Snowdrop plants add warmth to winter gardens

Snowdrops, (Galanthus), a dainty little flower that blooms in winter, are a joy to see as they emerge in cold weather. They bloom at a time of year when other bulbs and flowers are sleeping. Their small white blooms get me through the bleak days of winter, reminding me that the cold weather is coming to an end and spring is just around the corner.

These woodland treasures love the cooler areas of the country. I live in zone 7 and they do nicely for me, but I do not think they will do as well in warmer zones. They are herbaceous, perennial plants that grow from a bulb and do best in humus rich soil that is well drained. If you have clay soil, you need to mix in some organic material to provide the drainage needed during the dormant season.

Nancy Goodwin of Montrose Garden in Hillsboro, North Carolina, is noted for the wonderful display of snowdrops in her garden. She is the one who got me interested in growing them after seeing photos of the fabulous displays in her woods. She has one long path through her oak forest that I would love to try to duplicate one day.

There are many different species of snowdrops and some have different requirements. Goodwin states that G. nivalis and G. elwesii are ones that grow best in her garden. She has found that the fancy-named varieties do not grow and bloom for her as well as others, but she has had good luck dividing the ones that preform well for her. She says that as they are growing in her garden, she starts dividing them and spreading them along her snowdrop path in the woods.

Goodwin has created a woodland setting that is ideal for her climate. It is cold enough for them to grow and they get enough sunlight under the deciduous trees. She thinks this is an ideal way to display these charming flowers because the white stands out against the brown leaves. They return year after year and as the clumps grow, she divides them, and moves them to locations in her garden. Not all of her snowdrops are along a path. She has some displayed in small pockets tucked in a rock garden and other areas. They do look best in a mass planting due to their small size.

To do well, snowdrops need to have temperatures that drop to at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit but not colder than 30 degrees below zero. This gives them the “chilling” time they need to flower properly. These bulbs are native to the Mediterranean area where they are cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

It is thought that the Romans brought snowdrops to England. Today, they grow all over England in profusion and some gardens are quite noted for their lovely displays when flowering. With their cooler nights, these flowers naturalize nicely in deciduous, wooded areas where they get a little winter sun. Mine are planted under deciduous trees in an area that is the coldest spot in the garden. Recently, they were emerging through the snow-covered ground and they looked charming.

Now there is one problem I need to note. There is another type of flowering bulb that often is confused with snowdrops. Snowflakes (Leucojum) is a bulb that blooms later than snowdrops and they sport larger flowers and foliage. Although both plants have white, bell-like flowers with green-tipped segments, the snowdrop has green tips only on the inner flower segments. Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) blooms in the late spring for me, and the pendulous pure white bells have green tips and are much larger than snowdrops. Spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) looks similar to the summer snowflake, blooming earlier and having a yellow-green mark on the end of each flower petal.

I love snowdrops and snowflakes and have both growing in the garden. Both are wonderful plants blooming at different times. However, if you are looking for a bulb that flowers in the winter, snowdrops are the ones to plant. You can find them offered from summer to fall at specialty bulb importers like Brent and Becky’s Bulbs and Van Engelen, who produce wonderful catalogues with lovely photos. Just remember, which varieties of galanthus to purchase. Snowdrops will cheer you up on those cold, gray, cloudy days during winter.

Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author of “Hydrangeas: How To Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A Four-Season Southern Garden.” She can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com.