Good things come to those who wait. At least ten years ago, I planted the first of these snowdrops lining the path to the Secret Garden. You will have to click on the photo to enlarge it in order to see them, because they are the ones way in the back, on the far side of the footbridge, looking no more than a white blob from this distance. They are the same snowdrops that you see in every header image, because they have been nice, substantial clumps for at least as long as we’ve owned a digital camera.
Since they were given to me by a friend, who had dug them from a field adjoining her property, I really don’t know which species of Galanthus they are. But based on Don’s description, my best guess is that they are Galanthus nivalis. It is quite wet along this path at the moment, and these snowdrops multiply rapidly.
Case in point: all of the snowdrops you see here came from the original ones way in the back. And just as I planted the very first ones, so I planted them all: digging them up and dividing them right after they bloom, and then replanting them, singly, about six inches apart. Every place where there is now a clump of snowdrops, there was once a solitary blossom, scarcely visible against the dormant, soggy grass.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
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Well here in the Hudson Valley, as I watch the Juncos and Chickadees taking mud baths in the sizable puddles forming out back, I wonder where the heck are the snowbells here? I believe they were up this time by last year. And the Crocus. Perhaps our dismal weather as of late is keeping them at bay.
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Kathy… it does look like they are nivalis; a single green mark on each inner petal, small plant and flower, narrow dark green leaves which are applanate.
Nice.
They’re beautiful! Now if I could just find a spot in my yard where snowdrops like to grow, I’ll know how to “help” them spread.
I am happy to hear that you are finally seeing some flowers blooming!
Twitter: @C_Vanderlinden
I had the same “lightbulb moment” as entangled did when I read this. Your snowdrops look so natural, one would never guess that they had a little help
Twitter: @Annieinaustin
What a lovely floral guide for your path, Kathy! The snowdrops in my IL garden were in clumps, but I sort of did the same thing as you advise, while the leaves were still up, I’d split up an established clump and start new ones.
You are so right – new dry bulbs took a long time to get going, but moving them in late spring gave much better results.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Aha, I just had a light bulb moment reading this. Instead of waiting for the snowdrops to magically naturalize, I should actually practice horticulture and divide them. I’m always reluctant, though, to mess with the ones that are happy where they are. If it ain’t broke and all that.
beautiful.
you know, a wonderful thing about plants and gardens is the combination of instant gratification (just watching them) and long term rewards. Just think what a few more years will hold.
thanks for putting this up!
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