New Snowdrop Book
Our current snowdrop catalogue is on line here.
The cover of the exciting new snowdrop book recently published in The Plant Lover’s Guide Series by Kew Gardens in London.
I don’t think I have ever done a book review on this blog, but I want to share my excitement about the new snowdrop book published by Timber Press in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London. It is called The Plant Lover’s Guide to Snowdrops and was written by Naomi Slade, a prize-winning British journalist. I highly recommend it as an invaluable resource for gardeners at all levels in their love of snowdrops, from novice to expert.
Nursery News: Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade. The only plants that we ship are snowdrops to the US only. For catalogues and announcements of local events, please send your full name, mailing address, and cell number to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com and indicate whether you are mail order only. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.
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Common snowdrops, G. nivalis, at Welford Park in Berkshire, England—just one of the locations identified in the book as a place to see snowdrops (photo by Naomi Slade appears on page 16) .
The best part of the book for me is the photographs, both those accompanying the individually profiled snowdrops, which are both enticing and accurate, and also the many pictures of snowdrops in gardens mostly in the US and UK, which are quite beautiful. Whether you are a thoroughly obsessed galanthophile or just thinking of branching out with snowdrops for the first time, you will love reading this book, not once but over and over.
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The title page for the chapter on Growing and Propagating snowdrops.
The book is divided into five main chapters followed by further information on where to see snowdrops and where to buy them. Slade begins with an explanation of “Why I Love Snowdrops” that sets the tone for the whole book, which is approachable, informative, and refreshing. Although the author points out that a lack of detailed knowledge is not a barrier to appreciating this universally loved plant, her enthusiasm makes you want to acquire or revisit that knowledge.
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Photos illustrating the discussion of good companion plants for snowdrops.
The next section of the book considers “Designing with the Milk Flower”. Slade discusses garden design and placement, easy snowdrops for beginners, naturalizing, rock gardens, and container planting. There are many inspired ideas for companion plantings covering other bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs.
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Creative uses of snowdrops in containers
In “Understanding Snowdrops”, the book explains in a user-friendly way snowdrop morphology or structure, concepts that are important to understanding the differences between snowdrops and deciphering written descriptions of them. Slade covers snowdrop species and their origins, conservation and trade, and even snowdrop theft.
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Although originally mostly single-flowered and green and white, Slade explains that the Greatorex doubles led to many more double forms and that yellow and even orange snowdrops can be found.
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Profiles of ‘Grumpy’ and G. elwesii var. monostictus
The “Spotter’s Guide” section highlights 60 snowdrops chosen with great care to represent the range available and includes many of the most-loved and best-performing cultivars. The photographs are excellent and the individual descriptions are fresh and informative.
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Each snowdrop profiled gets plenty of space for photos and descriptions.
The final main section is on “Growing and Propagating” and covers planting, dividing, fertilizing, propagating, and pests and diseases. This is followed by a very comprehensive guide to where to see snowdrops worldwide, including the US, and where to buy them, including Carolyn’s Shade Gardens.
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Cambo Estate in Scotland is a great place to see snowdrops, while the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum on galanthus, click here, is a great place to learn about snowdrops.
One of Naomi Slade’s missions in writing this book was to appeal to an American audience, and she has succeeded. While the UK is definitely the eye of the current snowdrop tornado, Slade ferrets out a lot of information useful to US readers. Of the eight snowdrop professionals whose interviews she spreads through out the book, three of them are American, including me on page 76. The book identifies and also anticipates the snowdrop collecting frenzy that is coming to America. I can’t wait.
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Another photo of Welford Park by Naomi Slade.
If you would like to order a copy of this book, Carolyn’s Shade Gardens has it available for $24.95 plus $5.95 for priority shipping. Send an email to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net.
Carolyn
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CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
January 14, 2015 at 6:28 pm
I agree completely, Carolyn, an excellent book which I enjoyed greatly.
It seems I am commenting, automatically as “igpsblogger”, our new blog for the Irish Garden Plant Society, however it is just me, Paddy Tobin. Greeting from across the pond. Snowdrops growing well here this season, a very mild season and many coming along early.
January 14, 2015 at 7:12 pm
So nice to hear from you, Paddy. Glad a snowdrop expert like you agrees about the book. I have picked it up several times since reading it and just flipped through the photos because they make me happy. We are a little early here too and then we went down to 5 degrees F and the snowdrops had to be covered. All the best to you in Ireland, Carolyn
January 15, 2015 at 5:59 pm
“Enthusiast” and not an expert! lolol
January 14, 2015 at 7:10 pm
I think I will look for this book here in Canada. it sounds great!
January 15, 2015 at 11:04 am
Jennifer, You will really enjoy the book. Refreshingly unstuffy on a fascinating topic that can be made boring by technicality and yet quite information packed. Carolyn
January 15, 2015 at 2:42 am
I agree, it is a super book, good to look at and read, and not just at snowdrop time.
You are also mentioned in one of my other snowdrop books ” A Gardener’s Guide to Snowdrops” by Freda Cox.
Somehow I now seem to have acquired 5 snowdrop books, but I still have difficulty in identifying ones that have lost their labels!
January 15, 2015 at 11:38 am
Pauline, Glad you like it too. You could have a hundred books and not ID a snowdrop when people have seen fit to name between, at latest estimate, 1,500 and 2,000 snowdrops especially it it is single-flowered and white with a single green mark inside. Check out the thread on snowdrops recognizable without a label on the SRGC forum: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11041.msg287818#msg287818. Those are the plants to grow. Carolyn
January 15, 2015 at 10:33 pm
I think you should write a book on snowdrops. Your knowledge is unsurpassed.
January 16, 2015 at 8:57 am
Donna, You are so nice to say that, however, many people in Europe know a lot more than me. There have also been a lot of new snowdrop books recently. Carolyn
January 16, 2015 at 8:39 am
Hello Carolyn, your post makes me miss so much snowdrops, where I live now I am afraid I will no see them this year, at least I have your blog to go to. Thanks
January 16, 2015 at 8:57 am
Lula, So nice to hear from you. Glad you can enjoy snowdrops through me. Carolyn
January 16, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Ooo, yet another book for my wishlist…
January 17, 2015 at 8:16 am
Denise, You will love it. Carolyn
January 17, 2015 at 7:53 am
So exciting that you are in a book! I’ve learned so much about snowdrops from just reading your blog, and that book looks like it has so much great, in-depth info. I’m not a galanthophile, but that looks like an awesomely gorgeous book. Those photos are amazing!
January 17, 2015 at 8:16 am
Indie, I was quite happy to be included in the book along with some other very distinguished snowdrop people. The book is all about snowdrops but I think any gardener would enjoy reading through it especially the photos. Carolyn
January 18, 2015 at 4:12 pm
That first photo would make a believer out of me! I also would like the discussion on companion plants. That would be very valuable.
January 19, 2015 at 11:02 am
Deb, Any gardener would love to look through this book, we are all suckers for garden photos. Carolyn
January 20, 2015 at 9:00 pm
Greet job on getting recognized in the book, congratulations!
January 22, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Thanks, Les, I was quite pleased. Carolyn
January 23, 2015 at 8:19 am
Great job reviewing this book, Carolyn. Congrats on your recognition. As you say, the photographs are stunning. P. x
January 23, 2015 at 10:01 am
Pam, Glad you liked it. Carolyn
January 26, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Carolyn, if ever I were asked the book which you would likely review, well, say no more.
January 27, 2015 at 9:48 am
Alistair, You are right, it is everything snowdrop here right now. Carolyn