Wednesday 30 January 2013

Galanthomania


Are you a galanthophile? If you are, you are now a very happy gardener. This is your time of year. The pristine flowers of your plant of choice are now decorating our gardens. It is snowdrop time. What used to be called Candlemas bells are now in their season.

The bulk of our snowdrops are now coming into full flower, kicking at the traces of winter. For most of us, (self included), they all look much the same, - small white flowers with a green stamen. That however is sacrilege to the avid grower of these little bulbous plants. Since the turn of the century over fifteen hundred cultivars of this small flower have been developed. At ground level, and that's where you have to get to fully appreciate the snowdrop's fluorescence, you do begin to see what the galanthobores, (sorry galanthophiles) see. There are singles and there are double flowers and the markings do vary between the many species, hybrids and cultivars. 

As with most flowers I think that it is only with large swathes that you get the full benefit of their scenic impact.

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