Snowdrops

Some of the first blooms at the start of the year during the dark mizzerly days which seem to catch the light are snowdrops.  Mizzerly weather is a new type of weather not much experienced in the Midlands...a very light rain almost a heavy mist which swirls making everything very wet indeed.  Maybe its the closeness to the coast that brings these fine misty rainy days.  When we get a sunny day it certainly cheers the soul.  However in the absence of sunshine a few white nodding heads in the garden remind me that spring is on its way.

Each year Mr S and I venture forth to admire snowdrops.  This being our first year in Somerset, we had to go to the Snowdrop Festival in Shepton Mallet.  James Allen the Victorian Snowdrop King who planted many different varieties in his garden at Park House.  We went on the Saturday, but I wished we had visited on the Friday when there were many Galanthus growers selling bulbs in bloom.  I did spend my pocket money for the week on a couple of pots of Galanthus Woronowii which has wide shiny bright green leaves, and Galanthus Elwesii as it had such large blooms.

The local Horticultural Club had planted up displays and hope this new festival grows and grows!We followed the walk they had devised and as well as enjoying the architecture of the town, enjoyed visiting James Allen's grave.

 Galanthus Woronowii

 Galanthus Elwesii

In the absence of much gardening, I've enjoyed Charles Elliott's essays in The Transplanted Gardener...a very good and amusing read!