Galanthus ‘Galatea’

A snowdrop with a little more going on than meets the eye, ‘Galatea’ is one of the classic hybrids associated with the pioneering nineteenth-century snowdrop enthusiast James Allen of Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Allen was among the earliest gardeners to deliberately raise and select snowdrop hybrids, helping to establish the foundations of the modern galanthophile’s obsession. ‘Galatea’ was among his introductions and is thought to be a cross between Galanthus nivalis and G. plicatus.

Current stock was rediscovered by Herbert Ransom in the early 70s in Ruth Birchall’s garden. 

The flowers are large, beautifully proportioned and gleaming white, with the inner segments bearing the characteristic green marking. It has been compared with the well-known ‘Magnet’, but ‘Galatea’ flowers earlier and has a particularly neat, well-defined inner marking with a sharply angled, almost right-angled appearance. Elegant rather than flamboyant, it is a snowdrop for those who appreciate the finer details — and, naturally, those who enjoy explaining to visitors why one little white flower is absolutely not the same as another!

Plant in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, beneath deciduous trees or shrubs, where the bulbs can enjoy winter and spring light followed by summer shade. Allow the foliage to die back naturally after flowering, and avoid letting the soil dry out completely in summer. A distinguished old cultivar with a genuine place in snowdrop history, ‘Galatea’ remains a worthwhile addition to any serious collection.

• Height: 15–25 cm
• Spread: 10–15 cm
• Flowering: January–February
• Hardiness: H6 (−20 to −15°C)