Common Snowdrop Galanthus Nivalis As Mother Nature lifts her winter veil those much loved harbingers of Spring, the snowdrops, are once again nodding their heads in greeting. In February many gardens open their gates to the public giving anyone who is interested a chance to catch these first signs of spring.
In this area of the Cotswolds there are five particularly renowned snowdrop gardens. Having shown two of them - Newark Park in 2013 and the Rococo Gardens in 2016 this third one has a completely different ambience. The house and the garden were both designed in the local vernacular 'Cotswold Arts and Crafts' style overlooking a quiet valley. In the 1930s, Norman Jewson, the Arts and Crafts architect/designer used local stone for the garden terraces which gradually descend down the side of the valley.
dwarf Iris alida
Helleborus argutifolius 
Leucojum vernum - spring snowflake
Although this pretty little flower is a member of the same family as a snowdrop and is a similar size it has 6 corolla (petals) all of the same length, whereas the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis has three main petals and three more tiny inner ones.
The entrance driveway lined with staddle stones.
It is so enjoyable to see your snowdrop pictures, Rosemary. I have never seen them in real life. Cotswold Farm looks dreamy and romantic to me, with its golden stone and mossy trees. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely property and garden situated in a delightful spot Patricia.
DeleteIt looks beautiful and so much flowers already.
ReplyDeleteIt is 10 days ago that I visited so I should imagine that there is even more colour in the garden now.
DeleteA beautiful house, beautiful garden and wonderful flowers, especially snowboots. Regards.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you enjoyed seeing it Giga
DeleteLovely house and garden, you're lucky in your choices of gardens to visit. Love snowdrops, don't know why I haven't planted any. I have daffodils and Hyacinths up, plus a few Camelia.
ReplyDeleteSnowdrops are very popular here and most people have a clump of them which over the years naturlise into much bigger clumps.
DeleteWhat a lovely place for a stroll! Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteThank you William - it was a perfect day to take a stroll.
DeleteI became enamoured of Cotswold stone when we visited in 2016, and continue to admire its character and warmth. A beautiful house, with a lovely garden. Snowdrops - I never knew there were so many varieties until your comment on my blog and the link to the snowdrop site. I can't remember if I told you the variety - elwesii var elwesii. Now, when I see a patch of snowdrops, I bend down and look closely at the markings. All so different. I haven't seen any here that are as strongly marked as my little clumps.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I live here I also love the Cotswold stone too - I like the way it compliments the surrounding countryside without intruding on it.
DeleteAs soon as I saw your snowdrop image I knew that it was a different variety from for common snowdrop. It is something for you to treasure and watch out for each year.
I've never seen a snowdrop, much less the inside of a snowdrop. Much, MUCH too cold in Canada in February for them to grow here.
ReplyDeleteWith 62 different varieties of snowdrop I should really try and take time to photograph the underside of more of them as they are all completely different.
DeleteHello Rosemary, I am very glad to hear that your box bushes have recovered. I didn't know there were so many kinds of snowdrops. We don't get the same kind of long precursor to Spring in Ohio--right now it is still the dead of winter there.
ReplyDeleteHere in Taipei it is now officially New Year (this year. Friday the 16th), so let me wish you a happy Year of the Dog!
--Jim
Hello Jim - we are both so delighted that our box has recovered. We spent many years growing them from tiny cuttings and growing them into lovely shaped globes.
DeleteWe shall be eating a Chinese meal tomorrow Jim, so I shall raise a glass to you then, and wish you a Happy Year of the Dog.
What a fabulous garden, your photos are beautiful. I had no idea that there were so many different varieties of snow drop. You have shown me yet more today. B x
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful house and garden Barbara - I think that it is only in the last 15 years that I first discovered that there were so many different varieties of snowdrop. There are people who are very earnest about collecting different snowdrops and they travel around the country visiting snowdrop gardens in the hope of seeking then out and hoping that some will be for sale.
DeleteSome are extremely expensive i.e. about £25 for one tiny bulb.
The most expensive snowdrop was one that sold last year - Galanthus woronowii Elizabth Harrison which cost £725. It has the most striking yellow ovary and yellow matching markings on the corollas.
Dear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteI really envy you for visiting these beautiful gardens! Would love to be there! So interesting to see those different snowdrop varieties. Here in Austria I always see the same kind of snowdrops. People here don´t seem to be so keen on collecting different varieties. I would love to have various snowdrop varieties in my garden, but most garden centres only offer one. Maybe I should visit England in February next year. Then I could buy some varieties and bring them back to Austria. In general I was really astonished by the huge variety of plants to be offered in the UK. Taking the example of cyclamen coum, there are nurseries (searched the website of ash wood nursery) in the UK that offer so many different varieties of cyclamen coum, whereas here in Austria I am happy to even find one cyclamen coum variety for sale.
I am very happy to hear that your boxes have recovered!
Best wishes,
Lisa
Dear Rosemary,
DeleteWhen nature and what Man built harmonizes so beautifully one should stand back and take a lesson.
Yes, Hellebore, Daffodils and Snowdrops are difficult to photograph. You have figured it out.
Often I lay flat on the ground to try and catch those beautiful flowers. Only in my case, the ducks and the geese have been there before me and have left me many presents.
Dear Lisa - most of the different varieties of snowdrops are actually purchased from garden enthusiasts when they open their gardens this month. Some of the nurseries, the online ones too, do sell different varieties. However, as you know snowdrops are usually best planted just after they have flowered and in the green.
DeleteThanks for mentioning the Box, we are both very relieved that it has all recovered.
***********************************************
Dear Gina - I realise now that lying down for your spectacular images really is a great act of sacrifice!!! as you mention catching Hellebores are some of the most difficult.
So many dainty varieties. Love them and the beautiful Cotswold stone. Thanks for your lovely photos Rosemary. Soon there will be more wonderful Spring scenes for you to photograph.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Betty - when the sun shines and the skies are blue it really does feel as if mother nature has begun to turn the corner.
DeleteWhat a glorious setting for the snowdrops! I have to admit I’ve become quite smitten by them in recent years and add one or two new varieties each year.
ReplyDeleteIs there any connection between this Barnsley and Barnsley House?
Dear Jessica - Barnsley House is only about 3 - 4 miles away from Cotswold Farm, but there is no connection between it and Sidney Barnsley. Barnsley House takes its name from the small hamlet where it is situated. When we first came here just over 20 years ago, Rosemary Verey was still alive, and she was really very helpful to us when we were establishing our garden. We will always be grateful to her.
DeleteMmm, just beautiful! I really hope to visit England one day!
ReplyDeleteHope you do♡
DeleteBrings back memories. I loved my time in the Cotswolds many years ago- all the quaint villages hidden in the valleys- the chalk streams and the unique stonework. Very lush in summer/autumn compared to here and perfect for cycling along the minor roads. (probably busier now though like everywhere else.)
ReplyDeleteFortunately the valleys around here could never get really busy as they are too winding and narrow. This part is known as secret Cotswold, so shhh! don't tell anyone.
DeleteThey are lovely 'snowdrops'. Let's hope the box hedge recovers as yours did.
ReplyDeleteGood to have the links, was a reminder to me of how green it was back then.
We are so relieved Margaret that our Box globes have recovered.
DeleteWhat an amazing garden. You captured so much of its beauty and shared with us - thank you so much Rosemary. Cotswold stone and Nature's blooms with rolling English countryside as a background, what could be more beautiful to view.
ReplyDeleteToday it's very hot (76F later) here today for February - I'm out to work a little in the garden, pruning and clean up mostly, but will cut a bunch of my golden daffodils for the house - to remind me of the sadness of yet another horrific incident in Florida. Prayers just don't seem enough sometimes.
Lovely to hear from you Mary - I must admit to having no understand at all as to why these horrific shottings keep on taking place in the schools. A complete overall of the gun policy is long overdue.
DeleteLovely day here today too - warm, sunny, blue skies, it put a 'spring' in my step.
This is the place to be :) Just lovely...thank´s for sharing this place with us Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, take care!
Titti
Glad you enjoyed seeing this garden Titti - have a great weekend too♡
DeleteAbsolutely loved your photos of the gardens and buildings!
ReplyDeleteThank you, that is very kind of you.
DeleteWhat a surprise that Spring is already popping out over there. I always think of February and a cold dark month but apparently I need to look closer. Beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteYou are right of course Janey - many February days are cold and eveningtime still comes fairly early, but given a day graced with brilliant sunshine and blue skies and the world becomes a different place.
DeleteFascinating and beautiful garden even in winter with all the Buxus cut into various shapes , and such a lovely sight with all the snow drops .
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely garden to visit Jane and especially so on such a bright sunny February day.
DeleteDearest Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteinteresting about those staddle stones in mushroom shape for preventing rats from entering...
Your spring is earlier than here in Georgia; daffodil varieties are just starting out, all is late this year.
Our Japanese magnolia got frost last year in March and thus created late in April, leaves for the 2nd time. Guess that has thrown them off completely, only a few blossoms so far and we hope that next year it will have fully recovered and caught up into real time again.
We had an engagement brunch with friends and at their mansion a beautiful Japanese Magnolia was in full bloom, guess more sheltered by the former stables and such buildings.
Oh, when one sees that much moss on the bricks you know it is a perfect environment for any plants to thrive.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Hugs and happy Sunday.
Mariette
Dear Mariette - I believe that you had heavy snow earlier and nodoubt that was responsible for the delay of your spring flowers especially as I understand that snow is rarely seen in Georgia.
DeleteHope your Magnolia soon recovers and gets back into its stride once again - it can take a year or two for plants to re-establish themselves.
It lifts the spirits when the flowers begin to bloom again - mother nature is such a wonder to behold.
Dearest Rosemary, we did not have heavy snow here. In the north of our state yes, but that is about 2.5 till 4.5 hours driving distance. The state is vast! We only had frost and that also sets trees and plants back.
DeleteMother nature is strong though!
Hugs,
Mariette
❤
I am so pleased that your box balls have recovered unaided and hope this will be the case for many gardens. Wonderful photographs.
ReplyDeleteThank you - we couldn't believe it when we saw the bare twigs beginning to regrow again, and now there is almost no trace of there ever being anything wrong.
DeleteSo beautiful! I love that kind of gardens and houses! It's so different from the Finnish style. Happy Sunday, Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteThis house and garden are very typical of properties and garden styles in this area Satu.
DeleteWhat a beautiful place, I could spend hours there. I like the quirky snail topiary.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely place to visit even in early February.
DeleteGreat garden and house. Even in winter it's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt sits very happily in this lovely valley.
DeleteYour part of the world has so many magnificent old buildings and gardens and your artistry with the camera captures them beautifully. Many thanks for this lovely late winter visit.
ReplyDeleteYour comment is extremely generous - thank you very much, you have just made my day.
DeleteBeautiful photos Rosemary. I like the last black and white image of the house too. The flowers dotted about the grounds all look happy in that natural woodland-type setting. I'm glad your box balls have recovered. Last year we decided to cut down the box hedges in our Italian garden as they looked so straggly and unhealthy. The roots were difficult to lift so they have stayed. It'll be interesting to see if there are any new, healthy shoots of leaves this year.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately we completely removed some of our large box globes, but luckily left most of them and waited and watched them. We were very surprised but delighted when they started to renew themselves. It is a complete mystery to us, but we feel very happy about it.
Delete