Galanthus ‘Merlin’

An historic snowdrop of exceptional pedigree, Galanthus ‘Merlin’ was bred by James Allen of Shepton Mallet during the late 19th or early 20th century. Allen was one of the earliest and most important deliberate hybridisers of Galanthus, raising more than 100 seedlings during his long career. Remarkably, ‘Merlin’ is one of only two of his cultivars known to have survived in cultivation, the other being the celebrated ‘Magnet’. (

A robust and handsome hybrid, ‘Merlin’ produces relatively large flowers on sturdy stems, with grey-green foliage and inner segments that are almost completely green, apart from a narrow white margin at the tips. This unusually extensive green marking is its great attraction and gives the flowers a particularly striking appearance. The RHS recognises it as Galanthus × hybridus ‘Merlin’ and has awarded it an AGM. 

An important piece of living galanthophile history, ‘Merlin’ is not merely a good garden snowdrop but a direct survivor from the pioneering era of deliberate snowdrop breeding.

Height: c. 20cm
Spread: 10–15cm
Flowering: January–February
Parentage: Hybrid; attributed to James Allen
Hardiness: H5

Cultivation: Best grown in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in partial shade. A vigorous and reliable cultivar that is particularly effective when allowed to form established clumps beneath deciduous trees and shrubs.