I haven’t done a gardening blog for a while because there hasn’t been a lot to say. To be honest, there still isn’t a lot to say!
You may recall last year’s snowdrop disaster: I planted roughly 200 snowdrop bulbs and 13 flowered. I then bought another 100 ‘in the green’ this time last year as I discovered this is the best way to go about planting them. Would you like to know how many flowered in the wild garden this year? 5. That’s it. 5.
They have been more successful where I planted bulbs along the strip of ground next to the drive, and have even multiplied since last year; so I’m assuming the soil just isn’t right for snowdrops at end of the garden. My first thoughts were to give up and leave it. However, driving around and seeing other gardens scattered with snowdrops – and I love them so much – I just can’t give up!
Gardener’s World on Friday did a bit about them, and now I wonder if I didn’t plant them deep enough; and as they have no shade up there, and water seems to drain fairly quickly as we’re on a hill; perhaps they dried out. When I literally get on my hands and knees and start parting back the grass, there are several more snowdrop leaves with no flowers. Well, this year I’m going to cover the area with bark, so hopefully they will flower next year. I’ve also ordered 100 in the green from ebay for £12 (with postage) which I will plant a bit deeper and in the slightly shadier spots. I really really hope they do better.