Gardeners reading here will know the feeling of those few days in the year when you look at your own garden and feel, “That’s looking well today!”. It’s one of those occasions when your work and efforts, the plants you have selected, nurtured, combined and tended and the contributions of the various aspects of nature in operation in the garden come together and you have something which makes you happy and satisfied. It’s not that we yearn for such occasions because it is the gardening itself, the activity of gardening, which appeals to us, which enables us to pass our days actively and pleasantly in the presence of nature, interacting with plants and soil and close to the beauty which we enjoy tremendously. To make the moment even more enjoyable, the Head Gardener came on the scene shortly after my moments of contentment and commented, “That’s looking well today, Pads!” That’s the equivalence of a gold medal at the Olympics!
Of course, it is snowdrops which are the main contributors to interest in the garden at the moment but today it was with a difference. So very often we view snowdrops as individuals, examinging the detail of the flower of each variety, noting the different markings, shapes and general habit but today it was simply their whiteness which created the interest and impact. Today it was snowdrop simply as contributors to the general picture of the garden rather without any necessity to drop to one’s knees to admire them in detail.
To be fair and honest, I did photograph a number of individual snowdrops as I am inclined to do as each new variety comes to flower but I also made a particular effort to capture the various views and vignettes created by snowdrops in the garden today.
Here are today’s views in a slideshow:
Paddy Tobin, An Irish Gardener 
Oh my! Well it’s no wonder the Head Gardener offered such a compliment! Your garden looks fabulous. I have to say that although the snowdrops play a major role in the beauty, there’s so much more than just snowdrops in every single picture. Bravo!
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Many thanks!
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Perfection Paddy!
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That is enviably spectacular!
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Beautiful!
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The first chapter says it all.
You should both be very proud of your garden and it is wonderful that you share it this way with us all, particularly those of us who are never likely to see it in real life.
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That is looking magical. What a lovely sight to behold. My small collection of common snowdrops are increasing every year so I will continue to be optimistic that they will achieve a good spread. Patience as ever is required.
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We have grown snowdrops for about 35 years which explains why some have built up to good numbers. The ordinary old varieties are generally best to increase.
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Lovely!
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Wow, splendid show. Make sure you treasure and polish that gold medal!
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Things look fantastic and I love the whole setting which supports the snowdrop show. I wonder if non-snowdrop people recognize the variations between groups or if they just see white? To me I see a marvelous tapestry of form even if the colors tend to white.
You can be proud of your medal and feel virtuous for your restraint in this post. Somehow you resisted hellebore closeups and the early primrose, and I don’t see any Eranthis. I thought you had a few or are they something you’re not interested in adding?
I will be spreading out clumps this spring and summer. Some of my singletons have finally become clumps and I wouldn’t mind a tiny bit similar show here some day. Love it!
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Incredible, what a cheering thing it must be to step out into your garden on a gloomy winter’s day!
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Oh my – what can I say, Paddy! Yours is the garden I always dreamed I’d have. It looks simply superb! Well done to you and the Head Gardener – so much work and love to achieve these results, over many years. I wish I could walk your paths in the life!
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Gardening is a great pastime and we enjoy doing it. It isn’t work when you are enjoy doing it.
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I wish I hadn’t exchanged so much of my younger working life for money, in the form of 7 hour days of double-digging and wheeling (heavy) barrows of lovely manure. Perhaps then I would share your lovely attitude to gardening!!! On the other hand, give me a nice border that needs hand-weeding, and I’m as happy as …
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