How many snowdrops are there?
Galanthus, Greek meaning Milk (Gala) Flower (-anthos), grow across Europe into Russia and comprise of 19 species of which only a few are well known in cultivation. Snowdrop fans, Galanthophiles, have managed to find and name over 500 cultivars with many more grown but not officially named. They can be named after where they are found, G. nivalis ‘Blewbury Tart’ (below left), in memory of someone, Galanthus plicatus ‘Sophie North’ (below middle) or just word association Galanthus ‘Ding Dong’ (below right) named by Alan Street of Avon Bulbs. Ding Dong, Avon Calling!! Galanthus nivalis ‘Blewbury Tart’ Galanthus plicatus ‘Sophie North’ Galanthus ‘Ding Dong’ Are they really the harbingers of spring? To the ordinary gardener yes they are but a collector of Galanthus will tell you different. They actually begin to flower in the autumn usually in late October. The best known of these ‘early’ Snowdrops is G. reginae-olgae (below left) which is named after Queen Olga from Greece. G. peshmenii fl
