ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH THE GARDEN GAT E


THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE 92


SNOWDROPS, CROCUS, DAFFODILS, THEY ALL COME BOUNDING WITH FRESH ENTHUSIASM


Television Horticulturist, Camilla Bassett-Smith, waxes lyrical about one of our gardens’ most prized plant groups!


February may “bring the rain” and “thaws the frozen lake again” but it also brings a bounty of one of our most precious botanical beauties – the bulb. Snowdrops, crocus, daffodils, they all come bounding with fresh enthusiasm to join us at this time of year.


No bobble hats needed for them, as these delicate delights are fully equipped to deal with the cold, and indeed positively thrive in it! Snowdrops are even believed to display thermal qualities as they melt patches of snow above where they grow.


Basically, a bulb is an underground storage organ, taking in energy during the year and expelling it in the form of flower and foliage. Rather like a good old fashioned storage heater! It is indeed one of nature’s wonders that from such small dull blobs, come such exquisite blooms, which are particularly appreciated at this time of year when all around is cold and grey.


Snowdrops continue to ignite passion amongst collectors and gardeners, for what is easy to pass over as a basic white flower, becomes something magical once you start to observe green or yellow markings on petals and all the different forms they display. (The distinct frown on the face of Galanthus ‘Grumpy’ being an excellent example of fascinating features). Petals too


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can be long and narrow or flared out like a skirt in the wind – the variety really is astonishing.


It was ‘Wendy’s Gold’, discovered in the 1970s, which really founded yellow fever and since then we have seen yellow snowdrops change hands for up to £1,850 for a single bulb, which was achieved in 2022 for Joe Sharman’s ‘Golden Tears’. Breeding continues and the yearning for yellow shows no signs of slowing down with recent introductions including ‘Zitronenfalter’ available from Matt Bishop and ‘Dryad Apollo’ from Anne Wright at Dryad Nurseries.


Photo Courtesy of Matt Bishop


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