HOW TO GROW snowdrops

Mike Werkmeister looks after East Lambrook’s collection of snowdrops, which numbers around 140 species and cultivars. These are his tips:

PLANT BENEATH DECIDUOUS TREES and shrubs such as hydrangeas or magnolias, preferably in gritty, well-drained soil.

POSITION CHOICE-NAMED SNOWDROPS you value in aquatic pots (mesh baskets used for pond plants). They are less likely to be dug up in summer and are easy to lift and divide.

PUT A LABEL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT so if the top label fades, the name is still there.

WHEN PLANTING TO NATURALISE in grass, spread them out widely as they multiply quickly and even self-seed. When congested, they are more prone to fungal disease, too.

SWAP PLANTS with other people. It‘s the best and cheapest way to increase your collection, something Margery Fish did often.