New Snowdrops for 2012
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.
Who said all snowdrops look alike? Some of my favorites: top row, L to R, ‘Wendy’s Gold’, ‘Blewbury Tart’, ‘Hippolyta’, ‘Flore Pleno’; middle, ‘Jaquenetta’, ‘Merlin’, ‘Lady Elphinstone’, ‘Augustus’; bottom, unknown, ‘Ophelia’, G. plicatus subsp. byzantinus, ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’.
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Our current snowdrop catalogue is on line here.
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This article includes photographs and colorful descriptions of the 5 new snowdrops I am offering for sale in my 2012 Snowdrop Catalogue. For entertaining descriptions of most of the remaining 13 varieties offered in the 2012 catalogue, click here.
The hundreds of snowdrop cultivars out there range from a classic like ‘Atkinsii’ pictured above to…(see next photo)
In Snowdrops or The Confessions of a Galanthophile, I described my transition from someone who grows snowdrops to someone who is obsessed with them. In Snowdrops: Further Confessions of a Galanthophile, I explained that most snowdrop cultivars can be appreciated as much for their colorful history as for their ornamental characteristics. That history is contained in Snowdrops: A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus by Matt Bishop, Aaron Davis, and John Grimshaw (Griffin Press 2006), commonly called the “snowdrop bible”.
…this crazy, modern double cultivar, ‘Blewbury Tart’, which looks like it’s having a bad hair day (I love it!).
The information in Snowdrops is not only interesting but also crucial to keeping straight all the available snowdrops. Snowdrops describes over 500 cultivars, and the authors admit that it is now out-of-date, and a second volume is required (for details on Snowdrops 2, click here). Snowdrops description of the cultivar along with the actual origin of the snowdrop plant in question both contribute to its provenance: the history of its ownership documenting its authenticity. If a collector is purchasing an expensive plant, provenance is very important.
Snowdrop prices range from the very affordable (but no less desirable) common snowdrop, G. nivalis, pictured above with Italian arum and snow crocus, to…(see next photo)
…the highly collectible (with a price to match) ‘Wendy’s Gold’.
‘Brenda Troyle’, a new snowdrop from Charles Cresson in my 2012 catalogue, is a perfect example of how this works. True ‘Brenda Troyle’ is a vigorous snowdrop admired for its well-proportioned, rounded flowers with flared and cupped outer petals (segments) and a strong fragrance of honey. It received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1960 for “outstanding excellence for ordinary garden decoration or use.” Customers who attended Charles Cresson’s snowdrop seminars last year loved it.
Charles Cresson’s authenticated ‘Brenda Troyle’
But Snowdrops explains that ‘Brenda Troyle’ is very mixed up in the trade. In fact, it is even unclear whether it was named after a character in Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Pirate or a staff member at an Irish nursery. In cases like this, it is very important that the snowdrop display the desirable characteristics of the cultivar as Cresson’s stock does. It is equally as important that the original stock was purchased from a reputable source and kept labeled since its purchase. Charles got his plants from a bulb company started by the venerable Hoog family of Van Tubergen fame and conserves his whole snowdrop collection with the utmost care.
‘Tiny’ is a snowdrop that does not suffer from an identity crisis as Snowdrops states that almost every galanthophile in the U.K. grows it. It is a diminutive form of the common snowdrop, G. nivalis, easily distinguished by its narrow leaves and elfin stature. It is quite charming in a clump, which develops rapidly with this vigorous cultivar. It also flowers later, extending the snowdrop season into late spring.
The subspecies byzantinus of G. plicatus is easily distinguished from subspecies plicatus by the two marks on its inner segments.
Unique provenance adds significantly to the desirability of a snowdrop as is the case with the Turkish snowdrop, Galanthus plicatus subsp. byzantinus. This subspecies has beautiful wide pleated leaves and lovely plump flowers joined in an elegant overall habit. It comes from a small area in northwestern Turkey, but is uncommon even there. Subspecies byzantinus is an exceptionally good form of G. plicatus, hard to come by even in the U.K.
The elegant habit of G. plicatus subsp. byzantinus.
But the part of its provenance that is really exciting is that these plants originated from one of the most celebrated and important American snowdrop collections, the gardens at Winterthur. As Henry Francis du Pont added plants to Winterthur, snowdrops became a focus. In the 1930s, he purchased the parents of these very bulbs from Barr & Sons, a renowned bulb house that operated in Covent Gardens, London, from 1882 to 1956. When Charles Cresson worked at Winterthur in the early 1990s, he was given plants of this unique snowdrop, and we are offering the offspring of those plants in the 2012 catalogue. Now that’s provenance!
The Greatorex double ‘Hippolyta’ (photo by and used with the permission of Paddy Tobin).
The final two new snowdrops were both hybridized in the mid-twentieth century by the legendary but enigmatic snowdrop breeder Heyrick Greatorex and are known as Greatorex doubles. Snowdrops makes an unflattering reference to a story that he spent World War II in a local pub. However, further research reveals that, in addition to serving in WWII, he fought in World War I, was wounded at Lagincourt, and received the Victory and British Medals—a very distinguished record indeed. If you would like to read more about him, click here.
‘Hippolyta’ (photo by and used with the permission of Paddy Tobin)
‘Hippolyta’ is the shortest of the many Greatorex double snowdrops, which Heyrick Greatorex developed by crossing the double common snowdrop, G. nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’, with the species G. plicatus to create large and vigorous plants. He named them after characters in Shakespeare’s plays, Hippolyta appearing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Although some of the Greatorex doubles are confused, ‘Hippolyta’ consistently produces neatly doubled, rounded flowers, combining a tightly compact inner rosette with cupped and flaring outer petals (segments)—a charming arrangement. It received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1970.
The Greatorex double ‘Dionysus’
The final member of the five new snowdrops in my 2012 Snowdrop Catalogue is ‘Dionysus’, also a member of the acclaimed series of double snowdrops developed by Heyrick Greatorex (although not a Shakespeare character). ‘Dionysus’ is one of the taller and earlier flowering doubles in this series. It has fewer inner segments than other Greatorex doubles, and they feature a large, deep green, inverted heart-shaped mark. Evidently Heyrick Greatorex described ‘Dionysus’ as one of the best of his doubles for cultivation in the open garden. Charles got his bulbs from the well known Oregon bulb authority Jane McGary.
Obviously, I find everything about snowdrops fascinating and hope I have communicated some of my infatuation to you. If you are in the U.S. and want to order from the catalogue, just follow the directions for mail order.
Carolyn
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January 19, 2012 at 9:33 am
OK you are killing me here…how and what to choose…they are all gorgeous…I definitely want Tiny and Blewbury Tart….so I will have to get my order in to you…I absolutely love snowdrops and need a few more in my garden 🙂
January 19, 2012 at 9:45 am
Donna, How did you read that so quickly? I just pushed the publish button. I am so happy that I communicated my enthusiasm to at least one fellow gardener. Maybe you are a galanthophile in the making. FYI, there are three ‘Tiny’ left and seven ‘Blewbury Tart’. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 9:51 am
What a superb post, you obviously love snowdrops as much as I do!! I usually add a few more special ones each year, but will have to stop soon as I don’t have much more space with the right conditions. They certainly are addictive once you start collecting!
January 19, 2012 at 9:57 am
Pauline, Believe it or not, every year I think I am over my fascination with snowdrops and that lasts until the first one blooms. It is much easier to control your collection here in the US because the large variety of snowdrops you have in the UK are simply not available here due to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Snowdrops cannot cross international borders without onerous permitting and are often turned back anyway. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 10:33 am
I love snow drops!!! I am addicted and frustrated!! When I look online England has soooo many selections and we have so few compared to them. Yours are wonderful!! How long have you been collecting??
January 19, 2012 at 11:03 am
Kim, I have been collecting for about 20 years, but as you pointed out it is slow going compared to England. However, I find that the silver lining is that I am able to keep better track of the varieties I have and assimilate them into my collection before moving on. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 11:15 am
P.S. Thanks for placing an order. ‘Brenda Troyle’ is currently wait listed as noted in the catalogue.
January 19, 2012 at 10:47 am
Glad I got my order in early!
January 19, 2012 at 11:04 am
Susan, It is very fun for me when a fellow blogger gets plants from me. Jan from Thanks for Today got snowdrops last year. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 11:31 am
What beautiful snowdrops. I especially like Blewbury Tart. I’ve found a nursery here in the UK that sells it. So all I’ve got to do now is find the pennies to buy it. Thanks for the inspiration.
January 19, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Crystal, ‘Blewbury Tart’ was discovered in Blewbury, Oxfordshire, by Alan Street of Avon Bulbs, a famous UK seller of snowdrops so you can look there for it too. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 11:34 am
Carolyn, these snow drops are beautiful and it is funny your opening statement of “Who said all snowdrops look alike?” So very true and you gorgeous images illustrate that so well. I think I have been deleted in your email list somehow. This happened to another WP blog I visit regularly too. I re-subscibed, but that put me right into spam. Can you check in WP to see if you can reinstate my email address?
January 19, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Donna, There are many snowdrop cultivars in which the differences are more subtle, but even those have their quiet distinguished charm. I am not sure how to do anything with the email subscription list but will try. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Love the photo of the common snowdrop with arum italicum – just goes to show that you don’t need to find fancy cultivars to appreciate how gorgeous these bulbs are! I am wary of making further comments as I remember last year offending one of your readers with what appeared to be gloating over the UK’s proliferation of snowdrop cultivars. Perhaps now finding myself in India, where I doubt you EVER see a snowdrop, is my just punishment…
January 19, 2012 at 12:42 pm
LL, I love it when you UK gardeners gloat–you certainly have much to be happy with in the snowdrop area. You are safe now in India, although I think Lady Beatrix Stanley, after whom a famous double snowdrop is named, tried to grow them there when her husband was Governor of Madras. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Beautiful. all. I do so love the doubles… but then there are the singles in drifts… (this is how it starts, yes?)
Do they do well with a dry, but humus soil being bulbs? Or do they prefer a little more water retention, like primroses?
January 19, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Julie, Galanthophilia coming on…. The common snowdrop, G. nivalis, grows from one end of my property to the other—dry, average, moist and everything in between. I don’t have as much giant snowdrop, G. elwesii, but it is doing well in average and dry. All the rest are in average soil amended with compost. However, several are in places that get hot in the summer, and they seem to thrive. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 4:03 pm
I like the “Wendy’s Gold” snowdrop – I’m looking forward to seeing the new Hellebore next month!
January 19, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Christine, Everyone loves the yellow snowdrops, including me, but they are not really available in the US. You have to find some nice galanthophile to take pity on you. That’s how I got my ‘Wendy’s Gold’. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 5:57 pm
I didn’t realize that there were so many different snowdrops! Very interesting. Love that blewberry! If I saw that elsewhere, I wonder if I would have recognized it as a snowdrop!
January 19, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Holley, It is pretty wild, and I think I would have wondered what plant it was in isolation. There really aren’t any other snowdrops like it, although there is one called ‘Walrus’ with tusks. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 8:34 pm
How beautiful! This is the rare occasion when I miss living in Germany. No Snowdrops in Florida… can’t you hybridize one for me in zone 9b ? 😉
January 20, 2012 at 7:50 am
GT, So the name of your blog reflects your move—you have gone tropical, what a change. All countries in the E.U. can freely exchange snowdrops so Germany must have amazing collections too. Sorry, no snowdrops for zone 9b but lots of other interesting plants. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 8:42 pm
These are stunning! The doubles are simply beautiful! Even though they are primarily green and white, they have so much depth…wonderful!
January 20, 2012 at 7:52 am
SB, I really love the double snowdrops, and I feel guilty because real galanthophile prefer the classic singles. Carolyn
January 19, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Carolyn, I’m rather astounded. Last year when you talked about your snowdrops was the first time I had ever heard of anything other than the common snowdrop. Now I find there’s years of history behind all the different varieties. I think it’s one of the things I like about gardening so much, there are always always new plants to discover, even when you think you know them all.
January 20, 2012 at 7:56 am
Marguerite, I really don’t know of another plant whose individual histories and origins are as well-documented as snowdrops. I was able to type “history of Greatorex double snowdrops” into Goggle and come up with a detailed account of Heyrick Greatorex, his life and work, written for a local British conservation district. Most of the credit goes to the authors of the snowdrop bible who have collected much of this information into one fascinating book. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 1:11 am
Hi Carolyn, I am not from the snowdrop privileged country, but i love it the first time i saw it freely growing in the mountains of Turkey. From then on, can you imagine i always read articles about them and really followed blogs posting them! I think that is how contagious these snowdrops are. I see it only once in person. And i didn’t know there is this golden variety, how magnificent. If only I live in the temperate climes.
January 20, 2012 at 7:59 am
Andrea, When my husband looked at the collage at the beginning of the post, he said “you know I am really beginning to appreciate them.” Seeing a whole mountainside of wild snowdrops would be an incredible site, and one I am sure I wouldn’t forget. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 4:26 am
This is the one flowers I would love to have but sadly it is too hot and dry here!! Well, I will have to enjoy yours! 🙂 Thank you for this post. Lovely photos.
January 20, 2012 at 8:03 am
Barbie, Diana at Elephant’s Eye once told me she was growing them, but I am not sure how that would work. I know they need a cold period so would have to be refrigerated for a certain amount of time. Last year I sold a bunch to a lab in Southern California that wanted to use them for research. Charles told them how to grow snowdrops out there. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 5:45 am
Carolyn, glad to see the start of snowdrop season, you know I am obsessed. I have been drooling over the photos on the forum at the SRGS, and now am very glad to see your post. I was lucky enough to receive a couple of bulbs of Blewbury Tart and Lady Beatrix Stanley last May, not just keeping my fingers crossed they will bloom this year, and were not misnamed. Wish I was in the States and could order from you, that would be amazing.
January 20, 2012 at 8:06 am
Deborah, JohnW on the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum Galanthus thread (required reading for all galanthophiles) is from Nova Scotia. He said that Canadian galanthophiles were getting together and ordering from Colesbourne this year. You should send him a message on the forum if you want to join in. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 7:13 am
You have such a great variety of snowdrops and they sure do add to the winter garden. I tried galanthus one year and while they bloomed that year the bloom was sparse and they have not spread. I then saw a lot of leucojums on blogs in the south and figured I’d try them. In my garden they have done a lot better and are all up and looking nice. No blooms yet but in another month or so. I’ll have to enjoy your galanthus. So darned pretty and look to be good spreaders too.
January 20, 2012 at 8:21 am
Tina, Leucojums and snowdrops are closely allied, but summer snowflake is much easier to get started from dried bulbs. I am not sure about snowdrops where you are but your problem may have been the bulbs you planted. They don’t like to be dried and sometimes never recover. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 11:44 am
I love feeling your love for these adorable and dependable plants. Yay Carolyn!
January 20, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Linnie, I am glad that comes across in the post. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 2:49 pm
I remember reading one of your posts about snowdrops awhile back, as it impressed me so much with the beauty of different cultivars of snowdrops. That ‘Blewbury Tart’ blows my mind – I love it!
January 20, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Indie, Some traditional galanthophiles really hate ‘Blewbury Tart’. I read just recently where one called it a horror. As I said, I love it. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Carolyn:
Your unidentified galanthus with two tiny green dots on the sinus could be G. nivalis ‘Sibbertoft White’ – if it is a nivalis.
Lovely collection and photos.
Cheers,
Jim Fox
Bellevue, WA
P.S. Please pass on my greetings to Charles. Glad his ‘drops have done so well.
January 20, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Jim, I think that my unknown snowdrop is ‘Sibbertoft White’ too and have it labeled that way in my description of my collection. However, I got a lecture from John Grimshaw that I couldn’t call it that unless I was absolutely sure so I didn’t dare label it as such publicly. Glad you agree though. Will give your best to Charles. Carolyn
January 20, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Sigh. I think I am too far south for snowdrops to prosper. I am able to grow Leucojum, which has a similar look but not nearly the variety of cultivars or romantic history of Galanthus. They are quite charming, if not an entirely satisfying substitute.
January 20, 2012 at 8:35 pm
Deb, I am glad you appreciate the romantic history. I was under the impression that where there was leucojum there was galanthus. Where are you and what is your zone? Carolyn
January 26, 2012 at 7:14 pm
I am in north central Alabama, zone 7b with hot, humid summers and short, wet winters. I also have heavy clay soil, definitely on the acid side! I don’t know anyone that grows galanthus here. I think it might do better in north Alabama, up in the mountains.
January 21, 2012 at 11:12 am
Hi Carolyn, Gosh, I wish you shipped to Canada. I would definitely love to order some of these snowdrops. They are all exquisite!!
January 21, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Jennifer, See my reply to Deborah at Kilbourne Grove for a possible way to order snowdrops with other Canadian galanthophiles. Carolyn
January 21, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Beautiful, Carolyn! Right now the Snowdrops you sent me are blanketed in snow. I’ll keep you posted on their development in the coming months. Thanks!
January 22, 2012 at 10:23 am
Beth, I would love an update on how they perform in Wisconsin. I get questions about growing snowdrops all over the US but really only know the mid-Atlantic. Carolyn
January 22, 2012 at 10:30 am
Carolyn, I only have Nivalis and I can see a hint of white just starting to show. As a rule they don’t come in to full bloom in our garden until late February and often as late as early March. You really do have a fantastic range of them. I often encourage my daughter who makes and sells jewellery to start her own blog about it. She said to me it has to have a proper www. address before you get results regarding hits and comments. Time I showed her Carolyns shade garden.
January 22, 2012 at 10:47 am
Alistair, G. nivalis is one of the later-blooming snowdrops. You could have many different kinds where you are with them blooming from October to April. There are galanthophiles all around you because they post in the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum, and some are actually from Aberdeen. Here is a link to the Galanthus thread.
Re your daughter, a WordPress blog is actually a website, it is just interactive. The static parts like my catalogues etc are on the right sidebar just like a website. The URL, which is https://carolynsshadegardens.com/, seems to function just as well as one with the www. I am not sure I understand the significance. I think you can get the www if you want. Hope that helps.
Carolyn
January 26, 2012 at 8:25 am
Thanks Carolyn, I will encourage her to consider a wordpress blog. I think she mistakenly thinks that because you pay for the www. thing it carries more clout.
January 26, 2012 at 8:40 am
It is all ancient history now, but I think I got a choice of URL. I am not sure what the differences are. You have a WordPress.org blog which you pay for (mine is free) so maybe www is available on that. I think Diana at Elephant’s Eye knows about all this.
January 23, 2012 at 6:00 pm
I want to add some snowdrops to my garden. Should I plant them spring or fall? Aren’t they bulbs? I don’t know much about them.
January 23, 2012 at 6:08 pm
CM, They are bulbs but they don’t like to be stored dried so it is better to get them when they are growing plants in the spring. You can also transplant them other times of the year when they are dormant if they come straight out of someone’s garden and are planted immediately into yours. Carolyn
January 24, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Thanks!! I’ll look for them this spring.
January 25, 2012 at 12:46 pm
i’m really astonished to hear that galanthophiles hate Blewburry Tart. I saw it at Cathy Portier’s in Belgium and instantly fell in love with it.
January 25, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Birgit, Some galanthophiles who love classic single snowdrops think it is a horror, but I think most appreciate it’s uniqueness. Carolyn
January 25, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Did I miss Lady Beatrix Stanley’ in your catalog? Now that is a wonderful double. Wendy’s Gold is another great one. Can’t wait to get my snowdrops from you.
January 25, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Terry, No, ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’ is not in my catalogue. Carolyn
January 27, 2012 at 11:55 am
OK, now I don’t have to kick my self for not ordering!
January 27, 2012 at 9:09 pm
Carolyn, I decided to nominate you, congratulations, you thoroughly deserve it 🙂
http://graphicality-uk.blogspot.com/2012/01/versatile-blogger-award.html
Take care, Helene
January 28, 2012 at 9:15 am
Helene, Thank you so much for giving my the Versatile Blogger Award. I have added the badge to my sidebar and, as I said on your blog, will try to figure out a way to incorporate it into a post. Thanks again, Carolyn
January 28, 2012 at 7:27 am
I ama fan, I admit, of snowdrops and can’t have enough. The first ones I saw this year were in Leiden (NL) in the botanical garden. Do you know more about the lady trying to cultivate in India?
January 28, 2012 at 9:25 am
Lula, There are a lot of galanthophiles in the Netherlands. Some of them post on the Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum.
All my information comes from the book Snowdrops. Lady Beatrix Stanley (1877-1944) grew snowdrops and other bulbs at her home Sibbertoft Manor in Northhamptonshire, including the gorgeous double snowdrop bearing her name. Her husband became the Governor of Madras. Snowdrops states that: “Whilst there she struggled against the Indian climate to create an English garden in Ootacamund (Allan 1973).” Carolyn
February 9, 2012 at 2:53 pm
My regular old snowdrops started blooming in January and are still in bloom. I planted 400 bulbs last year and I don’t think any of those are up yet. I gave 100 bulbs from the same batch to a friend who says that hers are not up either. I thought that most snow drops came up in January – February time frame. When I went back and checked the label I was surprised to find that it says February – March for blooming.
February 9, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Nancy, It is hard to answer this question because I don’t know where you are located or what kind of snowdrops you planted. In the mid-Atlantic, snowdrops bloom anytime from October until late March depending on the species and cultivar. “Regular old snowdrops” to me means Galanthus nivalis, the common snowdrop. They are some of the latest snowdrops to bloom, normally from the end of February through March. This year because of the unseasinably warm weather, they are blooming now. Another “common” species is Galanthus elwesii, the giant snowdrop. It blooms anytime from January on (although some of mine start in November) and can be distinguished by its wide blue leaves, larger flowers, and greater height. Two other considerations: bulbs often bloom later the first year they are planted. Also snowdrops don’t like to be dried, and you could have gotten a defective batch. Good luck, Carolyn
February 24, 2012 at 8:02 pm
[…] I am no expert on Snowdrops, I just know you can depend on them to lighten up your garden every Winter without fail. These ones planted 26 years ago have not received one iota of attention, in fact this is going to be the first year in which I will be dividing them. There are so many varieties of Snowdrops, Galanthus to give them their proper title. No doubt you are well aware that you should plant them in the green, you know, buy little pot grown ones in Winter or early Spring, and there you go instant effect. However I have heard on a couple of occasions recently that planting the dry bulbs has been found to be quite acceptable, not so very sure about this though. Don’t you at times just wonder how they manage to survive the very severe frost, how very often do we find ourselves with a mild spell in Winter, the Snowdrops open and a couple of days later the temperature drops to minus 10c. Well fear not I am informed that the petals have their own built in antifreeze which gives the required protection. Is this really the case? as I say I am no expert, but I know a lady who is. Well she is not on this side of the Atlantic, but all which she knows is more than likely to comply with the conditions here in the UK —Link–Carolyn […]
March 6, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Why are none of these ever available in the U.S.? Is there a way to have any shipped here?
March 7, 2012 at 9:56 am
David, Although snowdrop cultivars are propagated and not collected in the wild, they are still covered by CITES, the international convention on trade in endangered species. They can’t be shipped across international boundaries without extensive and expensive permitting. I do mail order all the varieties that are listed in my snowdrop catalogue but my mail order season is over. Carolyn