Six on Saturday - The last for January 2026

Storm Chandra and other depresssions have brought so much rain to Somerset.  We are above the flooded levels but our regular walks have had to be curlained with waters sweeping across roads etc. It is at times like these that I am grateful for the paths and stepping stones and no grass which allows me into the garden with the possibility of enjoying the bits of the garden which may not be in sight from the comfort of the conservatory. I've waxed lyrical about some the snowdrops in the garden this week so if you want a little more variety I am sure you will find Jim's post certainly is as will be other posts linking into his.

1. With weeks of hardly any sunshine and dark days of above average temperatures, it is no surprise that the snowdrops in the shade haven't done as well as those in more open spots .  Signs are longer pulled out and weak stems of Galanthus Marjorie Brown.  I have read that snowdrops from the elwesii group do well in sunnier and drier spots, so this clump will be moved. 

Galanthus Marjorie Brown

2. In comparison this little clump of Galanthus nivalis 'Sprite' out in the sunnier position is looking healthy and hearty.

 

Galanthus nivalis 'Sprite'

3. "Is hope all that remains? Of course not. We have courage and inspiration and imagination and determination and resilience. And lots more besides. We have spring just around the corner." My SOS 'Sis' Gill Heavens has the most wonderful turn of phrase and these were some of her words from her post last week.  Also thanks to Gill, I was in receipt last spring of a pretty Primula vulgaris 'Taigetos' thanks to JK 'The Man from Del Monte' from whose garden it came.  Earlier this week I noticed that one of the clumps is just starting to flower.  I've read that it is sterile and increased by division only. 

Primula vulgaris 'Taigetos'

4. Galanthus 'Squashed Fly on a Windscreen' nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Blewbury Tart' first arrived in the garden a gift from Cathy in 2018.  I thought I had lost it. Had I just overlooked it or failed to mention it?  Blewbury Tart certainly deserves a place in this week's Six on Saturday: quirky and dishevelled and definitely filling me with joy on rediscovering it in the garden. I had even removed it from one of my lists as having been lost.  I found it just at the foot of the bird bath growing through the mint that I promised myself that I would get rid of, but knowingly leaving a few stems thinking they would be nice in drinks, deluding myself that it would not be outgrowing its place.  

'In 1975, Alan noticed ‘Blewbury Tart’ in a churchyard in the village of Blewbury in Oxfordshire, England, where he grew up, and collected it with the permission of  Vicar Hugh Pickles. The famous galanthophile Primrose Warburg helped to name it because she called it Blewbury Muffin when Alan gave it to her, thus inspiring the name ‘Blewbury Tart’.  

I asked Alan if there was a special anecdote that I could relate here.  He told me that when he first exhibited it in 1985, a prominent British journalist said it looked like a “squashed fly on a windscreen”.   Nevertheless Avon offered it for sale in 1992.  It is an unruly double with an outward-facing dark green inner rosette encircled by three narrow outer segments.  It looks like it is having a bad hair day and always makes me smile when I see it.  Alan relates that another prominent British galanthophile, Ruby Baker, considers it a favorite'. From the description on Carolyn's Shade Garden. 

5. I have a few books on Snowdrops, not many, more than one and less than I would probably want, but same time each year, I pick them up and have a read of sections.  Each year I get to learn a little more. In Her book The Plant Lovers Guide to Snowdrops Naomi Slade mentions that Snowdrops look best planted in company and one of the suggestions is to for them to be planted up with Euphorbia myrsinites. I have Euphorbia mysinites in the front garden and I may need to try cuttings in a few months time.  I can see how the contrast in form would go well.

Euphorbia mysinites

6. In the front garden I also have some snowdrops that are really good dooers.  It was one of the first snowdrops I bought when I moved here, they seed pods are fertile and I leave them under the leaf litter under the Amelanchiers where they germinate and grow up into little seedlings.  After a couple of seasons I move these to another spot in the front garden. I think they are Galanthus Elwesii 'Valentine'. I am growing just this one cultivar in this area, and after nearly nine years are making a good display.

Galanthus Elwesii 'Valentine'

The crocus are starting to come and there will be just a little more variety hopefully next week.