1/3/10: Honeybees and Snowdrops

A sunny day, and two Honeybees, my first of the year, were seen feeding on Snowdrops in my front garden in Barnehurst. They were utilising the recently-opened Galanthus nivalis and apparently ignoring the earlier-flowering G.'Atkinsii' variety behind. The latter had first opened back on February 5th so were, perhaps, past their prime.

There was also a large, unidentified Hoverfly active in the back garden.



On my light, sandy soil, I grow Snowdrops in pots of garden compost sunk in the ground. This makes lifting them to split up while still 'in the green' (before the leaves die down after flowering, the best method), or otherwise moving them around, that much easier. It will also mean that I am not going to lose track of where my recent, fairly expensive acquisitions of a couple of choice double-flowered cultivars are! In my experience it also appears to be the case that Snowdrops flower better when slightly congested.