G. gracilis and G. elwesii.” Hynes, who moved to Cherubeer 30 years ago, grew snowdrops in her previous Buckinghamshire garden having been given three named varieties by the late Gwladys Tonge, who was Hardy Plant Society chairman from 1987 to 1990. Those three originals, ‘Scharlockii’, ‘Viridapice’ and ‘Atkinsii’, moved to Devon and were soon joined by ‘Magnet’, ‘Colossus’ and ‘S. Arnott’. “These big and bold varieties make large clumps without self-seeding,” Hynes tells me. “My garden relies on larger clumps grown in the ground to create a backbone of white.” Her snowdrops are placed carefully to lead the eye, perhaps towards a fine witch hazel, or the fiery orange-red stems of a willow (