Friday, March 14, 2008

Snowdrops Bring Spring (Or Vice Versa)



With much creaking and groaning, the seasonal page is turning here in Iowa to spring. Even though a thick blanket of snow still covers most of our garden, the snowdrops, just can't contain themselves any longer, and are blooming anyplace the sun has released them from this icy grip. They've been out of the snowbank and into the light for such a short period of time that their foliage is still yellowish. Galanthus elwesii, the greater or Levantine snowdrop from the western mountains of Turkey always blooms first here, as it should, but the double snowdrop Galanthus nivalis flore pleno, blooms hard on its heels, which doesn't seem right, since the regular single form of Galanthus nivalis blooms almost a month later. I have flore pleno planted in several locations, so I know it's not just some fluke due to a favorable spot. I guess I'm puzzled, but not complaining.
Galanthus elwesii is shown open and closed, with flore pleno shown at bottom.
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// posted by IBOY @ 6:03 PM
Comments:
I have one blooming! and many more up.......I need to go peek inside and see what it looks like....needless to say I am thrilled.............
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : March 14, 2008
 
No chance for us to see that yet .. we are still under the snow banks ... but what beautiful pictures you have taken ! Excellent !
Joy
# posted by Blogger CanadianGardenJoy : March 14, 2008
 
Hi there ... glad to see these coming up over your way! We're finally starting to melt away here in Des Moines and I'm hopeful our Snowdrops will appear soon. Spending the winter under several feet of snow has kept them from their appointed early appearance here as well. Once they appear, can the crocus be far behind?

Agree with your previous comments on the interminable winter we have had this year! Let's just hope we don't have another repeat of the extended cold snap we had last year (that pretty much destroyed our usual spring bulbs) ... spring won't come fast enough for us. :-)
# posted by Blogger Iowa Victory Gardener : March 14, 2008
 
O ye of little faith. You thought mine would bloom before yours? Wrong! Mine are in bud, but not blooming, not even the earliest, out-in-the-sun ones.
# posted by Blogger Kathy : March 14, 2008
 
Today the snow finally melted from most of the front garden, revealing a lone Snowdrop, already in bloom. Great photos - I think I need to get that double G. nivalis!
# posted by Blogger Mr. McGregor's Daughter : March 14, 2008
 
Nancy... There's nothing like the first snowie of spring!

Joy... this is the winter that would not die.

IVV... I would have thought you'd be ahead of me.

Kathy... you're right; you must have nivalis. Post a good picture of them this spring and I'll see if I can tell... when they finally bloom, that is :o)

MMD... the double is nice. Being a nivalis, it's much smaller, though.

Don
# posted by Blogger IBOY : March 14, 2008
 
Are you loving that new lens yet? GREAT pictures!
# posted by Blogger Sally : March 15, 2008
 
Wow, now I have to have that flore pleno snowdrop!
# posted by Blogger Di DeCaire : March 16, 2008
 
Sally... i'm just getting used to the lens. the shallow field of focus is a pain.

di decaire... the flore plenos are fairly inexpensive now.
Don
# posted by Blogger IBOY : March 20, 2008
 
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