DAVID CULP is a self-professed Galanthophile, a lover and passionate, longtime collector of snowdrops in all their varied incarnations. He’s additionally a number of the annual Galanthus Gala symposium, which occurs the primary weekend of March in Downingtown, PA, and just about on-line, too, for these of us who need to take part with out even leaving dwelling, as I did final 12 months, and can once more this time round.
David Culp, creator of “A Yr at Brandywine Cottage,” and in addition of “The Layered Backyard” (affiliate hyperlinks), gardens on two acres in Downingtown, the place amongst many botanical treasures he grows greater than 200 cultivars of Galanthus or snowdrops, proof constructive that he’s certainly a real Galanthophile.
We talked about snowdrops: the right way to develop them, and multiply them, and in addition about his ardour for gathering and extra.
Plus: Remark within the field close to the underside of the web page for an opportunity to win a duplicate of his e-book, “A Yr at Brandywine Cottage.”
Learn alongside as you hearken to the Jan. 22, 2023 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
snowdrops, with david culp
Margaret Roach: Hello, Dave. How are you?
David Culp: Hello, Margaret. I’m effective [laughter].
Margaret: Madman. Madman. Sorry, it’s a madman alert [laughter]. You’ve obtained a variety of vegetation over there, kiddo.
David: Certainly. Yeah, I used to be chuckling. Sure, I’m a Galanthophile, proud to say. I let my geek flag wave excessive.
Margaret: Precisely. So, I don’t know what number of years it’s been occurring, the Galanthus Gala. So simply briefly, what’s it? And there’s some nice audio system this 12 months, as at all times, so inform us simply briefly what it’s.
David: Effectively, for 20 years, I might go over to England for the RHS winter present, to see hellebores and Galanthus. After which I had this nice epiphany that planes fly each methods throughout the Atlantic. Why can’t the Europeans and Brits come to us? And so I organized the Galanthus Gala in 2017. And as destiny would have it, it snowed that day, so we moved it to my assembly home in Downingtown, it’s a 250-year-old Quaker assembly home; I moved it to there, to their schoolhouse. We’ve had distributors and we have now audio system, and it’s grown and grown and grown.
I had an curiosity in Galanthus. It stemmed from my curiosity in hellebores, winter gardening particularly. Anybody can do a backyard in June. [Hellebores and snowdrops, below.]
Margaret: Sure [laughter].
David: Nevertheless it takes one thing to do it in February and March. So I assumed, nicely, we are able to do that if we simply take into consideration what vegetation are going to be blooming or hardy for us right here. I get it, we’re not England, however we are able to have very lovely winter gardens if we simply give it some thought. Nevertheless it shouldn’t simply relaxation on one genera. As passionate as I’m about hellebores, I’m that captivated with Galanthus. My hellebore mentor, Elizabeth Strangman, gave me a warning once I first picked up my few pots of Galanthus. She goes, “Oh, David, watch out. These are extremely addictive.” [Laughter.] And she or he was proper. She adopted with slightly caveat, “And you’ve got sufficient addictions.”
Margaret: Yeah, precisely. Effectively, it occurs to the perfect of us. Though I’ve to say, I’ve managed to have a variety of vegetation, however not a variety of one genus of vegetation. I don’t know why that… why I largely escape that. Completely different folks have completely different psychological attachments or no matter. I’ve obtained a variety of completely different vegetation.
However anyway, so some Galanthus fundamentals. The place are they from? When do they bloom? I imply, what number of varieties are there anyway? I imply, how numerous a bunch is it? I feel that I learn in your web site that the title Galanthus comes from the Greek phrases for… G-A-L-A for milk, and A-N-T-H-O-S for flower, milk flower, or it appears like drops of milk and so forth. The place are they from?
David: They’re from… Let’s see, the Crimean area, or Northern Turkey-
Margaret: So, the Balkans and stuff?
David: The Balkans, all the way in which as much as Southern Europe. They’ve migrated. Throughout the Crimean warfare, the British troopers would ship snowdrops again to England. They had been first recorded in, I feel, the 1500s, in Gerard’s Herball e-book, however they don’t seem to be native. They’ve since naturalized throughout Europe and England.
Margaret: O.Okay. And when it comes to… So once more, you’re form of mid-Atlantic, so that you’re in Pennsylvania, not removed from well-known Longwood Gardens and so forth. So, when did they bloom for you? You have got 200 or one thing varieties. What’s your bloom season, the vary of them?
David: You recognize Margaret, I wish to take the problem cup [laughter]. So, my Galanthus began blooming in October. They bloom right through the winter, there are a whole lot blooming proper now, however we’re not in peak Galanthus season, thoughts you. They’re earlier this 12 months, thanks, not thanks, international warming.
Margaret: Sure.
David: Tons blooming proper now. We’re going to have chilly climate this week, however they’ll take it. That’s one of many issues I like about them, is they’ll take the trials of winter and nonetheless carry on blooming.
In order that they go proper by the winter, all the way in which until April. And when folks sort of child me and say “Galanthus,” and I simply cease and go, “What’s blooming in your backyard proper now?” That normally offers me pause, and I can say, “I’ve a whole lot of…” And I would like chlorophyll within the wintertime. I don’t learn about you, however I would like one thing inexperienced.
Margaret: Proper. So, there are both species or varieties for lots of various zones. I feel in your web site, once more, it says 2-9, however the candy spot is zones 4-7-ish or so, for these bulbs and…
David: In all probability. My mates up in northern New York, in colder areas, they in all probability are rising a number of Galanthus nivalis, that are very talked-about in Germany and northern Europe proper now. There’s a variety of breeding work being accomplished there. So what I… I like nivalis, I develop a variety of them, they’ve naturalized right here in southeastern Pennsylvania, New York. They’re the one which’s naturalized essentially the most within the U.S.
I additionally just like the Galanthus elwesii, as a result of it’s a bigger flower and it blooms earlier. However then there’s an entire host of hybrids. There’s 4 completely different mainly species that make up the genus Galanthus, however the bulk of my assortment is nivalis, gracilis, elwesii, the hybrids. However like every Galanthophile, the reality is, you’ve obtained to have all of them, and also you quickly be taught to work with what works with you, and go along with these explicit species.
Margaret: Proper. Proper. So, once you had been speaking about the way you’ve had some blooming since October, and there’ll be ones blooming by April, you don’t imply the identical precise flower, in fact. You imply this persevering with, this succession of this genus, since you’ve planted differing types, you have got this succession, this persevering with wave of them. And we gardeners who usually are not Galanthophiles but [laughter], we see them within the fall bulb catalogs, I consider. That’s once they’re offered largely. Is that appropriate?
David: That’s appropriate. I purchase them typically once they’re dormant bulbs. I additionally purchase them within the inexperienced, which we do on the Gala, we promote them within the inexperienced. That’s an excellent time to plant them. The reality is, the perfect time to get them is when you will get your fingers on them [laughter]. However on the gala, there’s a number of completely different cultivars and species within the inexperienced.
They’re within the Amaryllidaceae household, and now individuals are glazing over. That’s essential, although, as a result of with Amaryllidaceae you robotically go: “deer-proof.” So, they’re deer-proof. The opposite factor in regards to the Amaryllis household is that they solely put roots out every year. So if you happen to injury the roots once you’re transplanting them, they’ve misplaced the power to take up that rather more vitamins. So, you’re protected once they’re dormant, however even higher in the event that they’re in a container and you purchase them within the inexperienced.
Did that confuse you?
Margaret: No, no. No, I get it. And after we say “within the inexperienced,” we imply that it’s up and rising, so to talk; it’s a transplant.
David: Yeah. Yeah.
Margaret: So, I’ve mentioned repeatedly that you’ve a whole lot of varieties [laughter] in your backyard. Are you able to bear in mind all of the names with no cheat sheet in your hand? I imply, it should simply be staggering.
David: My backyard Brandywine Cottage, is… I used to not label something. The one factor I labeled in my backyard is my Galanthus assortment. I don’t know if I’ve risen to new heights or sunk to new lows. I do label my Galanthus, as a result of I’d be misplaced with out them.
An unlabeled Galanthus, if you happen to don’t know what it’s, is only a fairly Galanthus. And that’s O.Okay., however if you happen to’re a severe collector of something, whether or not or not it’s artwork glass, you bought to know the provenance of it.
Margaret: Sure. So, I have a look at the lists from collectors who promote them, or a few of the sources that Galanthophiles would store at, not your fundamental mail-order bulb catalog, mass-market bulb catalog, which has a number of varieties. And I see some for $30, which I assume is for a bulb, and a few for near $500 for a bulb. So, a few of them are actually, actually, actually costly.
And so if I splurge on even a $30 bulb, if I splurge on one, what occurs? What’s that little creature doing? How lengthy does it… How does it multiply? Does it multiply solely underground? Do they self-sow? What’s their methodology of turning into a couple of in my backyard?
David: Effectively, each.
Margaret: O.Okay.
David: And I’ve confessed that I’ve paid possibly manner an excessive amount of for a single bulb of Galanthus. It’s sort of like Tulip Mania proper now. They fetch large costs from $1,400 all the way down to $30. And I supply simply fundamental elwesii within the pot, to the very costly ones at my desk, and on the Gala, you’ll see all of them worth ranges. You purchase what you’re prepared to gamble and plant within the floor.
And folks giggle and say, “You paid that a lot for a bulb?” And I mentioned, “Effectively, how’s your 401k accomplished? My funding in that bulb normally doubles inside one 12 months.”
Margaret: Oh!
David: So, you possibly can count on that to in all probability double inside a 12 months, possibly two on the most. But when it’s broken, the roots are broken, it would take one other 12 months for it to tug up its socks and bloom for you. Nevertheless it reliably will increase very slowly, and makes a big clump.
It does self-seed. I’m afraid I’ll by no means have a extremely tidy backyard once more, as a result of I let my Galanthus go, hoping that they’ll seed round. And you may’t mulch… I don’t mulch, anyhow, I exploit leaf mould on my backyard, however they may self-sow round, and also you get some fascinating hybrids. When you have got this many cultivars intermingling and having wine and doing what in the midst of the night time [laughter], you’re going to have some fascinating hybrids.
Margaret: In order that they’re not simply botanical Bitcoin, they’re additionally horny creatures [laughter].
David: They’re.
Margaret: So, you’re identified—and I discussed earlier within the introduction that certainly one of your books that you simply’ve written known as “The Layered Backyard”—and so that you’re identified design-wise as a proponent of the strategy of layering vegetation. Not simply sticking one factor right here and one factor there and so forth, and having this succession and complexity of magnificence within the backyard unfolding. How did Galanthus match into that technique? So, the place did they go and the place do they belong within the backyard?
David: Effectively, they begin the 12 months. That’s why we have now the Gala in March. It’s just like the kickoff of spring. As quickly as my backyard begins blooming with the Galanthus and the Crocus tommasinianus and the hellebores, it’s spring. I don’t go by the precise calendar. I let my backyard inform me what season it’s; I watch it. So, my backyard begins blooming right here in zone… I feel we’re nonetheless… Who is aware of? 6b or 7. Once more, the worldwide warming issue makes it arduous. We haven’t had snow right here in Philadelphia in two years, we’re anticipating our first measurable snowfall tomorrow.
Margaret: Sure. I noticed that within the paper. Sure.
David: However they begin now, it’s a seasonal layer… To your level about gathering, I sort of staged my backyard: it’s Galanthus, hellebore time, then into Narcissus, then into tulip. There’s fundamental genera that goes all year long, so that you’re doing succession planting by genus, in addition to spatial layering. It’s bushes, shrubs, floor layer, you’re planting all these layers within the backyard.
Margaret: Do Galanthus do higher with kind of mild, or what are a few of the good niches inside the backyard, light-wise and different condition-wise, that they like?
David: Shade is most popular. You possibly can push them extra in direction of full solar, you would possibly need to give them slightly little bit of shade within the summertime. A number of the species which are extra southerly of their distribution really like extra solar, I might say, like reginae-olgae, which is called after the queen of Greece. She wants extra solar, that one wants extra solar, as a result of it’s native to Greece.
Margaret: I see.
David: So I’ve them in full solar. What Galanthus have a tendency to not like is overly moist soils, like soggy soils. The one which’s in all probability the extra tolerant of moisture-retentive—I’m saying tolerant, not -proof—may be nivalis, however I might avoid overly moist, boggy soils in terms of Galanthus.
Margaret: I feel bulbs on the whole, and never all, however most, I really feel that manner, that they don’t need to be in a sump.
David: They don’t.
Margaret: Yeah. And if I had an excellent measurement group of one thing… The one ones I actually have are the 2 most acquainted that you simply talked about, and even right here in what was once zone 5b till the opposite day [laughter], once they introduced that it was 6a, with the unusually gentle winter we had till this week, they had been beginning to come up beneath the leaf litter, they had been beginning to push. And even neighbors had a pair flowers right here and there.
So, if I get a good-sized clump, and I need to say divide them and put some elsewhere, do I do it once they’re “within the inexperienced”? Do I do it once they’re up and operating? Is there an excellent time?
David: I do. I’m a bit pragmatic. The optimum time is once they begin going dormant, when the leaves begin to yellow. However the reality is, Margaret, I do it once they’re within the full inexperienced, and I normally… Effectively, I’m at all times in a rush, so I’ll take a clump, possibly a large clump, and I divide it in thirds. I divide it, depart one clump the place it was, I put two different clumps elsewhere.
Instantly, regardless of if it’s raining out, you need to water it in, to guarantee that the soil has contact with the roots. That’s essential. Nevertheless it’s sort of like insurance coverage, too. If one thing occurs to at least one clump, you continue to have two extra elsewhere. In the event you simply have one clump that’s prized, and that clump for some cause disappears… I feel dividing not solely offers you extra for the backyard, but additionally serves as a sort of insurance coverage, that you simply nonetheless have your prized bulbs out there.
Margaret: Proper. I used to be wanting by your checklist, you have got an inventory of ones that, as you mentioned, that they turned out to be an excellent funding, as a result of you can too promote some, as you get an increasing number of and extra of sure ones.
And there have been some acquainted names, you simply talked about one which was named for a Greek queen or one thing, however I noticed that there was one that you simply suggest, and it wasn’t a super-expensive one. It’s referred to as Bertram Anderson. And it’s humorous, as a result of within the years that I’ve grown vegetation, I’ve had two different vegetation named for Bertram Anderson [laughter], a Pulmonaria and a Sedum. So, he should’ve been some nice gardener, Bertram Anderson.
David: Yeah. And what occurs, as soon as a snowdrop’s named after you, or an individual, anybody, that particular person turns into an immortal. So, you’re immortal after there are snowdrops named after you. Bertram Anderson was an awesome gardener. And I like the completely different names of snowdrops. That’s a part of the lure of snowdrops, of being a Galanthophile, who it’s named after, the backyard that it got here from, the provenance. That’s a part of the historical past. That’s essential to me. [Above, Galanthus ‘Phil Cornish.’]
Margaret: Effectively, it was enjoyable, as I mentioned, wanting on the checklist. It’s like, ooh, I simply need to discover out who all these folks and all these locations that every one the varieties are named for, since you’d get this complete wealthy historical past by doing that, working backwards from that checklist of named cultivars of Galanthus. You’d get this complete historical past of our obsession with gardening over the centuries. I feel he was within the Cotswolds area, proper, Bertram Anderson?
David: That’s an enormous space of Galanthophiles. There’s a variety of them within the Cotswolds. They’re mainly a two-hour… I hesitate to say that, as a result of they’re unfold all over the place, however normally once I go over, it’s inside a two-hour push outdoors of London. However there are nice Galanthophiles in Eire. They’ve Galanthus reveals and gross sales in Germany, in Belgium. I imply, it’s sweeping Europe proper now.
Margaret: Mm-hmm. So, in all of those varieties, what are simply… I do know it’s arduous to… I really feel like I’ve to get down on the bottom and crawl round and look carefully at them, as a result of these usually are not up in your face sort of, or it’s not as huge as a knee-high purple tulip or one thing. You must actually look carefully on the subtleties. However a few of them are extra frilly, like virtually double, I assume, the flowers, and a few have extra inexperienced edging. Are these the variations… What are you as a collector so as to add to your collections?
David: Effectively, I don’t know of a genus that’s… One of many issues that appeals to me about snowdrops are their utter simplicity. However then once more, I don’t know of a genus that’s so extremely nuanced. It’s about how lengthy the claw is, how they taper on the finish, how the inexperienced ideas… How the shading is: Is it a blotch, is it striped? It’s all about these subtleties. Your eye, as soon as it’s skilled to have a look at subtleties, whether or not or not it’s Galanthus or every other plant within the backyard, you change into a greater gardener as you begin subtleties.
That being mentioned, I’ve seen gardens simply have one species, like Painswick in England, which is all I feel nivalis, and it’s a very talked-about and really efficient panorama. Nevertheless it’s these particulars that sharpens your eye. And the opposite factor about Galanthus, it’s a time you possibly can collect with mates like on the gala, and never have any guilt emotions about leaving your backyard, as a result of nothing else is occurring. You possibly can really speak with fellow gardeners at the moment of the 12 months. It’s sort of a gardener’s sport, if you’ll.
Margaret: Yeah. So, let’s speak in regards to the Gala. I used to be excited to see that you simply’re having… I imply, you have got presenters, individuals who do talks, and once more, they’re going to be broadcast just about additionally, so folks can purchase, as I did, a digital ticket, in addition to attend in particular person in Downingtown, Pa. However like Nancy Goodwin, one of many… I imply, I bear in mind 1,000,000 years in the past, the primary time I went to her Southeastern backyard, and simply the astonishment of what she had achieved. So, there are some actually nice audio system, so inform us slightly bit about what’s going to go on, whether or not in particular person or just about on the gala.
David: We begin Friday with the digital pleased hour, and it’s sort of… Social exercise is a part of being a Galanthophile. There’s a social side to it. So we have now a trivia sport which is nice enjoyable, as a result of… I’ll inform you slightly secret. As a result of it’s 5 hours… We’re forward of England 5 hours, so that they’ve at all times gone by cocktail time by the point we have now the pleased hour, and you may see it typically of their responses [laughter], which is nice enjoyable. We’ve got the pleased hour, and we have now Nancy Goodwin talking, and I’m simply honored to introduce her. She’s, as you mentioned, an iconic backyard within the South.
A number of gardeners within the South assume that Galanthus aren’t hardy for them, as a result of it’s too heat. Effectively, I simply need to level to Nancy Goodwin, who’s been doing Galanthus in her backyard for 30 years. She’s identified proper now along with her Galanthus assortment for having the winter stroll. She has a variety of fall-blooming Galanthus in her backyard. However I simply needed to have her converse as a result of she’s such an excellent gardener, and has been doing Galanthus, and assist dispel that delusion you could’t develop them within the South. I even have a busload coming from Tennessee to the gala this 12 months.
Margaret: Oh, nice.
David: They usually’ve been coming a number of years, we have now a number of busloads coming to the gala. Then on Saturday, we have now the curator of Utrecht Gardens talking on DNA tracing in snowdrops, to verify how the Galanthus have moved from the Mediterranean upwards by Europe. They’re really doing DNA tracing to verify they’ve the best cultivars and species within the backyard, that they’re traditionally appropriate as nicely. I feel that’s fascinating, that we’ve moved in that path, not simply in Galanthus however plant-wide. I feel DNA tracing goes to alter the way in which Linnaean nomenclature is in the present day.
After which we have now the director of the Gothenburg Botanical Backyard in Sweden, which is the biggest bulb assortment on this planet.
Margaret: Wow.
David: Not simply america. However he’s going to be speaking about his love of Galanthus, and extra importantly I feel, simply as importantly, are the companion vegetation, the companion bulbs to bloom with them, so it’s not only one genus, it’s about making a backyard, Margaret. About…
Margaret: Talking of layering [laughter].
David: It’s about making a backyard, and what goes with that plant? Sure. That’s proper; thanks.
Margaret: Effectively, David Culp, we’re virtually mainly out of time. However I at all times have enjoyable, as folks may inform, as a result of I used to be cackling all through, speaking to you.
David: You must have enjoyable.
Margaret: A fellow plant nut of… a longtime plant nut like me. So, thanks a lot, and I’ll speak to you once more quickly, I hope.
David: Thanks, Margaret. I sit up for seeing you quickly, and everybody on the Gala. Completely satisfied gardening.
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MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its 14th 12 months in March 2023. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Pay attention domestically within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Japanese, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Jan. 22, 2023 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).