Disappeared snowdrops

Fire

I put in hundreds of snowdrop plants in the green a few years a go. Not one came back last year or this. There was no evidence of digging up. I understand that they are one of the few bulbs that don't mind damp ground. I understand also that snowdrops in the green are much more likely to take than just bulbs. Any ideas as to what might have happened? I could put in a load more plants this spring, but there seems little point if I don't see the previous mistake.Thanks

rachelQrtJHBjb

Could it possibly be mice, or squirrels disturbing them so they come to the surface and then dry out? 

As for them growing in damp ground yes, my friend had a huge collection and much of her garden was boggy in winter. Shouldn't be a problem.

Could you plant them in aquatic baskets sunk into the soil so you know exactly where they are and see if you can detect any reason for their demise?

Fire

The ground is not very soggy, but damp enough that bulbs like tulips might rot off. I never saw any sign of digging or bulbs on the surface, and don't really have squirrels. Never seen any mice.

Palustris

They would not eat them in any case as Galanthus are poisonous to all mammals.

Cannot think of any reason why snowdrops should fail to grow, they are usually most reliable. I have seen them flowering under water in a famous Snowdrop garden near here.

Sorry you have lost them.

Singing Gardener

I've lost a few clumps this year but I've attributed it to quite the opposite as the areas where they've gone are the ones that are in full sun, so I'm blaming it on the long, dry spell last summer!

Fire

Hmm. Mine weren't in full sun and were under other taller plants by April, but yes, the very dry spring might have done for them.

Lyn

My dad planted thousands of them years ago, fantastic show, but over the past few years they have dwindled, I could only put it down to the laurel hedge we planted right along the bed but someone here said that’s not possible, so I’d be interested in solution.
this was when it had a privet hedge but then we replaced it with laurel.



They’ve got less and less each year.😢

Fire

Maybe the laurel is drinking too much. Does the land seems drier. I thought snowdrops were supposed spread, year on year...

Lyn

Originally they  did @Fire it’s not dry, it’s Dartmoor, it’s always boggy😀. It’s also the north edge and gets no sun at all. 
I can’t think of a reason other than the laurels.

Fire

hmmm

Palustris

Certainly Cherry Laurel is poisonous as the leaves, flowers, berries contain Cyanide. The roots do spread widely and so inhibit the growth of plants nearby, but I cannot find any where which says that the roots are actually poisonous to other plants. They do have a lot of surface covering fibrous roots so they could take all the moisture from the soil and with it any soluble food so the Snowdrops would gradually fade from drought and starvation.