“Little white snowdrop, just waking up…violet, crocus, and sweet buttercup; under the leaves and the ice, and the snow, waiting, waiting to grow”.
This sweet melodic rhyme is what my friend sang in Sunday School as a child. It is quite perfect for this time of year as the first blooms of the garden appear.
Galanthus, or snowdrops, grow from bulbs planted in late fall. It is not unusual to see these delicate white blooms appear when there is still snow on the ground.
As the name implies, the snow-white flower drops over the green stems – earning its name snowdrop. It doesn’t have far to drop; the plant stays under six inches tall.
Just as the song sung in Sunday School years ago, snowdrops symbolize a new beginning and rebirth. Blooming early before the warmth of the spring sun, it’s no surprise that the tiny blooms also remind us of the ability to overcome challenges.
On a hillside of land that has been in my friend’s family for over 100 years, the tiny bulbs planted by her grandmother in 1923 have naturalized and multiplied to create a carpet of white in the early spring. Then, the beauty of this hillside is elevated as the snowdrops fade and a blue sea of grape hyacinths and chionodoxaappear. Not only is this a stunning view, but it serves as a connection to the past and the original caretakers of the land.
Naturalization will also happen with other spring bulbs. I overheard a recent conversation where the gentleman told his customer that he planted 500 bulbs last fall. He used an auger to drill the holes in the ground (I wasn’t eavesdropping – I promise, we were just sitting very close together). I’m sure his landscaping will be gorgeous this year. As the years pass and the bulbs multiply, it will become abreathtaking view for new generations.
Daffodils are quick to spread. I love it. The yellow flowers bring sunshine to the gardens. Mine come from bulbs I have planted in the past and clumps of roots others have shared. That’s the thing: even if you don’t want the bulbs to spread, once they are up and after they bloom a minute – with the shovel and a bucket, you have flowers and bulbs to share with a friend.
This reminds me of a funny story. Before going to a friend’s house for dinner, I spent the afternoon in the garden. I was moving blackberry lilies, so I stuck a couple in a pail and took them as my host gift that evening. What can I say – gardeners like to share.
Back to bulbs, if you have the space, I love to plant them randomly in the garden – not all over the place, but not in rows. I gently toss them in the area and plant them where they fall. Over time, the area will fill with plants that have naturalized in their setting and create an easy, comfortable landscape.
Again, thinking of my friend and the long line of gardeners and nature lovers in her family, I am hopeful spring is coming because of her mother’s quote about February, saying, “We have broken the back of winter.“
As gardeners, we must love and appreciate all the seasons, but every year, I hope winter is the shortest of the four seasons.