Snowdrops mostly alone

When you garden in a climate where winter lasts for months, you fall in love with early spring bloomers. So I didn't think twice about buying these Muscari. But nothing is earlier than Galanthus or snowdrops. I've been keeping track of when snowdrops bloom in my garden since I planted my first one in 2005. They've appeared in February four times, but most years come in mid-March. Only once did they hold off until early April.

I love these little beauties and have slowly been adding them to my garden. I belong to a FB group, "Snowdrops in American Gardens", whose members live all over the country. For weeks they've been posting photos of their snowdrops; many accompanied by Winter Aconites, Crocus, Cyclamen and even Hellebores. Mine more typically share the stage with snow, ice or hail.

After spending time on the snowdrop FB page, I've started thinking I should plant other early bloomers close to my snowdrops so I can enjoy similar scenes. Then I realized I do have Hellebores with my snowdrops. If you look closely you can see the one in the photo below is just starting to push up. I took a series of photos last year so I could quickly identify my various snowdrops this year. But what this really shows is the fact that there are no other visible flowers in this view.

The best combo I've managed so far has been purely accidental; Galanthus 'Magnet' with Heucherella 'Hopscotch' foliage that still looks decent after being buried under snow all winter. 

I planted a few snowdrops amongst Luzula sylvatica 'Solar Flare' thinking that would give me as good a grouping as I'm likely to get.

I went scrolling through my photos to see when my other early bloomers really appear. 

• Snowdrops: typically March f17
• Crocus tommasinianus, Hepatica, Iris reticulata: 2nd week In April
• Hellebore buds are up by mid-April but no significant flowers until the end of April (though I did see some buds pushing up over the weekend)

The good news is it's not my imagination that my snowdrops have no floral companions. The bad news is that my garden's reality trumps this gardener's wishes.

Comments

[Ginny]

Oh yes! Lovely. In wicked winter climates, the early spring bulbs take on huge importance despite their diminutive size. Yours really are pretty nestled in with 'hopscotch'. Love those happy accidents, huh?
This year my snow crocuses in the lawn and the tommies beat the snowdrops by a week or more. but I don't care who shows up first, I love them all!

[Kris P]

Maybe this means you just need to greatly expand your snowdrop collection. They're lovely things and especially impressive en masse.

I was intrigued by the bald baby head with the striped Pinocchio nose. Does it have a story?

[Chavli]

I'm not used to seeing hellebore foliage totally brown and crisp so at first glance, I thought your H. torquatus was a goner. I looked it up online: turns out its a rather rare variety. I'd love to see a photo of it in bloom.

[danger garden]

I absolutely love that Galanthus 'Magnet' and Heucherella 'Hopscotch' combo!

[Linda Brazill]

DANGER — ​I have to agree!​

[Linda Brazill]

KRIS — You are right about just adding more snowdrops. I've been doing that and I need to continue but plant the ones that are more readily available and not so pricey.

As for the head, it doesn't really have a story. ​We bought it at our favorite gallery where it was hanging on the side of a doorframe and sticking its nose out at you as you passed through. We liked the fact that it had a bit of a macabre feeling but was not seriously creepy.

[Linda Brazill]

CHAVLI —Hellebore foliage dies back to the ground here. If there is enough snow cover all season it emerges quite green and decent looking. But lately our winters seem to have a lot of time when it's very cold but there is no snow which makes for a messy spring garden. ​

[Frank]

It's hard to match the earliest snowdrops with anything nice. Here everything is either a freezer burned tan or a dried up brown, with actual flowers of other things still a few weeks away.
I'll still keep trying though!

[Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening]

I find the eranthis and galanthus are often neck and neck for first bloom. Do your hellebores have H. niger in their breeding? When ordering online, I look for ones described as blooming in late winter. They are more likely to bloom with the mid- to late-blooming snowdrops. And yes, foliage to go with. Colchicum leaves come up quite early, Cyclamen coum foliage, heucheras and many carex, Arum italicum are all possibilities.

[Anna]

It's good to read about snowdrops still in full flow, now that ours on this side of the pond have mainly gone over. As Kathy above has said cyclamen coum, heucheras and arum all make for good bedfellows. Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'goes well with them too. What about eranthis hyemalis - would they flower at the appropriate time?

[Linda Brazill]

KATHY AND ANNA — Thanks Kathy and Anna for your suggestions. I have Arum italicum and now I will add some snowdrops near it. I am going to watch this spring to see where I find good foliage after the snow and cold and add some of that near my snowdrops. I think Eranthis would bloom in concert but I have never been fond of it. I have some Hellebores with the winter blooming parentage that are miles from my snowdrops. Can't believe that I have solutions in place in the garden — just not the right place!

[Linda Brazill]

FRANK — I will keep my eye on your garden as you are my snowdrop inspiration.