Galanthus plicatus 'Wendy's Gold' 

About this cultivar:

Galanthus plicatus 'Wendy's Gold' is a very fine plicatus form first found near an Iron age fort by John Sharman in 1973. Apparently it narrowly avoided extinction when the young stock was almost entirely wiped out during propagation. Fortunately it had been spread around and it has now, slowly, entered cultivation.

It is one of the better yellow plicatus forms, with well-covered inner segments and yellow ovary. The yellow colour develops best when the plant is left alone to clump, it will be distinctly greenish-yellow in tone after being moved.

**Price is for 1 bulb supplied in a pot**

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: February, March, April
• Other features: Grows well in Ballyrobert, Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (RHS AGM)
• Hardiness: H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10°C), Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Habit: Tufted
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 10 - 20 cm (0.3 - 0.6 ft)
• Spread: 0 - 15 cm (0 - 0.5 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial, bulb
• Colour: Green, white, yellow
• Goes well with: Everything!

About this genus:

Galanthus  (ga - lan - thus) is a genus  of 19 species first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, based on the species Galanthus nivalis. Galanthus is from the Greek gala, meaning "milk", and anthos, meaning "flower", alluding to the colour of the flowers. The common epithet nivalis means "of the snow" - which reminds you of the common name, snowdrop. Native to parts of Europe and the eastern Mediterranean region, some species contain galantamine, a precious compound used to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Galanthus do well in a  variety of soils that are not waterlogged (like most bulbs). As for situation;  even though they have reputation as shade plants you will find they do well in full sun, part shade or lots of shade. In our garden we have quite a wide range of cultivars in a wide range of places.

Galanthus blooms during winter months and is a great choice for naturalizing in meadows and lawns. We actually have quite a few in our woodlands and poking up at the front of borders (to surprise us in the winter!)

Plant combos - they usually look better on their own in little clumps or large drifts but they do pair well with other early spring bulbs such as Narcissus and Muscari. Some Galanthophiles even collect them in pots to bring to 'Snowdrop parties'.... I am not joking!