As you read this, galanthomania is sweeping the country and keen snowdrop fans, or galanthophiles, are dropping to their knees to inspect the delicate petals of some of the rarer forms of snowdrop. Well, they would be if coronavirus wasn’t making travel to gardens impossible. Restricted to their own gardens some are having to stay at home and make do with enjoying their own collection, while others with larger gardens are being creative and offering online tours via their social media channels.
There’s been a huge interest in snowdrops over the last few years, none more so than in 2015 when a yellow form ‘Golden Fleece’ sold at auction for £1,390 for a single bulb. Spring 2020 saw no let up in the interest for golden forms with ‘Dryad Gold Ingot’ achieving £860.
We have no such collections here at Genus HQ and no expensive varieties but historic planting of snowdrops around our centuries' old cottage has flowed out of the copse and onto the edge of our driveway. One or two are just starting to show their white flower buds but in a few weeks time the carpet of white will obliterate views of the cold damp soil and offer us much needed cheer in these tough times.
