Sunday 22 February 2009

Plants or Seeds?

Our garden is now coming into it's third year and we have decided we would like a show of snowdrops in the front garden in the shade of a wall. I have heard that there are several methods to introduce snowdrops. Looking in the garden centre the plants they have on offer look rather sad and I gather that they do not do very well or multiply very fast. Any ideas?

13 comments:

Suburbia said...

Go and dig up someone else's lovely display?!!! Lovely pic :)

Maggie May said...

Snowdrops don't transplant very well unless they are *in the green*. I think that means with green leaves on. So buying plants now is an excellent idea.
You could get a few bulbs just to see if they do take or not.

Lindsay said...

Maggie - thanks for the info.

Scriptor Senex said...

I plnated mine as bulbs and they look quite good and have spread already, after a mere three years - see my Pensby Blog a few days ago. I dug up turves about an inch thick and laid the bulbs a couple of inches apart on the soil and then replaced the turves. They are in a spot that receives about half a day's sun during the summer and none during the winter though how relevant that is, I'm not sure. Good luck. They are worth it.

Lane Mathias said...

Funnily enough I was at a market this morning and there was a man selling them and looked like they had been dug up ready for replanting. I had no idea that was how you were supposed to plant them.

Carol said...

LOL at Suburbia's comment!!

I have no idea about anything garden related....sorry

C x

Lindsay said...

Suburbia, Chris and Carol you may find I do exactly that! Am plucking up courage to ring up present owners of our previous house and ask if I can dig up some - there are masses there.

Carol said...

LOL!!

There is an award for you over at mine :-)

C x

mountainear said...

'In the green' as MM says - buy/acquire them if you can when they are still looking like snowdrops. The gardening mags usually have plenty of offers. Buy hundreds. Plant them deeply too. After about 50 years you should have a good display!

This year does seem to be a stunning 'snowdrop year'.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

I'm with the "in the green" camp Lindsay. I have had success that way - good luck! A

cheshire wife said...

The experts tell you to buy snowdrops 'in the green' which is what I did about three years ago and now we have quite a good showing. You can buy them in bulk from growers advertising in The Garden or Gardeners World magazine.

Liz Hinds said...

I've tried bulbs but they didn't do well. Someone told me the best thing to do is take part of an established clump and transplant it. Do you have any friends who have some you could hijack?

Fantastic Forrest said...

Gorgeous snowdrops! I came over to check out your place after I saw your comment at Mrs. Elder-Berry's. Your village life is wonderful.