Snowdrops

Spring fever has hit me like a ton of bricks!  It seems to be getting worse by the hour.  So, this is the time of year that I start to hunt for signs of things green and growing.  As I rake away the leaves that fell last fall I am always so thrilled to see little green shoots reaching for the sun(when it peeks out from behind the clouds).  Some of the first plants I see making their debut are Snowdrops.

The white flowers usually bloom singly, mostly in early spring but sometimes in mid to late winter, which makes them the earliest flowering bulb.  The three inner petals have green tips and overlap the outer petals to form a tube.

The bulbs should be planted 3-4 inches deep in early autumn in fertile soil.  They will thrive in sun or shade.  Snowdrops are also a good choice for forcing, naturalizing, and planting in lawns. 

When the snowdrop bulbs arrive this coming late summer to early fall I will sure let all of you know so that you, too, can go out next January and hunt snowdrops with me!

                                                                             Happy Winter, Susan

                                                        

P.S.  Snowdrops may be left undisturbed for many years, but if you plan to move them or propogate the bulbs, lift just as the flowers fade.