Plant of the Month February 2026 - Snowdrops

 Whilst there were other plants I could have chosen as Plant of the Month for February, let's face it, snowdrops really do steal the show this time of year.  

I grow quite a lot of snowdrops. I have said previously that when I first moved to this house there were almost no spring bulbs.  There were no daffodils or tulips but there was one small clump of snowdrops by the fence to the side of the house. I still regard this clump as special.  I have planted a lot of snowdrops since then.  For many years I planted 200 in the green every spring.  Nowadays I just divide the clumps to spread them around the garden.

Most of my snowdrops are the bog-standard Galanthus nivalis, the simple common snowdrop that is just a delight.  I have also planted some of the double snowdrops Galanthus flore pleno which I also think are very special.  Regular readers will know I have 'posh snowdrop corner',where I grow a few named snowdrops such as Galanthus Madeline above.  She is my special girl and most prized of all that I grow.  Snowdrops can almost be as cheap or as expensive as you wish, I am very much at the cheaper end of the market.

Snowdrops can be quite tall or not very tall.  They can have tiny differences that collectors adore and can pay large amounts for.   Whilst not native to the UK, they have been here for a few hundred years and we claim them as our own these days.

They are very hardy and love growing in woodlands and on banks.  They make a great food source for early pollinators as well.  They are best planted 'in the green'; which means buying them fresh with their leaves still green shortly after they have finished flowering.  The dried bulbs you can buy in the autumn are not so efficient at settling in and growing the next year.  Snowdrops are best divided when they have just finished flowering;  it is a lovely fine spring day task.

What is not to love?  Snowdrops have a simple charm that steals hearts. 

More Plants of the Month can be found here.

Take care and be kind.

For more from the Blackberry Garden follow me on Bluesky Twitter X  Facebook Instagram and Substack