double flowered Galanthus nivalis
Jim McKenney (Wed, 06 Apr 2005 07:50:58 PDT)

Yesterday I acquired a nice clump of a very full double-flowered Galanthus
nivalis with very evenly disposed floral segments.

Double-flowered Galanthus nivalis seem to vary a bit: some are full but very
irregular, some are skimpy and very irregular and some are full and regular
- to cite some of the possibilities. I've often wondered if growing
conditions are not the main factor in causing these differences. The plants
I just acquired came from a wet slick at the edge of an abandoned shrubbery
- the sort of place where there is mud long after rains but which is dry in
dry weather.

I'm about to dig and rearrange the snowdrop plantings here, and am wondering
if any of you can suggest snowdrop plantings in combination with other
plants which you find especially attractive. One group of snowdrops is set
to go under a beech tree in combination with Eranthis hyemalis. Ten other
cultivars of which I have numerous plants I want to use in two opposite
narrow borders where they will be very conspicuous when in bloom. In fact, I
would like to plan for an eventual snowdrop garden, perhaps in the narrow
borders of a 13' x30' space I call my sunk garden. The sunk garden planting
will include Helleborus foetidus.

How are others growing their snowdrops?

Jim McKenney

jimmckenney@starpower.net

Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where the last of the
snowdrops still show a bit of color but don't bear close inspection - and
the first of "our" toads began to trill softly today.