James Allen; Snowdrop King

As days go, a thick fog across the Mendip Hills, dark clouds without energy blanketing the sky, and a half light creating a scene of dullness across the countryside, is not on everyone's list as perfect conditions to venture outdoors on a late winter exploration. But venture out I did to visit the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival, and even in such desolate conditions as this that visit uplifted the spirits. This Festival, which I believe is now in its seventh year (it began eight years ago but I understand it didn't run during the Pandemic) has amongst its objectives to promote both James Allen and the town of Shepton Mallet to a wider audience. In a small way then it has achieved this goal as after a 45 minute drive from home, myself and Mrs Wessex Reiver found ourselves in this mid-Somerset town looking for snowdrops. For over thirty years I've driven through or around Shepton Mallet, this visit would be the first time I'd actually stopped and looked about the town on foot.

As strangers to the town we had no idea where anything was, however spying the church tower of St Peter and St Paul's, thrusting itself into the gloom, that seemed a good a place as any to begin. Walking along a cobbled alleyway I asked a lady "How far is the school?" I particularly wanted to find the school as within its four walls, according to the events listed on the Festival website, were plant stalls selling snowdrops. This lady was very helpful, and as we discovered later in our visit, we were actually speaking to Amanda Hirst, the Festival Director, who couldn't have been more helpful. 

In many ways the Festival could be called the James Allen Festival, yet most of the population will not know of this exceptional plantsman. Born in 1830 to a wealthy mercantile family in the town, Allen would go on to be dubbed the Snowdrop King for his drive and enthusiasm for the humble snowdrop. By the mid 1870's and 1880's Allen had built up an enviable reputation amongst fellow Galanthophiles through the sourcing of new varieties, bulb swaps, breeding and the sharing of knowledge taking place both here in Britain but also across Europe, with Allen as something of a hub from which this activity revolved. He wrote many articles, initially under the journalistic pen name of 'Hesperus', only finally writing under his own name in 1885. Allen's collection was believed to number hundreds of varieties yet today only two remain that are purported to be directly attributed to his collection, Galanthus 'Magnet' and G. 'Merlin'. It was an outbreak in 1889 of grey snowdrop mould, Botrytis galanthina which over the following years wiped out virtually all of his collection. One can only imagine how distraught he must have felt in losing his life's work.

We received a very warm welcome from the volunteers within the church, it was physically warm too which was welcome on such a damp dark day. Ahead of us at the end of the nave was a most eye catching display of 'common' snowdrops against the matt-black pyramid of wooden crates. I've seen similar displays of auriculas, sometimes succulents many times, but I think this is the first time, for me at least, seeing a stunning indoor display of snowdrops. Elsewhere there were snowdrop based poems by local children, a storyteller, leaflets to browse through and craft stalls selling snowdrop-themed artworks. 

Many snowdrop events take place outdoors, either walking through snowdrop filled landscapes or as we experienced recently at specialist gardens such as East Lambrook Manor. Shepton Mallet's is mostly an indoor Festival which, having begun in 2017 as a much shorter event, is growing year by year so that this year it runs across a full week. There were a couple of walks around the town during the week but it is not an event to come and see drifts of snowdrops, well not yet, as I've read the Festival volunteers have now planted over 500,000 bulbs around the town. That will be a stunning sight in years to come. I can't remember where I'd first heard of this Festival, a couple of years ago I think, then quite recently I'd read about plantsman Alan Down's visit in 2022, which spurred me on to actually put my coat on and go and visit.

From the church we headed to St Peter and St Paul's school, where the serious business of plant sales was taking place. For a while now I've had an inkling to add G. 'Fly-Fishing' to my small collection. Avon Bulbs who were in the school hall discovered and cultivated this variety, sadly though they didn't have one in stock today. Neither did another stall, Elworthy Cottage Plants from near Stogumber, who did have an impressively large number of other varieties. It is a garden I'd like to visit next year when it is open under the National Garden Scheme. Mrs Wessex Reiver also had a long and fascinating chat with Juliet Davis the owner of Kapunda plants near Bath. She is a hellebore specialist and only opens her garden twice a year in March. This year it is March 3rd or 10th, I have a feeling we may be going there in a couple of weeks.

From the school, our penultimate stop was the Baptist Chapel, mostly as this was where the teas and coffees were to be found, a display board of Allen's life and work, plus a memorial tablet to James Allen with a nice simple snowdrop display in front of it. Entirely run by volunteers I do think this is an impressive feat to bring this Festival off successfully, an awful lot of hard work has taken place. In another venue in the town pre-booked art and craft workshops were taking place. We were just looking through the window when the aforementioned Amanda Hirst came out. We had a long and fascinating conversation with her, she really seems to be someone who gets things done.

I wanted to end my visit by visiting Allen's grave, which I'd previously been informed was in the town's cemetery about five minutes walk away, and not at St Peter and St Paul's church where I'd first thought. We set off into the mizzly weather.

I walked right past it. I'd been told to look for a newly created obelisk erected in 2022 by the Festival. In my mind I was looking for a bright sandy-coloured gleaming piece of stonework although as I walked by this huge memorial right by the entrance I did wonder if that might be it, aged prematurely by the damp weather in this part of the Mendips. I should have looked, as it was Mrs Wessex Reiver who spotted it after I'd wandered off. A simple beautifully carved obelisk, detailing the plants Allen was known for, on top of the original memorial base from the Edwardian era. The original obelisk fell to pieces some years earlier. Apparently on the day of Allen's burial in 1906 there was a tremendous snowstorm, swirling around the spring flowers brought in pots and tubs to accompany the funeral cortège. That must have been one impressive sight for a man who devoted his life to these snow-piercers of spring joy. It was nice too to visit an important grave to find it not festooned with information boards or garish tributes, just a simple resting place in a small town in Somerset.

I'd not finished my day however. While in the school one of the stalls, which I can't recall the name of,  was selling freshly-dug-up G. 'Merlin' for £10. As one of the only two of Allen's varieties still in cultivation it seemed apt to buy it here, in Shepton Mallet, only a stone's throw from where Allen lived and is buried. Now finding myself back home it needed potting up quickly. During the week I'd actually bought some terracotta pots, John Innes No.3 compost and grit to pot up the snowdrops I'd bought at East Lambrook earlier in the month. Despite the torrential rain now settling in for the day I popped into the greenhouse. Merlin, with its inner segments entirely green, is now safely potted up in its new home. Only next year will I know whether this and my other pot grown varieties, (part of a new plan), will be successful or not. 

I may need help though, I think I'm fast becoming a Galanthophile.

 

References : 

Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival : https://www.sheptonsnowdrops.org.uk/

James Allen Biography : https://www.sheptonsnowdrops.org.uk/james-allen-snowdrop-king-galanthophile/

Alan Down's Blog : https://down-to-earth.co.uk/bulbous-plants/shepton-mallet-snowdrop-festival/

Kapunda Plants : https://www.kapundaplants.co.uk/

Elworthy Cottage Plants :  www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk