GBBD: A Touch of Yellow Amongst the White

The main news for this month's Blooms Day is how the snowdrops have come out in force since their brave showing through the snow last month. All the flowers I showed you then are still very much in evidence (though less soggy, thankfully!), as is the iris I showed you last week.

But it's the snowdrops which dominate this month's show: I just have plain Galanthus nivalis, plus its double form G. 'Flore pleno', but I love them nevertheless. Most of them were a birthday present a few years ago, bought in the green and steadily multiplying ever since, so I always feel like they're a present all over again when they start blooming in numbers. I've started my annual snowdrop count, which currently stands at 1033. It looks like they're around a fortnight behind last year's count, but there's plenty waiting in the wings still to burst forth, especially in the guerrilla garden area.

I don't really go for collecting lots of Galanthus species: I prefer to have masses of the ordinary ones as they're special enough to me. However, I may add a new one to my collection this week, because I'm due to go snowdrop peeping with Patient Gardener on Friday at Painswick Rococo Garden. As well as being noted for its massed planting of snowdrops, it's also home to Galanthus nivalis 'Atkinsii'. According to the garden's blog, the noted snowdrop grower James Atkins retired to one of the estate cottages and may have helped to create the display at Painswick. Galanthus nivalis 'Atkinsii' is named after him and it's claimed he found it in his back garden there. To buy some as a souvenir of our visit somehow seems to be the right thing to do :)

The pictured winter aconites on the right are also treasured as they were also bought for me in the green as a present when we first moved here and I actually planted them out on my birthday. They've been multiplying slowly and now form a tiny yellow trickle of a stream down the edge of the front side garden. I'm hoping they'll spread themselves down the bank eventually, so the trickle becomes a river. But patience is the key here.

Both they and the crocus nearby (a free gift with the aconites) are portents for March: when the current masses of white in my garden give way to the bright yellows of the long awaited daffodils.

Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. Helen/patientgardener15 February 2010 at 12:44

    Looking forward to Friday. Think we might be able to get 'snowdrop peeping' to be a new term?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gail15 February 2010 at 13:32

    I wouldn't mind having masses of the ordinary snowdrops either! I love them...instead we have Leucojum/Summer Snowflake...gail

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous15 February 2010 at 14:26

    Dear VP, I very much share your love of Galanthus nivalis and am quite content to have that in my garden. Your naturalised mass planting sounds particularly attractive; they must enjoy the conditions which you give them.

    Did you read the recent posting by RO on Colesbourne Park which clearly, like the Rococo Garden, has snowdrops in abundance?

    I do agree that one always has a fondness for plants which have been given on special occasions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jean Campbell15 February 2010 at 14:37

    Lovely presentation of the Winter Garden. Good job of illustrating 'Bloom Where You're Planted.'

    Happy Bloom Day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dee/reddirtramblings15 February 2010 at 16:07

    VP, I envy your snowdrops. Maybe I'll have a nice grouping of them one day. This was a special post with your information about G. Atinski. Loved it. I think a special souvenir of your trip would be great. Happy Bloom Day.~~Dee

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nathan15 February 2010 at 16:59

    great blog keep up the good work

    ReplyDelete
  7. Juliet15 February 2010 at 18:09

    Lovely to see some colour at last, isn't it? Do you know which Crocus those are, by any chance? - I'm trying to work out which of the yellow ones are stripey and which aren't.

    Sorry for the lack of comments lately - I've been having trouble keeping up with all the blogs I read, among other things - I'm finally catching up now. I enjoyed reading your interview with Derry Watkins and your report of Keith Wiley's talk though, albeit a bit late.

    Now I need to go back and leave a comment on your post about recycling plastic - I meant to do so at the time, but didn't have sufficient time/brain available.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anna15 February 2010 at 21:18

    Still don't know how you manage to count your snowdrops :) I've tried and gone crossed eyed. Look forward to hearing about your trip to Painswick.

    ReplyDelete
  9. colleen15 February 2010 at 23:24

    How wonderful to see the snowdrops. Have just walked past Mile End park on the way back home and there they all are peeping through.

    Didn't stop to count!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Shirley16 February 2010 at 10:47

    Hi there VP, love your montage :-D

    Wow… having a snowdrop count at all is a thought…I have so few myself. My problem is patience, well not quite, more like moments of madness with a trowel ;-)

    I tend to move about so many plants in my garden and bulbs just get lost down in the earth. Thought to self… plant a sign in border… snowdrops sleeping ;-)

    Enjoy your snowdrop peeping with Helen on Friday :-D

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rose16 February 2010 at 14:22

    Crocus and snowdrops! Surely, spring is on the way in your garden, VP. I'm still amazed at the number of snowdrops you have:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mr. McGregor's Daughter18 February 2010 at 18:49

    How charming the little bulbs are! How much I miss them! It's not fair! I'm sick of snow now! Help!

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP7 March 2010 at 13:16

    Hi everyone - glad you liked this month's show. It's also staying on well into March owing to the continued weather.

    The snowdrop count currently stands at 1838 - around 12.5% up on last year, but I might just have another week of increasing numbers to go yet.

    Top Veg - welcome!

    ReplyDelete

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