Favourites from the Royal Pavilion Gardens — Galanthis nivalis, Snowdrop

Snowdrops in the Pavilion Gardens

The Latin name comes from the Greek ‘gala [milk] and ‘anthos’ [flower].

Although it is often thought of as a British native wild flower, or to have been brought to the British Isles by the Romans, it was probably introduced around the early sixteenth century and is currently not  a protected species in the UK.

Celebrated as a sign of spring, snowdrops can form impressive carpets of white in areas where they are native or have been naturalised.

The snowdrop has particular relevance to the Regency planting of the Royal Pavilion Gardens as it is a woodland edge plant that suits the informality of its surroundings.

Galanthus is propagated by splitting the newly developed bulbs after flowering. The bulbs should be planted in late summer or early autumn in well-drained soil. Its flowering season is from January to March.

Barbara Garden
Volunteer