The bright grass green colour of the leaves suggests that they are not the common snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, which have grey green leaves, but another variety. The timing is right for snowdrops though, or early daffodils.
There’s some useful snowdrop identification details on this link which may help:
@RM98 Galanthus Woronowii has shiny green leaves, just through the soil in my garden. It same size as the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis. If it is that @Silver surfer may be able to give a firm ID with some good photos.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Whatever they turn out to be, it looks like a very tight clump and shallowly planted. Maybe the previous owner grew them in a big tub originally, then stuck the whole lot in the ground, not as deep as you'd normally plant them. Maybe they wanted the pot for something else, or to take with them when they moved. If they turn out to be something you like, after they've finished flowering you could dig them up and plant them deeper and more spread out.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
The clump is congested, and would benefit from splitting later in the year. I pick up loose ones from the surface and either find them a home somewhere else in the garden, or pot them to give away. Put five bulbs in a 7cm pot, spaced apart, and they are ready for transplanting later in the year.
Thank you both, that’s really useful! I’m certainly hoping to increase numbers over time once I figure out exactly where I want them so this is really good to know.
The leaves look as if they might be Scillas, a small blue flower in Spring. It is recommended if you take on a cultivated garden not to touch anything for a full year to discover what treasures, or not, you have inherited. SOS the forum when plants come into flower or leaf, including what might be weeds. The bulbs on the surface may well be the leftovers from a clump the previous owner dug up to take with them. I would pick up any bulbs easily lifted, dig a hole nearby, and pop them in to see what comes up later. Top off the whole area with some extra compost or soil to protect the rooting bulbs. Then sit back and wait. Exciting. There is a chance the small bulbs may produce only leaves for a year or two or they may be miniatures of something. I am guessing the bulbs have been in situ for a good few years, are babies multiplying from an initial planting which have gradually worked their way to the surface, and may not be grownup enough yet to flower. Time will tell. Good luck and enjoy. Take your time, don't panic and try to do everything yesterday. You will learn more about your new garden if you sit quietly with a cup of tea and watch, listen, and observe. It will tell you its story and show you what it needs much better than if you charge about cutting back, digging up, and creating havoc.
I grow white Chionodoxas and they look similar to that rather than a snowdrop. To me, the foliage looks too fleshy to be snowdrop, but I only grow fairly common ones. Or, the Scillas as already mentioned. Both are very similar, although not related as far as I know, although I could be mistaken. Both species can be divided when clumps get big.
The easy way to determine the plant is to wait for flowers though
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The leaves look as if they might be Scillas, a small blue flower in Spring. It is recommended if you take on a cultivated garden not to touch anything for a full year to discover what treasures, or not, you have inherited. SOS the forum when plants come into flower or leaf, including what might be weeds. The bulbs on the surface may well be the leftovers from a clump the previous owner dug up to take with them. I would pick up any bulbs easily lifted, dig a hole nearby, and pop them in to see what comes up later. Top off the whole area with some extra compost or soil to protect the rooting bulbs. Then sit back and wait. Exciting. There is a chance the small bulbs may produce only leaves for a year or two or they may be miniatures of something. I am guessing the bulbs have been in situ for a good few years, are babies multiplying from an initial planting which have gradually worked their way to the surface, and may not be grownup enough yet to flower. Time will tell. Good luck and enjoy. Take your time, don't panic and try to do everything yesterday. You will learn more about your new garden if you sit quietly with a cup of tea and watch, listen, and observe. It will tell you its story and show you what it needs much better than if you charge about cutting back, digging up, and creating havoc.
Hi Joyce, thanks for this. If they are scillas, I’ve had a Google and they look lovely too so either way they will be very welcome!
Makes complete sense about waiting a while to see what we have. The hardest thing for me though will be to sit on my hands and hold off doing anything major until I’ve managed to do a proper ‘stock take’ of what’s there. Doing that will also allow me to map the sun at different times of the day across the whole of this year which will hopefully give me more of an idea about where everything needs to go when I do start making more major changes to it.
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There’s some useful snowdrop identification details on this link which may help:
https://bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Snowdrop_identification.pdf
If it is that @Silver surfer may be able to give a firm ID with some good photos.
SOS the forum when plants come into flower or leaf, including what might be weeds.
The bulbs on the surface may well be the leftovers from a clump the previous owner dug up to take with them. I would pick up any bulbs easily lifted, dig a hole nearby, and pop them in to see what comes up later. Top off the whole area with some extra compost or soil to protect the rooting bulbs. Then sit back and wait. Exciting.
There is a chance the small bulbs may produce only leaves for a year or two or they may be miniatures of something. I am guessing the bulbs have been in situ for a good few years, are babies multiplying from an initial planting which have gradually worked their way to the surface, and may not be grownup enough yet to flower.
Time will tell. Good luck and enjoy. Take your time, don't panic and try to do everything yesterday. You will learn more about your new garden if you sit quietly with a cup of tea and watch, listen, and observe. It will tell you its story and show you what it needs much better than if you charge about cutting back, digging up, and creating havoc.
Or, the Scillas as already mentioned. Both are very similar, although not related as far as I know, although I could be mistaken. Both species can be divided when clumps get big.
The easy way to determine the plant is to wait for flowers though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Makes complete sense about waiting a while to see what we have. The hardest thing for me though will be to sit on my hands and hold off doing anything major until I’ve managed to do a proper ‘stock take’ of what’s there. Doing that will also allow me to map the sun at different times of the day across the whole of this year which will hopefully give me more of an idea about where everything needs to go when I do start making more major changes to it.