The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
WINTER WONDER
As the end of winter gets nearer it’s time to get all excited with the arrival of snowdrops
Ineed my garden to keep me going. No matter what is happening all around me, I know this is a place where I can go and separate myself from it all. There are so many health benefits which result from doing a bit of gardening – physical exercise, fresh air and sunshine, taking a break from technology to connect with nature all help to reduce stress and anxiety. Nurturing and caring for plants can help give you purpose and a sense of worth. At this time of year many of us can suffer from a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder which is related to the change of season. I feel fortunate not to be affected by this and I am sure it is down to spending most of my time outdoors, helping me to accept and understand how winter is all a part of nature’s cycle.
I also feel gardening keeps me upbeat as not only am I enjoying what’s going on in the garden at a moment, I know there’s yet another highlight coming just around the corner for me to look forward to. As the end of winter gets ever nearer, it’s now time for me to get all excited with the arrival of snowdrops!
A cold snap in winter can often bring much disruption to our daily lives but is generally welcomed by gardeners.
A proper spell of snow, hard frosts and low temperatures help sort out all the unwelcome pests that attack our plants during the growing season, also keeping our garden shrubs correct, reminding them to have a winter rest and shut down completely.
Sometimes failure to do this during a mild winter will see springtime shrubs such as rhododendron and magnolia come back into growth earlier than they should where their flowers risk being ruined, turning to brown mush after a typical late frost. One of the joys of being a gardener in Scotland.
One plant able to withstand these tough conditions is the snowdrop, flowering when few others in the garden are visible thanks to its own built-in anti-freeze system. Instantly recognisable, it has to be one of the first plants I can recall, still being able to see it growing in my granny’s garden. This was, like most growing in our gardens, the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, its scientific name coming from the Greek gala, meaning milk, and anthos meaning flower.
When out and about at this time of year seeing drifts of snowdrop displays carpeting woodland floors or lining the paths of some of our favourite country walks, we would be forgiven for thinking that the snowdrop was a native plant to these shores.
Some suggest the snowdrop was introduced to the British Isles from the Mediterranean during the times of the Roman occupation. However, there is only circumstantial evidence to support this.
With the plant first being recorded as growing freely in the wild in the late 18th Century, it is more likely G. nivalis was introduced from the 16th Century. Its popularity grew, being extensively planted and multiplying in woods over a long period, today giving the impression of native wildness.
Variety increased in our snowdrop stock as natural variations, such as double flowers or those with yellow markings, occurred among the common snowdrop.
Further introductions of other species snowdrops such as G. elwesii and G. plicatus were made by soldiers returning from the Crimean War bringing gifts home to their loved ones from their travels.
Plantsmen then took to the task of creating exciting hybrids, and today there are more than 500 different kinds of snowdrops for us to enjoy – many of the best garden plants are a combination of the three species mentioned above. In celebration of them, at this time of year the horticultural world gets gripped in the fever called “Galanthomania”.
Up until a few years ago I just didn’t get what all the fuss was about, but now I must admit that even I’m hooked.
Sadly this snowdrop year during lockdown we may struggle to get to a garden containing a specialist collection, but if you do get a chance, then please get down to flower level for a closer look and take a glimpse at all the stunning variations you can get.
There are two symptoms you’ll find you have if you are a sufferer of this condition. Dirty knees is the first one, from all the time spent on them to study the flowers, and the other is an emptier wallet.
The most prized snowdrops can be very expensive, with one Galanthomaniac paying just under £1,500 for a single bulb.
I’ve done well to start my own wee collection at home, but there is no chance I’d be able to slip that one in the garden without Mrs C knowing.
SNOWDROP CARE
To increase my collection, every few years I like to lift and split congested clumps just after they have finished flowering. Incorporate some leaf mould into the soil before replanting individually around 15cm apart.
T he small wooded Moncrieffe Hill to the south of Perth is perfect for a half-day excursion for all ages, with its network of nature trails and a fascinating glimpse into the distant past.
The summit known as Moredun Top is crowned by a 2,000-year-old Iron Age fort, the largest of the many scattered throughout the Tay Estuary, and it’s believed it covered an area equivalent to two football pitches. Another smaller fort can be found to the south-west.
Parts of the ramparts which encircled the fortifications are still visible. Within these walls there would have been several family houses and, in times of conflict, those living on the lower slopes of the hill could seek safety for themselves and their livestock.
Moncrieffe Hill was also the site of a battle in 782 between Pictish warlords Angus and Alpin. Excavations have revealed the hill had special significance as a royal centre. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was extensively planted and there are still a few survivors of this old woodland.
There are two main starting points, both with information boards, and five waymarked trails. The northern Tay car park off the Rhynd road has more spaces, and is generally busier being a shorter route. It is also handier for those wishing to follow the sculpture trail (green markers).
The quieter southern approach, along a series of minor roads east of Bridge of Earn, offers a longer and more satisfying walk (red route). Whichever one you choose, however, involves a fairly steep climb at some point. There’s plenty of scope for combining trails and making your own adventure.
I arrived late afternoon in conditions that felt more like spring than winter. There was just one other vehicle and I parked just below the wooden gate across the track. As well as the welcome sign on the gate, there were handy identification guides to flora and fauna.
A little further in and what I thought at first to be a large patch of snow turned out to be snowdrops, a bold swathe of unblemished white further illuminated by rays that had managed to penetrate the stripped tree cover.
After so much tranquillity, there was a bit of a rude awakening as the track took a dip and ran alongside the busy A90 but the intrusion was short-lived as a waymarked path led me uphill to the right and left the traffic noise behind.
A clear section among the trees gave grand views to Perth before the path looped right again, past a small pond to arrive at a junction and notice board below the smaller fort. A short diversion along a grassy path took me to a trig pillar and open views south towards the Lomonds.
A bit more twisting and turning led round the foot of the grassy ramparts of Moredun, easing the way upwards to the summit cairn. The views were extensive: the Tay a crooked sliver of blue sliding through the landscape in the evening light, the sprawl of Perth to its left, Kinnoull Hill and its tower to the right.
I retraced my steps to the main notice board at the final junction and then turned sharp left. This branch of the path stayed high, running above an escarpment and providing grand deep views south over Fife at regular intervals over the tops of the trees. A wooden bench at one particular spot is a fine place for a time-out with an impressive clear line of sight.
Tree lovers will enjoy the sight of some of the older trees along this path. They are reminiscent of sculptures themselves, massive exposed roots, bleached and twisted over the years, thrusting out to form alien shapes.
The end comes quite abruptly, the path zigzagging downhill to emerge on the inward track, less than a kilometre from the start. The silence was still in place, though.
ROUTE
1
Go through wooden gate with information notices and head west along track (red trail) through mixed woodland for just over 2km ignoring any right turns.
2
When track starts to dip closer to M90, take waymarked path on right and head uphill.
3
After reaching break in trees, follow the path loop right to reach small pond then path junction just beyond. On the right is an information board and remains of the lower fort which is topped by a trig pillar.
4
Return to path and continue uphill through trees again looping to right to another information board. It then contours round initial steep grassy rampart to emerge on Moredun Top (cairn).
5
Retrace steps back to info board and turn left, staying high on path heading east, at one point passing along top of escarpment, before it winds down through wood to join inward track.
6
Turn left at junction for short walk back to start.