The most Elizabeth Cairns has spent on a snowdrop bulb is around £40. “Something like that. I do try to be sensible about it.” As any collector will understand though, it is addictive. Elizabeth grows more than 120 varieties in her Kent garden, which flower from November to March. She hosts open days for snowdrop lovers in February and regularly visits other snowdrop collections around the country where bulbs change hands like precious contraband. She’s not exaggerating when she says: “Snowdrops are big in this garden.”
“They do cheer you up,” she adds. “My husband suffers a little bit from SAD and I’d happily skip November, December and January really, particularly when they’re grey.” As winter gloomily grips most of Kent, this little corner of it bursts into light. The carpets leaves. They bejewel the woodland floor along with hellebores, delicate scented ‘Avalanche’, epimediums, dog’s tooth violets, crocuses and. “It’s so exciting when they do appear,” says Elizabeth. “Very cheering.”
