Here’s why Snowdrop flowers swap hands for hundreds of pounds
WITH their simple white heads nodding in the breeze, Snowdrops are the first signs of hope that Spring is hiding round the corner.
And according to - the average snowdrop - also known as Galanthus Nivalis - flowers in the UK on January 26th.
In 2022 a single snowdrop bulb sold for £1,850, and its not uncommon for them to change hands for hundreds.
All over the UK, Visitor Gardens are gearing up for their annual Snowdrop festivals, where serious collectors - Galanthophiles - alongside fairweather fans, will flock to see more than a thousand varieties on display.
Saul Walker, Head Gardener of in Devon, and co-presenter of the , organises an annual Snowdrop Event on behalf of the , which has taken place every year for five years.
He told Sun Gardening: “I think people just love their purity - the white of the flower contrasted against the green of the grass makes them really vivid, which gives people hope.
GARDENING
“There’s mythology built around them being the first flower of the year and having a couple of early ones around the garden, when not much else is going on, is rather nice.
“In horticulture there’s a lot of people who enjoy having large plant collections - it taps into the Zeitgeist and snowdrops are no different.
"I'm no collector but I've been guilty of spending more than a hundred pounds on three bulbs. They just bring hope"
Owner of , Kent, , is gearing up for it’s annual Snowdrop and Spring Plant fair on February 11.
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He said: “We don’t have huge banks of snowdrops, but we have nurseries, specialists and keen Galathophiles come down to see the snowdrops on offer.
"We hold our every year, and thousands of enthusiasts come from all over to see what's on offer.
"And the good thing is they get to see the Snowdrops in flower, they look marvellous.
"People get very excited about buying rare varieties. They’re one of the first flowers and they’re just beautiful.”
Saul's Top Snowdrop Tips
- Dig them up every 3-4 years and split them, as they’ll put on a bit more vigour when you spread them around your garden.
- They grow in sun and shade, but there will need to be a bit of light - the ones in the shade come through a bit later, but generally they’re not fussy.
- For naturalised drifts try the traditional Galanthus Nivalis.
- Best early snowdrop is Fly Fishing
- Beginners should try S Arnott - it's a classic, quite large snowdrop. flowers reliably, and bulks up quickly,
- Trumps is shorter with a very full flower,
- For ‘yellows’ try Madeleine - relatively cheap with a large yellow ovary.
OTHER SNOWDROP EVENTS INCLUDE...
- , from Jan 25th
- from Jan 27
- Feb 7
- , Feb 17
- From now
- From Feb 10th
- Feb 10
- Scotland February 18
- in Dumfriesshire Feb 18
- in East Lothian Feb 18
YEW-LESS ZONE
IF you live by a busy road and want to lower the risk of pollution - plant evergreen trees with smaller leaves, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.
Researchers from the (GCARE) planted ten different trees in pots along the A3 in Guildford, where 80,000 vehicles drive past every day.
Yendle Barwise, former forester and University of Surrey researcher, said: “When tackling air pollution, the ideal leaves cling on to particles when it's windy – but let go of them in the rain.
"That means the wind blows less pollution back into the air – but rain can wash it safely to the ground.
“Being rough and hairy isn't all it's cracked up to be.
"To remove more particle pollutants over time, leaves need to be washed by rainfall, and it seems that the size and shape of the leaf is much more important from this perspective."
Yew (taxus baccata) was the plant which removed most air pollution. And the most effective leaf types were awl-shaped - thin and tapering - which grabbed hold of pollutants so they could be washed away by rain.
These were found on Japanese Cedar (camellia japonica) and Lawson's Cypress (chamaecyparis lawsoniana).
HAVE YOUR SAY!
THE wants your views on new proposals for a Garden in Regent’s Park commemorating the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Andrew Scattergood, CEO of The Royal Parks, said: This garden is a unique opportunity to transform grey to green and return two acres of beautiful green space to Central London.
"The garden's design will deliver horticultural excellence, along with significant benefits to nature.
"It will be a tranquil and reflective garden, the antithesis to the hustle and bustle of the city, and we hope that people will come and spend some quiet time there, enjoying the natural landscape and the wonderful year-round colour that the garden will provide."
The garden is designed to be welcoming to all, with wide, even paths and frequent places to stop, sit and reflect. The main path network has been designed to be fully accessible.
For more information and to fill in a survey visit
WIN!!
TO start the New Year with a bang, and help you get hands-on with your growing season, we’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a bundle of garden-transforming products worth an amazing £479.97 - all thanks to our generous friends at
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TOP TIP!
DON’T be tempted to fertilise your plants when the temperatures drop. They need time to rejuvenate and any forced growth will be killed by the frost/plummeting temperatures.
THIS WEEK'S JOB!
Cheat at developing a stunning garden snowdrop display, by buying them in flower now - so you get to see and choose their pretty petals instantly
LEARN!
Q. The leaves on my cheese plant are turning yellow and the new leaves are taking ages to open, any ideas? John Harper, via email.
A. Yellowing leaves can be caused by over-watering, and with many houseplants, it can be difficult to get it right.
- like to get a whole load of water at once - until it seeps out the bottom.
Then wait a while until the compost has dried out a bit before watering it again.
If you've been using tap water, try rainwater instead.
Reduce watering in colder temps and misting never hurts..
They need bright indirect light - so check it’s position.
Finally, it could be something as simple as the recent colder temperatures affecting it - temps below 50° can kill it.
So if you've got space, move it slightly closer to source of warmth.
SAVE!
Keep your feet warm in these s from B&Q at £32.99.
Or step up a gear with - Lady Gransmoor II - at £74.99
READ MORE SUN STORIES
OFFERS!
Our friends at are offering Sun Gardening Readers readers a chance to buy a pack of 25 British Native Aconites ‘In The Green’ - perfect for contrasting with Snowdrops - at half price - saving a whopping £10.
Just scan the QR code to take you to the deal, or visit - and use the code VERON103 at checkout.
