The sparkle of snowdrop season

Waterperry Gardens may be known for its magnificent herbaceous border but it’s just as magical in winter

Rob Jacobs is a little sheepish when I ask how many different snowdrops there are at Waterperry Gardens. His true passion for these tiny white flowers is something he downplays to colleagues.

“I deliberately forget how many we have,” he admits. “People think we’ve got about 60 to 70 but we’ve got more like 80 to 100.”

It’s a collection the horticultural manager’s been quietly expanding since the 1990s and one that the eight-acre garden near Oxford now makes full use of: what started as one ‘Snowdrop Weekend’ quickly became two and this year has been renamed ‘Snowdrop Season’ with guided tours that are popular with winter visitors.

“Businesswise it’s a good thing to do because it brings people in but personally I find it great fun,” he says with a smile.

Originally there were only six standards in the garden the common single and double snowdrop, ‘Atkinsii’, ‘Magnet’, ‘Hill Poe’ and ‘Viridipice’.

It was visitors to the garden and local ‘snowdrop teas’ that sparked Rob’s interest in snowdrops – and started him collecting.

“Every now and then you meet likeminded people, generous people and they just come along and help you build up a collection once you show an interest.

“Most of our collection’s been donated to us by really kind people.”

Today, it covers the full range of snowdrops from the big-flowered varieties, such as ‘Mighty Atom’ and ‘Bertram Anderson’, to the yellows, including ‘Primrose Warburg’ and ‘Wendy’s Gold’.

One of Rob’s favourites is the curious ‘Lady Elphinstone’, which can change appearance from season to season.