Follow Me up to Carlow!

It was more a case of dropping in on the way home than a planned visit but even a stop-off at Altamont Gardens is always a pleasant experience. Early spring, snowdrop season, is a wonderful time to visit and, though we had been there less than a fortnight previously, it certainly merited the time.

Around the lake at Altamont Garden

Snowdrops in the Walled Garden at Altamont

It was a visit to Jimi Blake’s Huntingbrook Garden which prompted this detour from the direct journey home. I had been taken by a snowdrop – Galanthus ‘Byrkley’ – growing in Huntingbrook and wondered if it might be in stock in Altamont Plants. Fortune smiled on me as I found it there, not in flower but a healthy plant with two good side-bulbs so with good promise of increase and a nice display next year. My eye was taken by another snowdrop while there – I’m sure it has happened to you all at some stage – and that was added, Galanthus ‘Trinity’ named for its habit of producing three flowers from a bulb so I reckoned it would be good to increase and would make a good garden plant. I suppose it justified the visit, if such justification is ever needed for visiting such a beautiful garden. Along with the snowdrops, there was an excellent range of very attractive hellebores and the Head Gardener found one perfectly to her liking so there was something for each of us in the visit.

Galanthus ‘Byrkley’, an attractively marked snowdrop – worth a detour to find one!

Galanthus ‘Trinity’ showing its three flowers from one bulb – actually four on this occasion – and a close-up to show the attractive markings on the flower.

And, after the purpose of the visit was finalised, purchases stored safely in the car, there was time for a walk around the garden:

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Finally, a few snowdrops in the garden which I especially like: Click to enlarge:

Galanthus ‘Drummond’s Giant’

A very attractive form of Galanthus elwesii

A fabulous stand of Galanthus ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’

Galanthus ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’

Galanthus plicatus ‘Augustus’

Galanthus ‘Skyward’

And, as a post-script: The Head Gardener’s new hellebore:

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