An Introduction to Snowdrops

Getting to know Galanthus

Snowdrops are bulbs. They famously have a small (mostly) white flower (almost always just one to a stem) and strappy green or grey-green leaves. Most grow between 12–24 cm (4–8in) high. Although some bloom significantly earlier, generally most snowdrops in the UK start to flower in February. This is when you will see them in churchyards, on the side of the road or nestling under hedges. Over hundreds of years they have become semi-naturalised in the UK, spreading out from gardens and landscapes.

It’s worth growing snowdrops for their scent, even though many people think they don’t have a perfume. In order to attract the few insects on the wing in February, flowers need to send a strong signal that they are here – so they are scented. Common Galanthus nivalis has a honey scent that is delicious on a sunny day; you can cut the flowers and put them in a vase to appreciate them in a warm house.

Snowdrops are perennials, growing each year from bulbs that gradually increase to form a small clump

Galanthus nivalis (common snowdrop) is often seen naturalised in churchyards and hedgerows

Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus ‘Flore Pleno’ (double snowdrop) produce a large multi-petalled flower

When and where to buy snowdrops

• Mail order: mail order companies can deliver hundreds of more popular snowdrops for amazing value. You get them ‘in the green’  for delivery in March. They will have been lifted from the ground after flowering, but in growth, so they’ll arrive carefully wrapped after the plant has flowered but while the leaves are still green.
• Nurseries and snowdrop events: named snowdrop selections will be more expensive and are usually sold as potted plants from specialist nurseries to minimise root disturbance when planting. For the rarest named selections, collectors pay hundreds of pounds for just a single bulb. RHS regional shows and specialist snowdrop events are excellent places to find and buy unusual snowdrop bulbs; some nurseries also will supply by post.
• Snowdrop gardens: visit gardens in February, including those open just for snowdrops, where you will usually find a range of bulbs for sale.
• Dry bulbs: these are sold in packets from garden centres while bulbs are dormant in autumn. While they may succeed, this way of buying snowdrops often fails as bare bulbs quickly become dried out (desiccated).

New snowdrops can be most easily obtained via mail order

Visiting snowdrop gardens can be a memorable occasion, and good to get out and about in winter

Finding a perfect home for snowdrops
Snowdrops will thrive under hedges, in short grass, in flower beds and even in containers – anywhere not too dry and where the winter light catches them. Think about where you have seen snowdrops growing in other gardens or in the countryside, and this will give you an idea as to the kind of soil, aspect and conditions they need. In a small garden, plant them under a twiggy shrub as they appreciate summer shade when dormant. Try also to avoid places where you dig or disturb the soil regularly.

Looking after snowdrops:

• Plant snowdrops in fertile, friable soil and add plenty grit to help with drainage if you garden on a clay (sticky) soil. Plant the bulbs deeply (about three times the depth of the actual bulb), allowing only the green part of the leaves to show above ground. Water them regularly.
• The leaves are important as they are present from January to April, gathering energy from the sun to grow the bulb and power next year’s flowers. This means that, after flowering, you need to leave the leaves alone (don’t cut them back). They will wither and die back by May, and the bulb will then sit dormant until late autumn when growth begins again.
• You can plant summer-flowering perennials in the empty space around the dormant snowdrop bulbs – they won’t mind! Snowdrops are very relaxed about the roots of other plants and may even grow through them in the spring.
• Snowdrops soon start to increase, forming more bulbs underground. Lifting (digging up) clumps in spring (after they have flowered but while the leaves are still green) and splitting them into individual bulbs and replanting them separately means you will never have to buy another!
• Once snowdrops are happy, little care is needed. One of the best conditioners for the soil and your snowdrops is the leaf litter that falls from the trees above every year. In containers, you can imitate this by scraping off the top few centimetres and applying a new layer of compost.
• If your soil needs feeding, boost your snowdrops’ performance by applying slow-release fertiliser in autumn and gently forking it into the soil. Splitting the bulbs to prevent congestion will also improve the number of flowers in a clump.
• Snowdrops can grow well with other plants; our garden is full of ideas for using snowdrops in containers or large drifts.

Snowdrops can even thrive in large containers given the correct care

Using snowdrops with other plants

Our garden is full of ideas for using snowdrops in containers or large drifts and our seen at their best when we open in February. See my blog post here on snowdrop planting combinations or to visit the gardens see our snowdrop visiting page