Galanthus species in the garden

[Brian Ellis]

I have also had G. ikariae 'Snogerupii' or is it subsp. snogerupii, for the last three seaons .

Thats one I definitely should put in the ground, why on earth didn't I think so before

[snowdropcollector]

Thank you Dimitri for your list with species, and show us that more species can be grown in the garden.

My experience from last year learned me to protect the snowdrops in a kind of way. With the late frost we had in Febr. with temperatures going down to - 21 and no snow, I lost many cultivars. Wind, sun and heavy frost is a killing combination for the snowdrops when they are far developt.
I did grow some cultivars of Woronowii and X Allenii outside also, none did survive  . Also the far developt Elwesii's and Plicatus and Nivalis cultivars have been badly damaged and have been killed by the frost.

Brian, like you said it,  keeping a back up under glass and try some outside in the ground is proberly the best thing to do.

[KentGardener]

Thats one I definitely should put in the ground, why on earth didn't I think so before

B, Sadly I have managed to lose it twice in the garden here and think I have given up trying....

A shame as earlies are much needed here.

[ChrisD]

It is often said that plants in the UK tend to die off over winter due to the dampness of the soil, rather than just due to the low temperatures. Hence many plants will survive in free draining sandy soils that would die in more poorly draining clay type soils. Does anybody have any views on whether the same applies to snowdrops?

Chris

[Tim Ingram]

I think they are quite adaptable Chris so long as the soil drains reasonably, and even when it is wet so long as moisture is always moving through the soil and is well oxygenated. Graham Gough has grown snowdrops really well on chalky soil, others on quite heavy loams. Our soil is close to the latter but is well drained and I usually plant close to trees and shrubs that will open the soil up more with their roots and keep it dry through the summer. Some of the more special species would probably do better on raised beds, especially if you are unlucky enough to have really heavy soil.

[Oakwood]

It is often said that plants in the UK tend to die off over winter due to the dampness of the soil, rather than just due to the low temperatures. Hence many plants will survive in free draining sandy soils that would die in more poorly draining clay type soils. Does anybody have any views on whether the same applies to snowdrops?

Chris

Chris,
e.g. G. krasnovii, G. panjutinii, ecologic woody morph of G. woronowii I saw growing in the wild in a heavy dense clay just like a plasticine, but we should note it is in the mountains and under trees in beech woods (well drained situation!). Moreover, the dense clay but well drained soils decrease the risk of fungal diseases development (nitrogen and oxygen surplus deprivation). And in sandy soils the risk to be frosted during harsh winter increases seriously for bulbs. The problem of bulbs dying in dense soils is in the absence of optimal drainage so that such soils still water-logged all cold period. And we should take in mind that all galanthus species are obligate CALCIPHYLES!!! like this one extreme G. woronowii ecologic rocky morph in my pic
here below some pics of snowdrops growing in the clay and on limestone rocks seen by me in natural habitat in Abkhazia and S Russia.

[Brian Ellis]

A shame as earlies are much needed here.

As indeed they are for us all

[ian mcenery]

Dmitri I agree most are OK in the garden here and in the UK winters are much less harsh than continental Europe

The only species that I have and I can't seem to grow in the garden are peshmenii, fosteri and cilicius and the last one seems to be a failure in a pot as well . Maybe next summer I will plant some peshmenii and fosteri against the house wall where it is very dry. I do survive some peshmenii in the alpine scree but these have never flowered and look wretched. By and large I hate pots and most will grow better outside but in the current weather pot culture does enable you to retreat to the greenhouse and enjoy the flowers so keeping a few in captivity is OK

[johnw]

Dimitri - Back in the 1980's I grew fosteri from the SRGC Seedex.  Not knowing that it was tender I planted it outdoors in a very well-drained area thanks to greedy Ulmus roots.   it lived for a few years until we had a dry snowless winter, as you say the cold infiltrated that well-drained soil and killed the bulbs dead.  By UK standards it was a cold winter but not below -15c as I recall.

We often read as Chris says "that plants in the UK tend to die off over winter due to the dampness of the soil, rather than just due to the low temperatures." and I wonder why the same plants survive here.  Perhpas it is that with our lower temps some fungal diseases are kept in check.

I am curious to know how much cold woronowii can tolerate.   i tried it in a very mild area in Nova Scotia and they petered out, I blamed the very heavy moist soil which perhaps might suit platyphyllus.  Speaking of which, as platyphyllus and Narcissus cyclamineus tolerate very wet heavy soil I wonder how they avoid Stagonospora.  Perhaps a little research is in order to find out why this should be.

johnw   - a hellishly cold day here but snow on the ground, -14c at 22:54. Get me out of here. Viburnum Dawn was showing colour a week ago, I wonder how she is faring tonight?

[Mavers]

Fascinating to see snowdrops growing from clefts in solid rock Dimitri.

[mark smyth]

G. snogerupii growing in a N Irish garden

[ChrisD]

Thanks for your comments Tim and Dimitri. Fascinating photos too Dimitri, particularly the snowdrops on the rock face.

I would love to try and grow more of the species and this thread has encouraged me to try, and to try moving some of the ones I currently grow to more "difficult" areas of the garden. Fingers crossed.

Also added Snogerupii to my ever expanding wishlist.

Chris