SNOWDROPS Winter flowers

IN SEARCH of SNOWDROPS

The sight of the diminutive snowdrop is always a welcome one as it signals that spring is just around the corner. This year the presence of these little white gems will be especially well- received as the sign of a new season, warmer weather and hopefully an end to lockdown!

Words: Rob Davis. THE BEST LAID PLANS of mice and men gang aft a-gley, said the poet Robert Burns, who will be celebrated at (private) Burn’s Night suppers as Pride goes to press. Also due to be celebrated at this time of year is the snowdrop, that diminutive white flower that heralds the end of winter and the coming of spring.

This year, the flower was also due to herald the end of Covid, and of social distancing, lockdowns and so on, but alas, with this edition written and completed prior to Christmas – complete with a guide to where you could see blankets of snowdrops locally throughout February – a fresh set of measures to curb the virus, including lockdown, has necessitated a hasty rewrite of these pages from the Editor’s dining room table.

In Search of Snowdrops... Happily, we rarely need to do little more than look out of the window of our domestic prison cells to appreciate the snowdrop; it’s prolific and can be seen in our gardens, on verges and in woodland during even the most local of dog walks.

And so, the snowdrop – which will make its appearance as Pride goes to press and remain a feature of our outside spaces at least until mid-March, could still usher in an era when Covid restrictions are lifted, when spring comes along and when life begins to return to normality.

The Basics... One man who knows all about snowdrops of Keith Weed, who, despite his amusingly ironic name, is president of the RHS and thus responsible for championing all of the stuff that should be in your garden, not the stuff that shouldn’t... >>

Main: Snowdrop taken by Fred Cholmeley of Easton Walled Gardens... a great recommendation as a place to see snowdrops, we highly recommend visiting the garden once lockdown is lifted!

“For welcome assurance that the brighter days of spring are on their way, we need look no further than snowdrops,” Keith says.

“They’re surprisingly varied in height, flower size, shape and even colouring. Any garden can accommodate snowdrops; they just need to be planted, freshly lifted, when the foliage is just dying back in late spring.”

“Snowdrops typically flower between January and March, and should be planted from late April into May.”

“Plant them in a partly-shaded position in a moist, but well-drained soil with some leafmould or garden compost incorporated. It’s important that the soil does not dry out in summer, but otherwise they’re fairly hardy and easy to encourage.”

Snowdrop Varieties... “Galanthus nivalis is the familiar naturalised snowdrop of our February woods and gardens. The narrow foliage is grey-green, the edges should touch at the base (not be ‘reflexed’ or overlapping). The flowers have outer petals about 2.5cm (1in) long and the inner petals have a small neat green inverted ‘V’ at the tip. Often thought of as a British native, the variety was probably brought to Britain in the 16th century.”

“‘Atkinsii’ is a very early, vigorous and slightly honey-scented variety with long, slender petals and a green heart-shaped mark at the tips of the inner petals.”

“‘Magnet’ is perhaps the most elegant of all snowdrops, flowering in February and March, and noted for the unusually long stalk which holds the flower away from the stem so it dances in the slightest whisper of breeze.”

“‘Reginae-olgae’ is the best known of the autumn-flowering snowdrops, and is generally similar in appearance to G. nivalis. It may flower in early September, but usually opens in October or sometimes later.”

Propagating Snowdrops... The four main ways to propagate snowdrops are to lift and divide them as the foliage turns yellow in spring; to sow seeds around June; or the rather more involved processes

Snowdrops Facts for Budding Galanthophiles...

n Snowdrops are more formally known as Galanthus, a genus of over 20 herbaceous plants similar in appearance.

n Fans of these Amaryllidaceae are known as galanthophiles.

n The name translates as ‘milk flower’ and as they’re the first flower to appear in the calendar, they were traditionally a sign of purity and religious faith. n Traditionally snowdrops wouldn’t flower until late February, but since the 1950s, it has been noted that they’re making an earlier appearance in gardens. This has been attributed to global warming. n There are more than 2,500 species of snowdrop, with Galanthus nivalis or the ‘common snowdrop’ the most commonly seen. n Snowdrops tend to prefer well-drained soil in light shade; a woodland habitat is ideal. Late spring is the ideal time to divide and plant snowdrops just as the foliage is dying off. n Snowdrops should be divided up into three or five smaller clumps, and snowdrop bulbs rising to the surface of the soil is a sign they’re keen to be split up! of twin-scaling and chipping – essentially cutting into the bulbs to producing many more in a short space of time.

Potential Problems... “Squirrels digging up snowdrops planted as dry bulbs may be a problem,” says Keith. “Sometimes seedlings are also lost through ‘damping off’ which is caused by fungi and results in their collapse.”

Snowdrops in Stamford & Rutland... At the time of writing, lockdown looks set to put paid to a visit to local snowdrop gardens. However, as soon as restrictions ease – hopefully we’ll still be in spring – we must recommend a visit to Easton Walled Gardens, just off the A1 on the border of Lincolnshire and Rutland.

The 12-acre gardens have been restored by its owners Fred & Ursula Cholmeley, whose spring displays are a particular highlight, along with its sweet peas later in the year (Easton, NG33 5AP. Call 01476 530063, www.visiteaston.co.uk).

Elsewhere in Stamford & Rutland, Exton’s Barnsdale Garden (Exton, LE15 8AH), Deene Park (Nr Corby, NN17 3EW) and Burghley House (Stamford, PE9 3JY) also have spectacular displays of snowdrops and other spring flowers to enjoy. n

This Page: Closeup of an Easton Walled Garden snowdrop by Fred Cholmeley.

STAMFORD STONE

STONE is where the heart is!

Words: Kate Cadman

Leading Lincolnshire & Rutland stone specialist, Stamford Stone at Home, has recently launched a new e-commerce website which allows visitors to browse and buy all their stone products online. Stamford Stone at Home supplies stunning natural stone flooring, paving and fireplaces, plus they’ve recently extended their range to include on-trend decorative natural stone, ceramic and porcelain wall and floor tiles from tiling specialists, Ca’ Pietra. All of these products are now available to buy online from www.ssathome.co.uk. The new tiling collection has been carefully chosen to complement Stamford Stone at Home’s natural stone flooring range. The handpicked edit includes over 70 handcrafted designs in exquisite bright and bold colours - all inspired by the beauty of nature.

“It’s exciting to watch our product range grow and to work with other family-owned British businesses.”

“We’re excited to be part of Ca’ Pietra’s trusted network of hand-picked retailers,” explains Luciana Ciarla, Stamford Stone at Home’s Showroom Sales Manager. “Customers wanting to buy our products no longer have to make a trip to our showroom, with the option of ordering free samples and buying online, they can now make their purchases from the comfort of their own home.”

“Of course, if any customers would rather view our products in person, they can ring to book a showroom appointment on 01780 740970,” added Luciana. n

n To browse and buy the company’s stone products visit www.ssathome.co.uk. For all your Stamford Stone or Stamford Stone at Home enquiries or to book a showroom visit, call 01780 740970, or email info@ssathome.co.uk.

Stone and Masonry Perfection...

In the heart of Rutland there’s an exquisite self-build project that showcases stone at its finest. The stunning Ashlar stone, supplied by Stamford Stone, can be seen in both spun and raked finishes. The stone masonry skills and attention to detail have been extremely important to the owners, who have chosen to include many traditional masonry details, including a solid entrance portico, all in beautiful, local Clipsham Limestone. One of the many impressive features in the property is the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the courtyard entrance - it’s a work of architectural and masonry perfection! “It’s been a delight to watch this project progress and one which we are very proud of having been chosen as the stone supplier for,” explains Dan Wilson, Director, Stamford Stone.

Indoors the house portrays a wonderful sense of luxury; the ocean-inspired colour palette and sleek architectural detail all deliver a calming, high-end spa-like perfection in the swimming pool area. Charlbury Grey English Limestone tiles, supplied by Stamford Stone at Home, have been used for the flooring, pool coping, steps and drains. Since its completion, this magnificent stone residence, which combines the beauty of both traditional and contemporary design, has already become part of Rutland’s heritage and will be loved and admired for centuries to come. n

JESSICA & STEVE’S MICRO WEDDING

Fun, relaxed and perfect! Jessica and Steve decided that life was too short to delay their wedding and despite Covid restrictions, enjoyed creating a brilliant ‘micro wedding’!

Wedding Photographer: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, www.amandaforman.co.uk.

Nothing was going to spoil Jessica and Steve’s special day... not even restrictions on weddings caused by Covid. And despite a limit of just 15 people at their wedding, the couple enjoyed the best day of their lives, surrounded by their closest family & friends.

“Steve and I became friends through mutual acquaintances, our friendship developed and we realised that we had feelings for each other,” says Jessica. “We decided to take the plunge as Steve was looking to move to America, and I realised that I couldn’t be without him. We’re the best of friends, laughing and joking all the time. I love his eyes, his cheeky grin and his dry sense of humour!”

“Steve’s proposal was a total surprise! The night before, he told me we were going out for the day, and to wear something smart but comfortable.”

“It was a very early start on a cold and dark December day, and I’m not a morning person, so the day didn’t quite get off on the romantic footing Steve was hoping for!”

“We drove for miles, until we arrived at Sleaford train station, in what felt like the middle of the night. I still hadn’t caught on to what was happening when Steve took a picnic basket out of the car and led me to the platform. As a vintage steam train pulled up to the platform he dropped onto one knee and popped the question much to my surprise and rapturous applause from the other passengers!”

“We hadn’t planned on getting married this year – we were waiting for ‘the right time’ – but lockdown made us both realise what was important to us, so we made the decision and

WEDDING DETAILS

JESSICA & STEVE TIERNEY

Wedding Ceremony: Catmose Cottage Registry Office, 01572 758380, www.rutland.gov.uk. Wedding Reception: Hitchen’s Barn, Oakham, 01572 722255, www.hitchensbarn.co.uk. Photographs taken at/Honeymoon: Hambleton Hall, Oakham, 01572 756991, www.hambletonhall.com Wedding Dress: Baylis & Knight, 0161 8349874. Hair: All Saints Hairdressing, Oakham, 01572 759575. Makeup: Liz Staniland, 07714 623763 www.lizstaniland.co.uk. n six weeks later we were married! Our goal was to have the wedding we wanted - a quiet, relaxed day spent with the people we love.”

“The ceremony was held at Catmose Cottage Registry Office, in the town where we live – it was a swift 15 minutes including two witnesses all wearing face masks!”

“We chose Hitchen’s Barn as the venue for our reception, as Neil and Louise are friends. I knew that the food, service and setting would be the perfect venue for our micro wedding and we weren’t disappointed!”

“As we opted for a micro wedding during a global pandemic, we kept everything very low key. I searched ‘Kate Middleton Wedding Dress’ and managed to find a beautiful lace overlay floor-length gown online from Baylis and Knight. I wanted a full length dress but something that was also simple and classic and this ticked all the boxes for me.”

“A quirky highlight was my dream pair of Irregular Choice ‘I Do’ Bride and Groom wedding character shoes. They only make a limited number of each design and I wasn’t going to miss out on them for our big day! One of the best decisions we made was to ask Amanda Foreman to photograph the day. She was amazing! Everything came together so perfectly just as I had imagined it.”

“As it was a micro wedding, we didn’t have any entertainment, just good food, good wine and good company! The day went by so quickly in a warm fuzzy haze! I felt very calm and relaxed, right up until I came down the stairs, but a restorative glass of Prosecco – sent by my wonderful brother and sister in law from Edinburgh – helped to calm the nerves!” >>

>> “Despite being in the middle of a global pandemic, I was absolutely blown away by how everyone pulled together, put on their PPE, observed social distancing and made the day the best it could possibly be.”

“Amanda engineered beautiful group photos through socially distanced couples shots, Neil, Louise and the team at Hitchen’s Barn managed to create a Covid safe environment for us to enjoy our wedding reception without compromising on service and style.”

“And of course my wonderful husband Steve was amazing, enabling us to create a really special day with family and friends who did everything possible to ensure that they were there with us on the day.”

“We spent our wedding night at Hambleton Hall on Rutland Water’s peninsular. Steve arranged it as a surprise at the end of the day. The hotel and staff were lovely; they upgraded our room, created a special keepsake menu for us to take home and helped us to make special memories that we will treasure forever.”

“Because we had a small wedding, it was much easier to plan and organise, but organisation is key to planning a wedding I think, especially amid circumstances like a global pandemic.”

“Making lists and ticking things off as you go helps. My only other piece of advice to other brides would be to relax and enjoy it... the day goes far too quickly!”

Images: Amanda Forman Photography, 01572 492791, amandaforman.co.uk.