Hello Sibe,

There is some lovely woodland at the back of my house where I often go to pick beautiful snowdrops with my nieces. I am thinking about planting some in my garden to welcome in the first signs of Spring. Would you recommend any particular variety?

Kind regards,

Margy

Our Gardening Expert replies:

Hello Margy,

Snowdrops are a great choice and will certainly be one of the earliest plants to emerge and flower each new year. The most widely available snowdrop is undoubtedly the common Galanthus nivalis - although there's nothing wrong with being 'common' on this occasion! Galanthus nivalis is a superb plant and is a native of most of Europe, but not this country! It is thought that it was introduced by the Romans, but soon became naturalised and now grows widely throughout England and Scotland.

There are numerous variations of the Galanthus nivalis. Many have been selected and named, but unless you are a committed Galanthaphile the differences can be hard to spot. Many types are available in small numbers from gardens which specialise in snowdrops, and in private plant sales. Of those you are likely to obtain in garden centres, Galanthus nivalis is often offered for sale as dried bulbs either in the single or quite attractive double form.

These are often unsuccessful however as snowdrops are one of those plants which should really be bought 'in the green'. This means when they are actively growing, as they can be difficult to establish otherwise, so it's a matter of looking for bulbs planted and growing in a pot, if you can obtain them. Plant them in a humus-rich situation and they will soon spread. Ideally choose somewhere where you are not likely to go digging for the majority of the year when this plant is dormant. You can divide clumps immediately after flowering without difficulty.

A number of other species are also worth looking out for - Galanthus plicatus is a particularly good one, larger than the common snowdrop and makes quite a show. My favourite, however, is Galanthus elwesii. Unusually, this is in flower now at the same time as my Galanthus nivalis. If you do grow different species it's worth separating them into different beds as they often flower at different times and they can be enjoyed separately without becoming mixed up.

Happy gardening!

Sibe.

To get the most from your garden over the next few months see Spring Gardening Tips.