Galanthus elwesii ‘Rose Lloyd’

A neat and particularly characterful form of Galanthus elwesii, Galanthus ‘Rose Lloyd’ was selected by Michael Baron at Brandy Mount, his celebrated garden and National Collection of snowdrops at Alresford, Hampshire. Baron collected and grew an extraordinary range of Galanthus during more than three decades of collecting, and his Brandy Mount garden became an important source of named snowdrops. 

The flowers are nicely proportioned rather than excessively large, with broad, strongly ridged outer segments giving them a pleasingly substantial texture. The inner segments are marked with a distinctive, rather rough green X, rather less regimented than the neat green markings of many modern cultivars. The combination of ridged outers, compact flowers and slightly untidy inner marking gives ‘Rose Lloyd’ considerable character. The foliage is typical of G. elwesii, forming a neat clump of relatively broad leaves.

A charming snowdrop from the Brandy Mount tradition, and a good reminder that not every worthwhile Galanthus needs to be enormous, perfectly symmetrical or covered in emerald green. ‘Rose Lloyd’ has the slightly informal, individual character that makes older selections so appealing, with its ridged outer segments and rough X-marked inners providing an excellent means of recognition. At Edulis we grow it as a Michael Baron, Brandy Mount selection. 

Cultivation: Grow in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in partial shade or deciduous woodland. Galanthus elwesii is generally tolerant of rather more summer dryness than G. nivalis, although prolonged drought should be avoided. Allow the foliage to die back naturally after flowering. Particularly good beneath deciduous trees and shrubs or towards the front of a woodland border, where the ridged outer segments and unusual inner markings can be appreciated at close quarters.

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