliciani) snowdrops look alike, but 16731 New Rd snowdrop, G. elwesii, flower shapes and colors Lewes DE 19958 begins flowering in early [email protected], 610-742-4971 can be very different and www.blackhogfarmstead.com January, while ‘Magnet’ intriguing. I admire ‘Kite’ and ‘S. Arnott’ bloom in with its incredibly long Places to See Snowdrops late January and February Winterthur outer segments () and 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52) before the common snow- The yellow snowdrop ‘Augustus’ for its plump and Winterthur, DE 19735 drop, G. nivalis, takes over ' ' Well-established, naturalized collection Wendy's Gold is quilted flowers. I am fasci- of snowdrops. Reopens for the spring on for late February and March. quite rare and there- nated by double snowdrops March 1, 2013. The double ‘Flore Pleno’ fore pricey. and particularly cherish Ithan Valley Park and G. woronowii will provide flow- ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’ for its el- 642 South Ithan Ave ers in later March and even into April Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 egance, while I laugh every time I pass Open dawn to dusk, an old estate garden depending on the weather. by ‘Blewbury Tart’ having a bad hair with masses of common snowdrops in Feb- ruary and March. day. No one can disagree that yellow snowdrops are distinct, and I treasure Snowdrop Events Winterthur Bank to Bend Lecture by Alan my ‘Wendy’s Gold’ and double yellow Street, English snowdrop expert and head ‘Lady Elphinstone’. nurseryman of Avon Bulbs, Saturday, March 9, 2013, 11:00 a.m., preregistration There are other very different required. www.winterthur.org snowdrops I would add if I could get “Snowdrops and Other Winter Interest them. I would love to have an elegant Plants” Seminars by Charles Cresson, Feb- poculiform like ‘Bridesmaid’ ruary 2013 (exact dates to be announced). carolynsshadegardens.com/2012-winter- The desirable snowdrop 'Lady Elphinstone' where the inner and outer segments interest-seminars/ appears to be the only double yellow cultivar. are equal in size and pure white. 4 Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group January 2013 lineage? I consult Snowdrops, which gardener. Greatorex was a commis- details much of the background of the sioned cavalry officer in WWI, who varieties it covers. I wish all genera was wounded at Lagincourt and had books this information-packed received the Victoria and British Med- and well written dedi- als. He served in WWII cated to them; it would as the Captain of a Home make plant shopping so Guard platoon and much more fun. I also eventually became reclu- do internet research and sive, living in a railway The double snowdrop 'Ophelia' and other participate in the Scottish carriage in his garden. doubles were selected by an eccentric Rock Garden Club Forum His legendary of English gardener who named them after Shakespeare characters. on Galanthus where double snowdrops lives galanthophiles from all on. like the inner segments are very dis- over the world gather to Quirky snowdrop The third oldest snowdrop tinct, and ‘Trym’ and ‘South Hayes’ obsess. tales abound. It is obvi- would show up well in any garden. cultivar still in existence, It is in Snowdrops 'Straffan', has a venerable ous that I find every Finally, orange flushed snowdrops that I discovered the history. aspect of snowdrops like ‘Anglesey Orange Tip’ are said to interesting background of ‘Straffan’, intriguing, from their unusual bloom stand out from the crowd. the third oldest snowdrop cultivar still time to their gorgeous flowers to their History of Snowdrops in existence. During the Crimean War colorful history. You may not want to Which brings me to the third reason, 1853–1856 (famous for the Charge increase your collection beyond the after bloom time and distinct orna- of the Light Brigade and Florence more common varieties, but I hope mental characteristics, Nightingale among you will now understand the basis of I would add a particular Companion Plants other things), UK troops the galanthophile addiction. snowdrop to my garden for Snowdrops fought in the Crimea, My favorites are Italian arum, a peninsula extending and to one of the things hardy cyclamen, winter aco- I find most fascinating nite, snow crocus, Siberian from the into and Tubergen squill, silver- the Black Sea and prime about snowdrops: they leafed lamium, heucheras, Carolyn Walker is the owner of Carolyn’s are the only plant that hellebores, camellias, and snowdrop territory. evergreen ferns. When the war was over, Shade Gardens in Bryn Mawr, PA, a I would purchase as nursery specializing in showy and colorful much for their colorful soldiers brought back plants that flourish in shady gardens with a history as for their looks. And how snowdrops collected from the battle- focus on snowdrops, hellebores, miniature do I find out about their captivating fields, an arresting image. Eyre Chal- hostas, ferns, and native wildflowers. For loner Henry Massey, the fourth Baron more information, visit her blog/web site at www.carolynsshadegardens.com or email Clarina, owner of Straffan House in [email protected].

County Kildare, , returned Ed Note: The best places to see the less common Bank to Bend: home with a clump of G. plicatus from snowdrops are in private gardens of HPS/MAG members, such as Carolyn Walker, David Culp, Alan Street of Avon Bulbs the Valley of Tchernaya. His head Charles Cresson, Queenie Northrup, Marcia Spoor, gardener, Henry Bedford, selected Barbara Tiffany, and others. Winterthur Museum, The photos in this article are courtesy of Carolyn Garden, & Library ‘Straffan’ from this clump. Walker. Clip art from FreeClipartNow.com. For a full- color version of this article, go to the HPS/MAG web Many historic snowdrops are as- site, www.hardyplant.org. Saturday sociated with the British aristocracy March 9 or with famous horticulturalists like 11:00 a.m.–noon E. A. Bowles. So it was with great Lecture admission also includes tours interest that I researched the history of March Bank and of the Greatorex double snowdrops, access to snowdrop and other specialty ‘Ophelia’ and ‘Hippolyta’ among nurseries. them, hybridized in the mid-twentieth century by the enigmatic snow- $20 ($10 members) Call 302.888.4600 to register drop breeder Heyrick Greatorex of www.winterthur.org Brundall, Norfolk, England, appar- ently an ordinary, untrained home Vol. 27, No. 1 Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group 5