The giant snowdrop is producing a dense carpet in the Woodland Garden.
Distributed from Europe to western Asia the genus Galanthus comprises 19 bulbous species. These naturally hybridise but have also been bred to produce between 1000 and 2000 varieties. Galanthus elwesii var. elwesii is a distinct species from temperate Asia and Europe, first introduced into cultivation in 1874 by the plant collector Henry Elwes of Colesbourne Park, Gloucestershire. It grows to 30cm in height, has broad, glaucous leaves, and large, nodding, honey-scented flowers. The outer flower segments reach 2.5cm in length, and the inner segments usually bear a green mark at the apex and base. There is variation in the appearance of these markings and it is not uncommon to find only one apical marking, or the entirety of the segment stained green. In the neighbouring G. elwesii var. monostictus the inner segment typically bears only one apical green marking.