vi: Sage Advice
Confessions of a galanthophile Callum Halstead Galanthophilia is a condition for which there is no known cure. While it is not clinically recognised, I am of the firm opinion that it not only exists, but can strike any horticulturallyminded person without warning. From personal experience, it can even affect those who had previously been of the opinion that they weren’t at all interested in Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.). Aside from the obvious tell-tale sign of a rapid expansion in one’s Snowdrop collection, other symptoms of galanthophilia include, but are not limited to, the following. Bookmarking the web address of every single Snowdrop specialist in the country (and in severe cases, international suppliers too). Spending a disproportionate amount of time browsing said websites. A gradual increase in the amount of money that you are willing to part with for a single Snowdrop bulb. The sudden urge to buy rare and expensive books about Snowdrops. Feeling the need to create a dedicated database in order to catalogue your rapidly expanding collection. Funny looks and probing questions from your friends and relatives who don’t understand your newfound obsession.
32
For years, I didn’t really get it. I had studied the differences between the various common species as a horticultural student and yes, they were all very nice. Still, if you’d asked me if I would ever consider starting a collection, my answer would have probably been something along the lines of “Why? They’re all near enough the same, aren’t they?” Broadly speaking, Snowdrops are indeed all quite similar. A single bulb will give rise to a pair of strappy green or blue-green leaves. Between these, one or, very occasionally, two flower stems called ‘scapes’ will emerge between late winter and mid-spring, giving rise to a single pendulous flower with three pure white outer petals and three smaller inner petals, each tipped with green. I appreciate that this level of detail is enough for some, and I quite understand those who are perfectly content to simply enjoy a breath-taking view of a woodland awash with a sea of Snowdrops for the beautiful sight that it is. So what is it that galanthophiles find so beguiling? What is there to become so obsessed by? The source of fascination lies in the small variations that reveal themselves as you look a little closer. In nature, Snowdrops of the same species do vary slightly from one another, just like any other living thing. Most of the time
