The First Snowdrop

We had our first frost last night, but today has been bright and clear.  This afternoon I went into the garden to clear the nasturtiums that been nipped by the frost, and look what I found.  The first of the snowdrops.  Name tag missing, but I may look further tomorrow.  Might be Galanthus J Haydn. 

First snowdrop 20 November 2024

 More cutting back over the next few days, and looking forward now to the bulbs coming up.

In a Vase on Monday - Winter cold grips not the nodding snowdrops

I'm joining in with Cathy for my first Vase this Year! 

What is not to love but the sight of snowdrops on a cold sunny day?  With a selection of silver grey stems of other foliage here are a few precious stems of Galanthus Geoffrey Owen. This is a beautiful snowdrop with double the usual three outer petals, all six with the same proportions giving the drops their unique fulsome look. Leaves with a silvery or greyish tone complement the blooms which is why I have a couple of stems each of Hebe Topiara, and Pittosporum Garnettii.  Since all my 'Terracotta Army' figurines are overwintering on the corner of the table in the conservatory, I left them all in situ for perhaps a first view of them all together.   

As I was picking the drops just after lunch from the garden today, I couldn't detect any scent, but now they are opening in their little vase, which I have moved to my desk, I can smell a delicate almondy scent from the beautiful Galanthus Geoffrey Owen.  Usually described as a mid season flowering snowdrop, perhaps because of its situation or perhaps also on account of the very mild period until recently, this has been an early flowerer this year. They will no doubt bend as the freeze as observed by William Wordsworth in his poem, but will recover easily as temperatures rise above freezing during the day.

Galanthus Geoffrey Owen with its unique six outers 

I had not realised that William Wordsworth had written a poem about snowdrops until just recently: 

William Wordsworth 

TO A SNOWDROP

Lone Flower, hemmed in with snows and white as they
But hardier far, once more I see thee bend
Thy forehead, as if fearful to offend,
Like an unbidden guest. Though day by day,
Storms, sallying from the mountain-tops, waylay
The rising sun, and on the plains descend;
Yet art thou welcome, welcome as a friend
Whose zeal outruns his promise! Blue-eyed May
Shall soon behold this border thickly set
With bright jonquils, their odours lavishing
On the soft west-wind and his frolic peers;
Nor will I then thy modest grace forget,
Chaste Snowdrop, venturous harbinger of Spring,

And pensive monitor of fleeting years! 

I was delighted to hear from my friend Kay, and having read the poem she sent me, which was Little Ladies by Laurence Alma-Tadema, decided to look up other poems which lead me to the one by William Wordsworth. 

Snowdrops

by Laurence Alma-Tadema

Little ladies, white and green,
With your spears about you,
Will you tell us where you've been
Since we lived without you?

You are sweet, and fresh, and clean,
With your pearly faces;
In the dark earth where you've been
There are wondrous places:

Yet you come again, serene,
When the leaves are hidden;
Bringing joy from where you've been
You return unbidden—

Little ladies, white and green,
Are you glad to cheer us?
Hunger not for where you've been,
Stay till Spring be near us!

Snowdrops in a special vase on Monday

 I am unsure whether to call today's offering Special Snowdrops IAVOM or Snowdrops in a Special Vase.  To Galanthophiles these varieties are probably considered just good garden doers, so I feel happier erring to the Special Vase title.  I bought this this vase specially for snowdrops in 2018 at Shepton Mallett Snowdrop Festival where I met up with Alison who used to be a regular contributor.  It is just the right size for the taller snowdrops.

The two snowdrops towards the left top and bottom are Jaquenetta.  Galanthus Jacquenetta is a Greatorex Double with almost no ovary.  In the middle is the Godfrey Owen which is in that it has six outer and six inner petals, at the top is Fieldgate Prelude which had part of its stem cut off with  long outer petals/segments compared to the inner ones which bear the beautiful markings. Just in front on it is the last of the Galanthus J Haydn which has been in flower since before Christmas.  

In the vase is a couple of pieces of Pittosporum 'Tom Thumb', and a piece of the Hebe 'Silver Dollar' which is growing in a Bonsai Dish along with a few other alpines. 

Its been a glorious sunny but cold day, and after having some friends round this morning for a knitting session, went for a walk to the Palace gardens where the snowdrops had hardly pierced the ground.  It just goes to show that it is worth getting some of the 'special snowdrops' to get the season going as early as possible.  I am joining in with Cathy on this Monday, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few other snowdrops today.