Galanthus ‘Bill Baker BB01’

A notable snowdrop selected by Paul Barney in 2011 from the garden of the distinguished Berkshire plantsman Bill Baker. Paul was given access to Baker’s remarkable garden, where the snowdrops had been growing and hybridising for many years, and was able to select and preserve a number of particularly interesting plants. ‘Bill Baker BB01’ is the collection number assigned to one of these selections, retaining the provenance of the original garden rather than replacing it with a cultivar name.

The Baker garden proved an exceptional source of seedling snowdrops, with the plants having naturally hybridised and produced considerable variation. Paul selected the most promising forms for propagation, several of which have subsequently entered the Edulis collection. The significance of BB01 therefore lies as much in its provenance as in its individual characteristics: it represents a direct selection from one of the great private snowdrop gardens of the Thames Valley. Edulis continues to propagate the selection. 

Cultivation: Grow in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in light deciduous shade. Excellent beneath trees and shrubs or naturalised in woodland planting. Avoid prolonged summer drought and allow the foliage to die back naturally.

Flowering: February–March
Hardiness: H5, approximately −15 to −10°C
Height: 15–20cm
Spread: 10–15cm

Footnote — Bill Baker: Bill Baker (1917–2001) was a highly respected Berkshire plantsman and plants collector whose garden at Tidmarsh became renowned for its exceptional range of rare and unusual plants, including a significant collection of snowdrops. His garden contained numerous seedlings and natural hybrids accumulated over many years, providing a valuable source of material for later generations of growers. In 2011, Paul Barney was given access to the garden to select notable Galanthus, preserving a number of Baker’s plants within the Edulis collection.