Snowdrop fever

The warmish winter, although not very sunny here, has prompted lots of snowdrops to break through and show their tempting white spears early on so I’m already suffering from snowdrop fever.

How I wish there was an antidote, a quick jab in the arm to cure my affliction. Perhaps they could tack it on to the flu jab that I always mean to have but never get round to?

My snowdrop fever takes several forms. I spend a great deal of time peering at the bare earth willing my beauties on, usually wearing my best shoes because I’ve been lured from the desk by the Siren call.

Once they flower, out comes the notebook. It’s so muddied now that’s it difficult to read: I write down the date and how many flowers have deigned to appear this year. It’s a frustrating business for I planted ‘Greenfinch’ in 2010 and I still only get one flower! I moved it this summer and will probably pay the price and get no flower at all.

This is very frustrating because I saw a wonderful clump in another galanthophile’s garden in Oxfordshire. When asked what it was I failed the initiative test simply because my miserable specimen bore no resemblance to his healthy sward!

Failure won’t stop me ordering more of course even though my bank balance is still reeling from Christmas. If only Avon Bulbs’ catalogue didn’t have such wonderful pictures and sell such wonderful bulbs (avonbulbs.co.uk — 01460242177) I might get through until late January. As it is their splendid catalogue arrives before Christmas.

I shall also be attending lots of sales and the first bite of the cherry, so to speak, takes place at Myddelton House Garden, near Enfield, on Saturday, January 24, (10.30am-12pm). This outdoor sale (so wrap up warm!) is now in its third year and growing in popularity. For £3.50 you can get in, although most named snowdrops are at least seven times that price and more. So be warned! (visitleevalley.org.uk/ en/content/cms/whatson/the-ultimate-snowdrop-sale/)

Then the action moves to Harvey’s Garden Plants near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk (harveysgardenplants.co.uk / 01359 233363) on January 31. This undercover sale, held in a tunnel, attracts overseas visitors from Germany and Holland too. Entrance costs £2.50 and lots of good growers attend. There is also a later RHS show at Vincent Square on February 20 and 21st — but it’s so late so the best will have gone.

Everybody’s chasing the rarities, which is rather sad, because the rarities often bulk up slowly and therefore make little impact on the eye. One bulb may produce a clump of four flowers after three years if it likes you and it’s almost a case of blink and miss it.

Some of my show-stopping clumps are older varieties like the 19th-century ‘Magnet’ (which almost dances on wiry pedicels, the dainty double ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley” (sold for many years but only named in the 1980s by the late galanthophile Richard Nutt), ‘Ophelia’ (a tall Greatorex double) and ‘Neill Fraser’ — which I don’t know the details of.

These are all vigorous hybrids and far stronger than the ordinary species Galanthus nivalis.

It is far better to plant these show-stopping easy snowdrops, than rarities when you begin. All can be left well alone.

Most snowdrops do not like lying in wet soil, a common trait among bulbous plants. I tried to establish good clumps in the lower lying part of my garden, with dwindling results, so many of mine are now thriving higher up my sloping garden in brighter, drier positions. They also love a slope!

I try to keep the snowdrop monster within me under tight control. However I do have dodgy moments. My worst came two years ago when a fellow galanthophile (and dear friend) fell badly at a snowdrop party in Shropshire. The concussed victim had his car keys requisitioned and I volunteered to drive the poor chap home. As we arrived at his house he announced that he would dig me up some of his snowdrops. Thankfully the good Val surfaced just in time. I ordered the poor chap indoors and administered sweet tea. Phew!