Galanthus ‘Prague Spring’

A particularly attractive and distinctive green-marked form of Galanthus nivalis, ‘Prague Spring’ was selected by John Morley of North Green Snowdrops from seedlings raised from seed originating in a wood belonging to a friend in Prague. It was named to commemorate the Prague Spring of 1968, and subsequently became one of the more recognisable green forms associated with the North Green collection.

The flowers are beautifully poised, with the white outer segments contrasting with the strongly green inner segments. Particularly characteristic are the two diffuse green marks towards the base of each inner segment, giving the flower a rather softer and less sharply defined appearance than some of the more boldly marked virescent snowdrops. The overall effect is elegant rather than gaudy, with the green gradually becoming more apparent as the flowers open.

At around 16cm, ‘Prague Spring’ has good stature without becoming ungainly, and it is a useful comparison with other virescent G. nivalis. North Green specifically compared it with their later-flowering ‘Dumpy Green’, noting that ‘Prague Spring’ flowers earlier. It is a lovely snowdrop for anyone who appreciates the subtleties of green pigmentation, where the appeal lies as much in the quality and distribution of the colour as in its intensity. 

The name is, of course, historically loaded: the Prague Spring was the period of political and cultural liberalisation in Czechoslovakia in 1968, brought to an abrupt end by the Warsaw Pact invasion. For a snowdrop, it is an unusually serious name — although the green flower is at least considerably more successful at returning each spring.

Cultivation: Grow in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in partial shade or deciduous woodland. Avoid prolonged summer drought and winter waterlogging. Allow the foliage to die back naturally after flowering. Best planted where the flowers can be viewed closely, as the subtle diffuse green markings are easily overlooked from a distance.

Flowering: February
Hardiness: H5, approximately −15 to −10°C
Height: 16cm
Spread: 10–15cm