Galanthus elwesii 'Don Armstrong'

Galanthus elwesii 'Don Armstrong' is a big, bold poculiform snowdrop with real presence.  In a poculiform, the inner segments take on the size and shape of the outers and lose their green markings, so instead of the usual three-and-three you get six pure white segments, which gives a really clean, elegant flower.  Poculiforms are rare enough in G. nivalis, but to find one in the larger, more robust G. elwesii makes this something quite special.

It comes from British Columbia in Canada and is named after a Canadian gardener.  It has the broad, grey-green leaves typical of G. elwesii, and as the flowers mature, especially on a sunny day, the segments open right out until they're almost horizontal, which is a lovely sight.  It flowers here in the North West in early February.