MOMENTS IN POT CULTURE: THE SNOWDROP

Words by Jessica Peace

E.A. Bowles (1865–1954) the horticulturist, artist, writer and Lord of the Manor at Myddelton House was nothin’ short of a Galanthophile (Snowdrop LOVER). He grew’em, painted’em and banged on about them until they named one after him, Galanthus plicatus 'E. A. Bowles'.

War artist, surrealist, landscape lover and modernist man Paul Nash (1889–1946) pays homage to the snowdrop in his ‘Black and white negative, “poised objects”’ series. In ‘snowdrops’ you’ll find those little white heads nodding gently amongst amongst the rubble and rubbish.

‘We're snowdrops falling through the night. / We'll melt away before we land, Two teardrops for somebody's hand. / Follow me into just one more Spring...’ (‘Copenhagen’, 1969.) Ahh we would follow you, you lovely Avant-garde man! Scott Walker was singing about the flowery snow bombs before his wailier more experimental days.