Snowdrops and an imposter

Overnight the temperature has soared and the snow has all but vanished, revealing the snowdrops beneath.

The rather large snowdrop at bottom right is a model snowdrop! The model was made by Robert Brendel (c. 1821–1898) and his son Reinhold Brendel (c.1861–1927) who were botanical model-makers working first in Breslau and then in Grunewald Berlin.They produced beautiful and accurate anatomical models of enlarged flowers made of papier mâché, but with other materials added to give detail and texture: wood, cotton, rattan, pulp cane, glass beads, feathers and gelatine. Reinhold was decorated with the Prussian silver state medal in appreciation of his business activities.