This morning I spent an hour organising my photos and making a folder on my computer for the shots I have taken of my snowdrops this year. They have just about finished flowering – there is still the odd clump in a shady spot, but any flowers in the sun have gone over and I know that they will all soon be retreating into the ground for another season.
2014 has been the best year for snowdrops in my garden. Since we moved here the winters have been very cold with lots of snow, so I have not been able to enjoy the snowdrops in the way that this winter has allowed. I am lucky to have moved into a garden with some very established clumps and drifts which have been breath taking this year and have weathered the wind and rain of this winter with no ill effects.
Whilst I love snowdrops I have not yet got to the stage of identifying the different varieties that I have growing in the garden. As all but my earliest snowdrops were here before me I have no background information to go on. I have, however, invested in Freda Cox’s book ‘A Gardener’s Guide To Snowdrops’ and I have at least now realised that the snowdrops in my garden are different shapes and sizes and come into flower at different times. That is quite a move on from seeing them just as singles or doubles. Next year I will have my notebook and pencil ready for their season and make a real attempt at identifying what I have. If anyone recognises any varieties in my photos please do leave a comment.
As much as I am looking forward to the season ahead I am very sorry to be saying goodbye to the beautiful snowdrops that have brought such joy to my winter garden. Looking at my photos this morning I decided that I could not let them go without a farewell feature here in my garden blog.
These are my earliest flowering snowdrops – I brought a clump with me from our last home and they are always out by 10th January. These were the first to finish flowering a few weeks ago. My original clump is now four good sized clumps and I think I will split them again later this month.
I love the combination of snowdrops and the hellebores that are settling down in my borders.
This was an arrangement made for ‘In A Vase On Monday‘ in February.
These two little vases formed part of my post for Garlic and Sapphire in February.
I am gradually building up the clumps of snowdops under the trees outside the greenhouse by lifting and dividing them after flowering.
I have some large drifts in the woodland behind the greenhouse. They started flowering there in February and are just going over.
Another view of snowdrops and hellebores. I think the snowdrops in the foreground are doubles.
This is the largest drift growing close to the old coach house in the front garden, where the chickens now have their home. The front garden is also home to a lot of wild rabbits and visited by the occasional deer. I have tried to grow crocus, muscari and tulips without success – something certainly treats them as a tasty meal. Snowdrops, narcissi, iris reticulata and hyacinths, however, remain untouched.
A clump of later flowering snowdrops.
A final arrangement made yesterday to enjoy in the house before the last of the snowdrops go over.
So for this year it is time to say goodbye to these beautiful little flowers. Since discovering snowdrops the winter has become a season that I now anticipate and enjoy, rather than a period to retreat indoors. Whilst I am delighted to see the blossom bursting out on the cherry trees and the tulips poking up in the borders I will miss the quiet period in my garden when I can walk around with the dogs and really appreciate each individual winter flower and shrub.
I hope that you have enjoyed this last look at the snowdrops for this year.
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You do have some lovely drifts of snowdrops, Julie. I love your greenhouse.
I think the last snowdrop in the little white pot is Magnet. It has a very long pedicel.
Thank you Chloris – I will look that up in Freda’s book.
So many beautiful photos og the lovely snowdrops you have here – and I just LOVE the greenhouse!!
I just got a bucket full of snowdrops from my grandmother for my own garden. I also enjoy to dig a few snowdrops up and put them in a glass vase so you can see the bulbs through the glass.
Nina
Thank you Nina and it is such a lovely idea to display snowdrops like that. I think that showing the bulbs through the glass is very Scandinavian – we have much to learn from you about presentation!
An hour well spent! I really like your vases of snowdrops, so elegant as is your lovely greenhouse.
Thank you Julie!
Fun to see your snowdrops in various settings. The naturalized areas are so gorgeous.
Thank you Susie – we inherited very few flowers with this house, so the drifts of snowdrops were a great surprise in our first winter.
I admire your greenhouse, what a wonderful addition to the garden. The white vases in your last image are beautiful, maybe sometime you could post more images of it as it seems to be multiple vases joined together, is that correct?
Thank you Christina – I will make sure I use that vase for my Monday post soon. It is one piece with lots of ‘fingers’ to put small posies or individual blooms in. I used it a lot last year but it had got pushed to the back of a cupboard and I found it again last week.
Oh my- just stunning!!:-) I love the photo display as I read your blog-gorgeous, and how lovely they dance across your garden. I don’t have any snow drops in my garden here in the USA. I doubt they would do well here since we are still have cold weather and snow. I love moon gardens/white gardens + what a perfect white flower to greet you in the spring!
forgot to mention…I use to bring my flowers in and put them in vases, but you have inspired me to dig out grandma’s vases that are stuffed on a shelf some where and dust them off for spring flowers. I love how you put it all together, you are gifted in that arena:-) I have cutting flowers.however, sometimes it is too hard for me to cut them,but you since I have been reading your blog I will be cutting more this year!
It is funny Robbie but it is only in the last couple of years that I have started cutting from my Cutting Garden! I was the same with vegetables at first – I hated to disrupt the neat rows. Now I eat what I want and cut from everything – it is surprising how little damage it does if you pick carefully. I hope that you will show pictures of your grandmother’s vases – I love old pieces of china and flowers look so pretty in them. I wish that more of both my grandmothers possessions had been kept.
How lovely to see these wider views of your snowdrops, Julie – and you are so right about how they change the whole meaning of winter
I am glad you enjoyed this Cathy – as with snowdrops in winter so with witch hazels. Not only am I going to have more of them I’m my garden to beautiful enjoy in the winter months, you also encouraged me to cut from them so I have another resource for the house in the winter!
I think we have encouraged each other, Julie – but so far they have only been VERY tiny sprigs…!
Hi Julie,
Such beautiful snow drops ! Truth I have never seen a live snow drops plant so far. I have seen in magazines or calendars only. Hoping to see here this year.But I am sure nothing could beat your collection. They are very gorgeous.so many ways to arrange them like you displayed here.
Sajina
I really hope you manage to see real snowdrops this year Sajina – I am sure you will love them. There must be many plants that you know well and I have never seen!
Hi Julie,
What a delightful post – I loved seeing all the snowdrops and hellebores in your garden. The arrangement you did in the silver-plated bowl is amazing – very beautiful!
Have a lovely weekend!
xo Ingrid
Thank you so much Ingrid – I am glad you enjoyed them.
I hope you are enjoying all this lovely weather & have a lovely weekend too.
It’s always sad to see the snowdrops go Julie but they certainly get the year off to a glorious start. You were most fortunate to inherit a sizeable number when you moved. I’m off out soon to split some of my clumps š
Glorious is the right word Anna – I have splitting snowdrops at the top of my list this week.
How did I miss such a super post about snowdrops! Sorry I’m late, but your photos are superb, they are such beautiful little flowers and a wonderful way to start the year, making us all think of spring!