A white blanket of Snowdrops
SPRING IS ON THE WAY
Snowdrops are a sign that these cold wintry days and nights are starting to come to a close. These seemingly delicate flowers are actually a tough and reliable flower. Flowering at the height winter they push through the frost and create blankets of white flowers across the gardens.
Snowdrops, officially named Galanthus Nivalis in 1753. Galanthus a Greek name which translates to 'milk flower’ and Nivalis from the Latin word for 'snow’ are believed to have been introduced into England in the beginning of the 16th century.
Understanding Snowdrops
The best time to plant a snowdrop is late April or May as they flower from January to March. Snowdrops prefer a position in light shade, as they contain a natural anti-freeze allowing them to recover when the temperature drops. Growing in cool mountain meadows or woodlands in areas that are not hot or dry. Snowdrops are not fussy plants about soil and will thrive in all types from heavy clay to well-drained rich moist soil.
There are over 2500 different varieties of snowdrops. We don’t quite know how many can be found in Leonardslee but our garden team have been hard at work over the last few years planting over 20,000 new slips last year alone. These are all planted by hand and will add to our stunning displays for 2022.
The pollen and nectar are an early spring feast for bees, the green inner of the snowdrop act like a landing light to guide bees to one of the only flowers open in early spring.
Fun Facts
Snowdrops were used in medicine to help with headaches and as a natural painkiller, nowadays within modern medicine by extracting galamantine it helps with Alzheimer's patients to slow down dementia.
PLEASE NOTE: The bulbs are poisonous to humans if eaten and please remember to not pick our flowers.
The name snowdrop doesn't come from 'drop' of snow, it derives from 'drop' as in eardrop, which was known as an old word for earrings.
British Civilians gave the U.S. Military Police the nickname during World War 2, as 'snowdrops’ due to their olive green uniforms with white caps or helmets and white gloves making them resemble the snowdrop flower.
Symbolism of a Snowdrop
A snowdrop has had a long-viewed symbol of hope for a better time ahead as it blooms in the spring allowing for new growth.
However, a single snowdrop flower was seen as a sign of impending death and it was considered bad luck to take one into one's house, this comes from these flowers being planted around graveyards in the Victorian Era. Thankfully this symbolism is no longer a thing!
Explore the symbolism of purity, innocence and sympathy with the snowdrops throughout the gardens. See how the beautiful white flower blanket areas of the gardens bring new life for the spring ahead.
