Yes, they do cross and that is how new variations are found. However, the named ones keep the same as they are propagated from divisions rather than seed. If you are really clever then you can go for cutting the basal plate on a bulb into sections and growing them on (twin scaling).
Think I'll just stick to dividing clumps! Worth a shot @Silver surfer if you have loads to experiment with. I keep meaning to get some other varieties, but the [unknown] one I have spreads so easily that I'm not sure it's really worthwhile. I'd like some of the big standard ones, and maybe a double though. Some of those rarer ones are indeed an eyewatering price @GardenerSuze
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl My friend would put them in the post and swap with people all over the country. I know she often sent them to fellow galanthophiles in Scotland. At that time there was rare snowdrop called G Trym which she aquired through swaps. What she swapped it for I don't know. I remember it was stunning but I expect it is still expensive today so I won't be taking the risk!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I often look at sites with large ranges of snowdrops @GardenerSuze , but the prices are quite frightening! I don't think I could get too excited about having lots of varieties anyway. I'm just happy to have them in the garden, and I started out with a few bulbs that my sister gave me shortly after I moved in here - ten years ago. They'd been sitting in a tiny pot, completely neglected, and no soil on them. They've spread and multiplied so much that I'm needing to move some to the front garden now. Hundreds and hundreds of them
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
At that time there was rare snowdrop called G Trym which she aquired through swaps. What she swapped it for I don't know. I remember it was stunning but I expect it is still expensive today so I won't be taking the risk!
One of my favourites. I bought one bulb a few years ago.
Posts
Going by the green markings on the inner segment, I'm leaning towards 'Colossus'.
I had/have no other snowdrops in that particular bed so it's not a cross.
I suppose I could experiment with Galanthus nivalis.
I keep meaning to get some other varieties, but the [unknown] one I have spreads so easily that I'm not sure it's really worthwhile. I'd like some of the big standard ones, and maybe a double though.
Some of those rarer ones are indeed an eyewatering price @GardenerSuze
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm just happy to have them in the garden, and I started out with a few bulbs that my sister gave me shortly after I moved in here - ten years ago. They'd been sitting in a tiny pot, completely neglected, and no soil on them. They've spread and multiplied so much that I'm needing to move some to the front garden now. Hundreds and hundreds of them
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I bought one bulb a few years ago.