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New Snowdrops for 2018 Part Two

Our current snowdrop catalogue is on line here.

‘South Hayes’ in the Avon Bulbs display at the Royal Horticultural Society 2017 Spring Show.

In the previous post, I profiled six of the new snowdrops that will be offered in our 2018 Snowdrop Catalogue. To read it, click here. This post will describe six more new additions. If you would like to get an email announcing the catalogue, please send your full name and phone number (for back up only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com.

Note: Much of the historical information in the descriptions below comes from Snowdrops: A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus by Matt Bishop, Aaron Davis, and John Grimshaw (Griffin Press 2006) (referred to as Snowdrops below).

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 within the US. 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.

. ‘Jonathan’: With its extra large, globular flowers and broad blue leaves, ‘Jonathan’ captured the attention of visitors to the Avon Bulbs display at the 2017 RHS Spring Show where this photo was taken. When I first saw it, its huge size set it apart from hundreds of other blooming snowdrops—see photo below. It has faint green tips on the outer segments and a handsome two-part mark on the inner segments, similar to ‘Grumpy’. However, I find ‘Jonathan’ much more attractive overall. A cultivar of the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, it was discovered in 2000 in a North Yorkshire garden by snowdrop author Michael Myers.

.‘Jonathan’ has a huge flower and very wide blue-green leaves.

‘Madelaine’: ‘Madelaine’ is a cultivar of the Crimean snowdrop, Galanthus plicatus, with the lovely pleated leaves characteristic of that species. In my garden, it reproduces nicely and is similar in looks to ‘Wendy’s Gold’. However, the color on the inner segments is an especially ethereal yellow that glows in the late winter sunlight. It was introduced in 2002 by Joe Sharman of Monksilver Nursery in Cambridge and named for his niece.

‘Mrs. Macnamara’: An early-flowering cultivar of the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, combining all the fine characteristics of a classic single snowdrop: large, well-proportioned flowers on tall, upright stems, and a vigorous growth habit. Snowdrops calls it “a plant of great quality….a cultivar without fault.” It is frequently mentioned as a favorite and is a prominent part of every important collection in England—the photo above was taken at Rodmarton Manor. It was collected by Dylan Thomas’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Macnamara. It is number six on the Avon Bulbs rating of the top 25 snowdrops of all time.

‘Mrs. Macnamara’ at the RHS 2017 Spring Show Avon Bulbs display.

‘Welshway’: A neat and rounded double flower, the narrow and gracefully curved outer segments give a clear view of the lovely inner mark visible in the photo above. The inner segments are ruffled, distinguishing it from the very similar double ‘Heffalump’. ‘Welshway’ is grown for its elegant flower and late bloom time. It was discovered in 1995 in a Gloucestershire garden called Welshway after the ancient route to Wales.

‘South Hayes’: For many years, ‘South Hayes’ appeared at the top of my snowdrop acquisition list, and, having had it for a while now, it was well worth the wait. One of the most beautiful and sought after snowdrops for its distinctive pagoda-like shape and very unusual dark green markings, both inside and out. It was first seen in 1992 in famous galanthophile Primrose Warburg’s garden of the same name and is probably a seedling of ‘Trym’. It is number 11 on the Avon snowdrop popularity list.

‘South Hayes’ is very special.

‘Titania’: ‘Titania’ is a lesser known and rarely available member of the series of double snowdrops hybridized by Heyrick Greatorex prior to his death in 1954. Like all Greatorex doubles, it is a cross between the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, and the double common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’, and is named for a character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The neat and regular double flowers have a prominent horseshoe mark at the base of the inner segments. It is pictured in the photo above at Colesbourne Park, which is the source of my stock.

‘Titania’ at Colesbourne Park

Carolyn

Note: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.

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New Snowdrops for 2018

Posted in bulbs for shade, snowdrops with tags Avon Bulbs, Carolyn's Shade Gardens, Colesbourne, Colesbourne Park, collecting snowdrops, galanthus, Galanthus 'Bertram Anderson', Galanthus 'Fly Fishing', Galanthus Ailwyn, Galanthus Angelique, Galanthus Colossus, Galanthus Greenish, Lady Carolyn Elwes, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale U.S. on November 18, 2017 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Our current snowdrop catalogue is on line here.

Snowdrops and cyclamen at Colesbourne Park.

Last February, my husband and I traveled to England to visit famous snowdrop venues, meet prominent collectors, and scout out snowdrops to offer to my customers in the 2018 Snowdrop Catalogue. We toured Welford Park, Rodmarton Manor, Painswick Rococo Garden, East Lambrook Manor Gardens, and Avon Bulbs, among others. We spent time with snowdrop luminaries Alan Street, Chris Ireland-Jones, Phil Cornish, John Morley, and Simon Biddulph.

But best of all, we were graciously hosted during our stay by Sir Henry and Lady Carolyn Elwes and were free to roam their amazing property Colesbourne Park, considered the preeminent snowdrop destination in the UK and well worth a trip to England!

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.

.‘Ailwyn’ at Colesbourne Park

During our time in England, I was able to view in garden settings and compare hundreds of snowdrop cultivars. This gave me a much better feeling for their ornamental characteristics and how they actually perform in gardens. I have used this first hand knowledge as I have selected cultivars to offer in my 2018 Snowdrop Catalogue, which will be posted on line in mid-December. If you would like to get an email announcing the catalogue, please send your full name and phone number (for back up only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Meanwhile, here is a sneak preview of some of the new additions:

.‘Ailwyn’: The Royal Horticultural Society recognized the perfection of this early flowering, very regular double snowdrop with its coveted Award of Garden Merit in 2016, one of only 19 snowdrops honored out of the over 2000 in cultivation. As the photos show, the outer segments spread out to reveal the lovely inner mark, which can be variable—compare the photo immediately above taken at the RHS 2017 Spring Show Avon Bulbs display with the preceding photo at Colesbourne. ‘Ailwyn’ was selected in 1994 at Anglesey Abbey by snowdrop expert Richard Nutt and named for its owner Ailwyn Broughton, Lord Fairhaven.

‘Angelique’: This is a rare poculiform snowdrop, meaning that all six petals or segments are nearly uniform in length. Or, as I sometimes see it explained, all the segments are outer segments. Its near albino white coloring also makes ‘Angelique’ a very distinct and elegant snowdrop. If you look closely, you will see two tiny, pale green dots on the inner segments. A cultivar of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, it is a vigorous grower. It was found in a French garden and introduced by French horticulturist Mark Brown in 1999.

‘Bertram Anderson’: A classic single snowdrop, ‘Bertram Anderson’s’ thick-textured, well-rounded flowers on tall stems also earned it a coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit along with only 18 other snowdrops. The book Snowdrops calls it “one of the most impressive large snowdrops”. It was selected in 1971 from the garden of famous British horticulturist E.B. Anderson as a snowdrop special enough to bear his name.

A close up of ‘Bertram Anderson’s’ thick-textured outer segments.

‘Greenish’: The delicate green shading on the outer segments means that ‘Greenish’ is classified as a rare virescent snowdrop. The shading plus the dark green mark fading to pale green on the inner segments make for an unusual and elegant snowdrop. The very upright flowers displayed beautifully by the nearly horizontal leaves adds to the allure. It is a cultivar of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, and unlike many other virescent snowdrops, it is vigorous and easy to grow. It was found in 1963 by a German collector in a village near Vienna, Austria.

‘Fly Fishing’: I can’t think of a snowdrop I enjoy more or one that is more aptly named. The upright scape (flower stem) casts the large and elegant flower out into the breeze on its extra long pedicel, attracting wandering galanthophiles like trout. ‘Fly Fishing’ is early flowering, sometimes by Christmas, but always in the first half of January. I took this photo in my garden on December 27, 2015. The flowers on my ‘Fly Fishing’ and those of other American gardeners often have green tips—must be the climate. A cultivar of the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, it is easy to establish and multiplies rapidly. ‘Fly Fishing’ was discovered only ten years ago at Avon Bulbs by snowdrop expert Alan Street, known for his clever and creative snowdrop names, among other talents!

‘Fly Fishing’ in my garden on January 24, 2017

‘Colossus’: This classic single snowdrop is planted for its large flowers, tall stature, ornamental leaves, and robust growth. Just as important to me is its early bloom time, sometimes by Christmas—the photo above was taken on December 23, 2015, in my garden. It is a cultivar of the Crimean snowdrop, Galanthus plicatus, and has the beautiful, pleated leaves characteristic of that species. ‘Colossus’ appears as number 14 on the Avon Bulbs list of British galanthophiles’ 25 favorite snowdrops. It was selected in 1992 by Lady Carolyn Elwes at Colesbourne Park, which is the source of my stock.

‘Colossus’ at Colesbourne Park where it was selected by Lady Carolyn Elwes.

‘Colossus’ multiplies rapidly—pictured here at Colesbourne Park.

My next post will feature an additional six snowdrops that will be newly offered in my 2018 Snowdrop Catalogue. In fairness to all customers, we do not accept pre-orders before the catalogue comes out. If you would like to get an email announcing the catalogue, please send your full name and phone number (for back up only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com .

Carolyn

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Curating a Plant Collection: Snowdrops or Otherwise

Posted in bulbs for shade, How to, my garden, snowdrops with tags Carolyn's Shade Gardens, collecting snowdrops, fall-blooming snowdrops, galanthus, idenfifying plants, plant collections, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale U.S. on December 6, 2016 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Galanthus reginae-olgae is the earliest snowdrop to bloom in my garden, around the third week of October.

Our current snowdrop catalogue is on line here.

My garden is not a collection of plants, especially those that require any sort of extra maintenance. If you visit Carolyn’s Shade Gardens, you will see that most plantings are quite natural looking with a focus on natives. However, there are a few exceptions, and most of you know by now that I am an unapologetic collector of snowdrops. I also sell snowdrops, click here for the 2019 catalogue, and some of them are quite pricey, so I thought it would be helpful if I explained how I keep track of mine. This system can be used for any plant collection.

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.

‘Potter’s Prelude’ always flowers by mid-November and, weather permitting, continues into January.

My system involves written records on my computer and physical markings in the garden. There may be a fancy computerized plant database available, but I use a simple table with columns in a Word document. The first column is alphabetical and lists the complete botanical name of the snowdrop, including the species and cultivar names if applicable, e.g., Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’. The remaining columns describe the pertinent information about the snowdrop for each location in the garden: date planted, exact location, number of plants, and source.

This is the ‘Brenda Troyle’ planting that corresponds to the first location entry below.

For example, ‘Brenda Troyle’ is listed in column one as Galanthus ‘Brenda Troyle’ as it is a hybrid with no species name like elwesii or nivalis. Column two describes location one: “2012, front walk next to Dbl Rose hellebore, 2 Cresson.” Column three describes location two: “2014, carriage house 2^nd bed on left, moved 1 Cresson.” It is very important that the location description is as detailed as possible so that if all your outdoor markings disappear, you still know where your snowdrop is located.

Another snowdrop blooming right now is Nancy Goodwin’s fall-blooming G. elwesii var. monostictus, which she shared with me in 2013. At the back of the clump is the metal tag and peeking out in front is the plastic stake.

Out in the garden, each snowdrop gets two markers. The first is a 10″ zinc plant marker produced by Bosmere, item H185, in sets of 10. Included is a carbon pencil, but I don’t use that to write on the markers. All labels in my garden are inscribed with an opaque paint marker made by Uchida, Decolor 200-S Black, and available at art supply stores. All other writing materials, including pencils and “permanent markers” wear off. I place the metal plant marker directly behind the snowdrop and record the full name, date acquired, and source.

Bosmere zinc plant markers

opaque paint marker

A paint marker is used to record the name, date acquired and source.

Each snowdrop is also marked with a second tag directly in front of the plant. For this, I use a 6″ Rapiclip plant label made by Luster Leaf in packages of 50. These plastic stakes are long and sturdy but flexible, not brittle. They can be pushed almost all the way into the ground and bend instead of breaking if you step on them. I write the same information on them with a paint marker.

Rapiclip plant labels

‘Foxgrove Magnet’ with its metal marker behind and plastic tag in front.

There are variations on my marking scheme. For example, this bed has random, unnamed, fall-blooming G. elwesii. Each clump has a plastic tag behind it describing its special characteristics, if any.

I am superstitious so if I plant dormant snowdrops in the fall, they get a reused plastic tag and part of a bamboo garden stake until they come up in the spring.

I also use bamboo poles, hammered solidly into the ground, if the snowdrops are planted in an area where a lot of leaves fall and obscure the metal and plastic stakes. The photo below shows what I found under the leaves.

I may not have remembered that this snowdrop grouping was there if it hadn’t been marked with the bamboo stake.

I realize that not everyone is obsessed with snowdrops, but this system can be used for any plant collection that has grown to the point where its size exceeds the mental capacity of the collector :-). I grow about 30 varieties of epimediums and keep a chronological handwritten record plus metal and plastic markers outside. European wood anemones get metal tags and a handwritten list. Mini hostas are marked with plastic tags and recorded haphazardly. The rest of the plants have to rely on invoices and various notations in garden journals. Every winter I consider making a complete database of all the plants at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens but the prospect is daunting.

Carolyn

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Winterthur Snowdrop Event

Posted in bulbs for shade, garden to visit, snowdrops, winter, winter interest with tags Adonis amurensis, Amur adonis, Carolyn's Shade Gardens, Chionodoxa forbesii, Crocus tommasinianus, Eranthis hyemalis, galanthus, Galanthus elwesii, giant snowdrop, glory-of-the-snow, Leucojum vernum, snow crocus, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale U.S., spring snowflake, winter aconite, Winterthur, winterthur gardens on March 5, 2016 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Snow crocus in the courtyard behind the house at Winterthur.

If you are crazy about snowdrops and other winter-blooming plants like snowflakes (leucojum), snow crocus, winter aconite, adonis, and glory-of-the-snow (chionodoxa), then a visit to the March Bank at Winterthur should be on your lifetime bucket list. The display is as magnificent as anything found at the great British snowdrop estates. The best time to see it is at the annual Winterthur Bank to Bend Lecture and snowdrop event, being held this year on Saturday, March 12, details below.

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

Some of the hellebores I am bringing to Winterthur, clockwise from upper left: Mango Magic, Apricot Blush, Blue Diamond, Rio Carnival, Sparkling Diamond, Painted, and True Love.

The speaker for Bank to Bend is Lady Carolyn Elwes, who, with her husband, owns Colesbourne Park, considered the premier snowdrop venue in England. She even has a beautiful yellow snowdrop named after her. Carolyn’s Shade Gardens will be selling snowdrops, including a limited selection of some rarer cultivars, hellebores, cyclamen, and winter aconite. There will be guided and self-guided tours of the March Bank. It is worth the trip even if you are not local. Here are the details and more photos to entice you:

. Winterthur

Giant snowdrops and winter aconite on the March Bank at Winterthur.

March 12
Winterthur’s Bank to Bend Garden Lecture, Plant Sale, Tour and Snowdrop Event

Enjoy the spectacle of the March Bank clothed in snowdrops, winter aconite, adonis, and early snowflake in flower.

Bank to Bend Features:

• A lecture by Lady Carolyn Elwes, who will share the story of how a garden of private obsession grew into one of international importance in her 11:00 am talk, “Snowdrops at Colesbourne, Gloucestershire.”

• Sales of rare and unusual plants by Carolyn’s Shade Garden (www.carolynsshadegardens.com), 10:00 am to 3:30 pm.

• Guided tours of the March Bank, starting at the Visitor Center at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm.

• A self-guided “White Arrow” tour through the March Bank, starting at the Visitor Center and available all day.

• Special Spring Tour Experience through the House and Conservatory available all day.

Lecture: $10 per member. $20 per nonmember. Free for Garden and Landscape Society and Garden Associate Members. All other activities (tours and plant sales) are included with admission.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.winterthur.org/spring or call 800.448.3883..

Winterthur Fall 2013-025

The Winterthur house is considered the premier museum of American decorative arts and is worth a visit in and of itself.

Winterthur Fall 2013-024

Another view of the house.

Snowdrops and winter aconite at Winterthur.

Glory-of-the-snow follows the snowdrops.

Snowdrops and winter aconite at Winterthur.

Adonis amurensis

Adonis is abundant

Snowflakes at Winterthur

Snowflakes (leucojum)

Crocus tomasinianus

I hope you can make it on Saturday—it is well worth the trip no matter where you are coming from.

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: You can sign up to receive catalogues and emails about nursery events by sending your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net. Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

Facebook: Carolyn’s Shade Gardens has a Facebook Page where I post single photos, garden tips, and other information that doesn’t fit into a blog post. You can look at my Facebook page here or click the Like button on my right sidebar here.

Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.

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Snowdrops Are Early This Year

Posted in bulbs for shade, my garden, snowdrops, winter interest with tags Carolyn's Shade Gardens, collecting snowdrops, galanthus, Galanthus 'Ding Dong', Galanthus 'Faringdon Double', Galanthus 'Fly Fishing', Galanthus 'Grumpy', Galanthus 'Kite', Galanthus Atkinsii, Galanthus Colossus, galanthus daphne's scissors, Galanthus Godfrey Owen, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green on January 19, 2016 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

‘Godfrey Owen’ has a very unusual form with six outer and inner petals (segments) instead of the usual three.

As I mentioned in the last post, southeastern Pennsylvania, US, zone 6 to 7, has been experiencing unseasonably warm weather for months. There has been no snow and the ground was not frozen. That all came to an end yesterday when the daytime high was 22 degrees F, and it went down to 14 degrees last night. Significant snow is expected on Saturday.

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

‘Atkinsii’ is an old-fashioned and vigorous cultivar, looking great here with hardy cyclamen.

I have to admit that I was worried about how this very unusual weather pattern would affect the snowdrops. Most of my varieties are blooming a month early, and many are two months ahead of what I am used to. How would they fare when they are shoved into the deep freeze after being coaxed out so early by temperatures reaching as high as 72 degrees F? I am happy to say that it didn’t faze them. They all look perfectly happy though droopy and frozen. To celebrate, I am going to show you some of the highlights of the snowdrop season so far. In alphabetical order…

Galanthus 'Colossus' plicatus

‘Colossus’ has the beautiful pleated leaves of a Galanthus plicatus cultivar.

‘Daphne’s Scissors’ has produced very pronounced green tips in honor of the weather.

Galanthus 'Ding Dong'

‘Ding Dong’ was selected by Alan Street at Avon Bulbs, ding-dong Avon calling.

Galanthus 'Faringdon Double'

‘Faringdon Double’ is the earliest blooming double snowdrop.

‘Fly Fishing’ throwing out its lure. It has produced green tips when it is usually pure white.

Another shot of ‘Godfrey Owen’s’ beautiful habit.

I can sympathize with ‘Grumpy ‘ who looks afraid to come out in this weather.

‘Kite’ sporting its huge, finely formed flowers.

I couldn’t resist another shot of ‘Kite’ as it’s one of my favorites—note the extra long outer petals and the distinct X mark inside.

‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’, a vigorous and elegant double.

‘Magnet’ another old-fashioned and reliable cultivar. It hasn’t released its distinguishing extra long flower stem yet.

Galanthus 'Standing Tall' elwesii

‘Standing Tall’ combines fine markings, a beautiful habit, and indestructibility.

‘Three Ships’ with its distinct sail-like petals always blooms by Christmas but was a few weeks early this year.

Galanthus 'Wasp'

‘Wasp’ displaying its insect-like wings and “thorax”.

‘Xmas’ is a giant snowdrop cultivar selected and named by me for its Christmas bloom and X-like marking. It is quite tall with a very upright habit and bulks up more quickly than any giant snowdrop I grow, even the species.

That’s a complete record of all the snowdrops in my garden that are up and fully out. Many more have buds starting to open so the fun is just beginning.

Carolyn

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

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Garden Conservancy Tour in Litchfield County Connecticut

Posted in garden to visit, Garden Tour, landscape design with tags Carolyn's Shade Gardens, galanthus, Garden Conservancy, Garden Conservancy tour, Hidden Valley Bed and Breakfast, Hollister House Gardens, Litchfield Connecticut, Litchfield County Connecticut, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green, The Garden Conservancy on March 11, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

The conservatory at Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, New York—a stop on the way home to Pennsylvania.

My readers were inspired by my last post on the beautiful, flower-filled garden of Charles Cresson, which I visited in May of 2014. To see the lovely photos, click here. It was fun to revisit a sunny garden during what seems like a winter that will never end. We have now had three warm days so spring is on its way. But snow still covers the ground, and I thought everyone could use another dose of sun and flowers.

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

Our headquarters for our Connecticut trip was the beautiful Hidden Valley Bed and Breakfast in Washington Depot, CT.

In the third week of June, a friend and I traveled to the northwestern corner of Connecticut to attend The Garden Conservancy’s Litchfield County Open Day. The Litchfield area is a gorgeous part of the U.S. with historic New England towns, classic farms surrounded by stone walls, and wooded hills and valleys running through sparsely populated countryside. Just driving around the area is a pleasure.

The Garden Conservancy sponsored a tour to seven area gardens to finance their “mission to save and share outstanding American gardens for the education and inspiration of the public.” Here are a few of the hundreds of photos I took during the tour. Enjoy!

Link Garden: A pool with a sophisticated, screened pool house perches on the side of the Connecticut hills.

Link Garden: ligularia, hosta, and ferns in a shady corner.

Link Garden: Aiming for ease of maintenance as the owners age, the perennial garden was replaced by this stylized rill.

Link Garden: another shady nook behind the house.

Brush Hill Gardens: In addition to this large and beautiful English cottage garden, there was an extensively planted woodland with several ponds, but the lighting wasn’t good for photos.

Brush Hill Gardens

Williams Garden: A Greek Revival pool house is not for everyone, but it was interesting to see it.

Williams Garden: The pool edged with 18th century French coping was quite elegant.

Williams Garden: an extensive kitchen garden and elaborate “garden shed”.

Williams Garden: stone trough filled to overflowing with succulents.

Trapp Garden: a little bit of Italy in West Cornwall, Connecticut.

Trapp Garden: A very secluded pool on the side of a terrace with a grotto-like pool house sunk in the side of a hill. I usually think pools detract from the landscape but changed my mind on this tour.

Trapp Garden

Highmeadows: Beautiful use of our native goatsbeard, I am not sure why more gardeners don’t grow this.

Highmeadows

Highmeadows: The roses growing on the soft-colored walls were breath-taking.

Hollister House Garden: This was my favorite. The garden is a Garden Conservancy preservation project and surrounds an historic Connecticut farmhouse. It is divided into a series of rooms and vistas by tall hedges and walls. The plant choices are enchanting, and the color combinations are gorgeous. The garden is open to the public every Saturday from June through September. For more information, click here.

Hollister House Garden

The sun is shining and it’s going to be 60 degrees F today so all the snow and ice is bound to melt shortly.

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: Due to rescheduling, spaces have opened up in Charles Cresson’s seminar The Winter Garden in Bloom. For details, click here. Our first event is the Hellebore Extravaganza on Saturday, April 11, from 10 am to 3 pm. However, you can stop by anytime by appointment to purchase hellebores. To access the 2015 Snowdrop Catalogue, please click here.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

If you are within visiting distance and would like to receive catalogues and information about customer events, please send your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net. Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.

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The Cresson Garden at Hedgleigh Spring

Posted in garden to visit, landscape design with tags Carolyn's Shade Gardens, Charles Cresson, galanthus, Hedgleigh Spring, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green on March 3, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Charles Cresson’s home in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, US.

As I contemplated three more winter “weather events” in the next three days, culminating in 3 to 5 more inches of snow, I thought what we all need is some photos of a beautiful, warm, flower-filled garden. I had visited Charles Cresson’s garden Hedgleigh Spring in May of 2014 but never posted the photos. Now seems like a perfect time. Enjoy

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

Charles has hosted hundreds of tours at Hedgleigh Spring, a garden begun by his grandfather a century ago.
.

Every inch of the garden is packed with plants, and many are rare and unusual.

Roses and honeysuckle climb the wall.

roses and honeysuckle

A striking combination of bletilla and azaleas.

coralbells and bearded iris

heirloom coralbells and nepeta

A tree peony, what a gorgeous color.

ajuga and hardy geranium

The pond garden was breath-taking.

Primroses along the wall in the pond area.

another gorgeous tree peony

My favorite combination, Japanese iris and ‘Caramel’ coralbells.

Every nook and cranny has a plant!

It doesn’t seem like it, but our gardens will be flower-filled sometime soon.

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: We will be selling snowdrops and hellebores at Winterthur on March 7, details here. We are now taking orders, for mail order or pick up in March, from the 2015 Snowdrop Catalogue, featuring snowdrops and other winter interest plants like cyclamen and hellebores. To access the catalogue, please click here.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

32 Comments »

Snowdrops at Winterthur and Here 2015

Posted in bulbs for shade, garden to visit, snowdrops, winter, winter interest with tags 'Xmas' snowdrop, andrew turvey, Carolyn's Shade Gardens, galanthus, Galanthus elwesii 'Xmas', Myddelton House, Myddelton House Gardens, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops andrew turvey, snowdrops for sale, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green, winter interest plants, Winterthur, winterthur gardens on February 17, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Thankfully, there’s a snowy landscape at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens today.

Before I get to current events at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens, I want to encourage you to come to this year’s Bank to Bend lecture at Winterthur on Saturday, March 7. The featured speaker is Andrew Turvey, Head Gardener at Myddelton House Gardens in the U.K.

Myddelton is the former home and garden of the very famous English plantsman E.A. Bowles whose plant expertise was wide ranging but included a particular focus on snowdrops. He is said to have originated the term galanthophile to describe snowdrop enthusiasts. Turvey worked previously at the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley and is frequently a featured speaker in England. The official details are below.

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

Celebrate Spring at Winterthur!

March 7
Bank to Bend Garden Lecture, Plant Sale, Tour and Snowdrop Event

Featuring:

A lecture by Andrew Turvey of Myddelton House Gardens, 11:00 am – noon, Copeland Lecture Hall

Andrew Turvey, head gardener at Myddelton House Gardens, is the caretaker of the garden of EA Bowles. A famous plantsman, Bowles had a keen interest in bulbs, is credited with coining the term ‘galanthophile’ for passionate snowdrop collectors, and introduced hundreds of plants to cultivation.

$10 members, $20 non-members, all other garden activities included with admission.

• An Introduction to Snowdrops Workshop, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Brown Center, no registration required

• Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants by Carolyn’s Shade Garden, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Visitor Center

• Guided Tours of the March Bank, Starting at the Visitor Center at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm

• Self-guided ‘White Arrow’ Tour through the March Bank, Starting at the Visitor Center, All Day

• Special Spring Tour Experience through the House and Conservatory, Museum, All Day

For more information and to register, visit www.winterthur.org or call 800.448.3883.
WINTERTHUR MUSEUM, GARDEN & LIBRARY
WINTERTHUR, DE 19735
.Snow crocus at Winterthur

As noted, Carolyn’s Shade Gardens intends to sell a nice selection of snowdrops, cyclamen, hellebores, and other spring flowers, although what we actually bring is weather dependent at this point. Flowering hardy cyclamen and a wide-ranging and beautiful selection of mature, blooming hellebores are a definite though. I am very excited that Winterthur has added an “Introduction to Snowdrops” workshop taught by Linda Eirhart, their very knowledgeable Curator of Plants. This is an opportunity not to be missed by anyone wanting to increase their understanding of this wonderful genus.

Common snowdrops and winter aconite at Winterthur

You may be wondering what is going on at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens especially if you ordered snowdrops. Usually at this time, snowdrops, cyclamen, hellebores, and lots of other plants are up and thinking of blooming in my garden. Last year, which I thought was an aberration and best forgotten about, we had freezing weather and snow into March. I didn’t think it could get any worse, but this year we have had subzero lows with no snow to protect the plants—even worse than 2013-2014. Fortunately last night we finally had a significant snowfall.

My snowdrop propagation beds look like ancient burial mounds. For extra protection during the subzero, snowless period, we covered them with an insulated tarp.

Today, after it finally snowed, we removed the tarp and left the snow behind for insulation. We couldn’t have done this in a “normal” year when the snowdrops were up, but nothing was going on due to the extended cold weather.

My snowdrop from the U.S. Botanic Garden, which I have now named ‘Xmas’ to reflect its distinct X mark and bloom time at Christmas, glows in its plastic box before the snow. It is perfectly hardy and does not need to be covered, but I am trying to preserve the blooms for the customers who have purchased it.

That is about all that is going on at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens right now. If you have ordered snowdrops, I am hoping to start shipping in about two weeks. However, last year we started March 17 to the Pacific North West and the South and finished April 2 to the coldest parts of New England and the Midwest. Eventually, the snow will melt, the ground will unfreeze, and the plants will “catch up”. Meanwhile, the long range forecast is for continued cold through next week and then a jump to the high 50s on February 28. I hope this is not the new “normal”.

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: We will be selling snowdrops and hellebores at Winterthur on March 8, details above. We are now taking orders, for mail order or pick up in March, from the 2015 Snowdrop Catalogue, featuring snowdrops and other winter interest plants like cyclamen and hellebores. To access the catalogue, please click here.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

23 Comments »

Do You Need A New Plant?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags Arrowhead Alpines, Carolyn's Shade Gardens, galanthus, snowdrop, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green on February 4, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Click on the image to enlarge. Drawing by Joseph Tychonievich at Arrowhead Alpines.

I have been down with the flu for a few weeks so the blog and everything else has suffered. I have been saving the illustration above for just such an occasion. I received it as a postcard in February 2013 from Arrowhead Alpines, a wonderful retail and mail order nursery in Fowlerville, Michigan, specializing in rare and unusual plants. They have a huge selection of uncommon perennials, woodland wildflowers, ferns, rare alpines, dwarf conifers, and out-of-the-ordinary trees and shrubs. They are also very nice people. If you can’t find what you are looking for at your local nursery, Arrowhead is the place to go. Click here for their website/catalogue.

The print is kind of small, so click on the image to enlarge it. I especially like the part about ripping out the lawn and the recommendation of miniature hostas :-). No matter how many times I follow the arrows through the options, it makes me laugh. How could the answer to “Do you need a new plant?” be anything but yes!

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 and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: You can sign up to receive notifications of catalogues, sales, and events at the nursery by sending your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

38 Comments »

New Snowdrop Book

Posted in bulbs for shade, containers for shade, landscape design, Shade Perennials, snowdrops, winter, winter interest with tags Carolyn's Shade Gardens, collecting snowdrops, galanthophile, galanthus, Kew Gardens, Naomi Slade, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, snowdrop, snowdrop articles, snowdrop bulbs, snowdrop catalogue, snowdrop companion plants, snowdrop flower, snowdrop plants, snowdrops, snowdrops for sale, snowdrops for sale U.S., snowdrops in the green, The Plant Lover's Guide to Snowdrops on January 14, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

. 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.

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.

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

23 Comments »

CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS

Archive for snowdrop plants

New Snowdrops for 2018 Part Two

New Snowdrops for 2018

Curating a Plant Collection: Snowdrops or Otherwise

Winterthur Snowdrop Event

Snowdrops Are Early This Year

Garden Conservancy Tour in Litchfield County Connecticut

The Cresson Garden at Hedgleigh Spring

Snowdrops at Winterthur and Here 2015

Do You Need A New Plant?

New Snowdrop Book

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Welcome

Site Stats Since 11/3/10

Email Subscription to Blog Posts

Pages

Click image for links to all articles on snowdrops

Search My Website

All photos and text on this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without my express permission

Top Posts & Pages

Recent Posts

Click image to see Carolyn’s photos in The New York Times

Click image to see Carolyn’s Shade Gardens in the BBC News Magazine

Plant Information

Places to Visit

Books

Reader Locations (click to enlarge)

Reader Locations (click to enlarge)