Galanthus 'Fieldgate Fantasia'

Galanthus 'Fieldgate Fantasia' is an absolute stunner, and one of the rarest and most desirable snowdrops in my collection.  It's one of the Fieldgate snowdrops from the late Colin Mason (1927–2019), who gardened on Fieldgate Lane in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.  Colin named many of his snowdrops after pieces of classical music, which he loved, and a fantasia, a piece written freely from the composer's imagination, couldn't be a better fit for this one.

It's a Trym-type (or pterugiform), so the outer segments take on the shape of the inners and carry markings of their own.  And what markings they are: a bold green heart at the tip of each outer, with fine green lines running back from it towards the ovary, almost as if each one has been drawn by hand.  The flowers hang neatly from a fresh green ovary, and they're beautiful from every angle, whether you're looking at them side on or from underneath.

Colin's snowdrops were open-pollinated, with the bees doing the crossing, and he was one of the first people to use twin-scaling and chipping to bulk up his best selections; something which has helped so many good snowdrops find their way into gardens.  'Fieldgate Fantasia' is still very hard to come by, and it's a real privilege to be able to offer it.  It flowers here in the North West from late January to early February.