April Snowdrop
The snow has melted and the streams are swollen. The grass is greening , and tiny flowers are showing their little faces.
We love April in Maine, and in part because of snowdrops!
Thank goodness for snowdrops, the most dependably early flower! Galanthus, the scientific name, is a bulbous member of the Amarylidaceae family.
Its name literally means “milk flower” and there are 2,500 varieties in existence today. They are often naturalized in woodland gardens or by streams. They’re really a lovely sight planted en masse.
Do you ever wonder how they can bloom in freezing conditions?
Well, they contain a natural antifreeze , which is a surprise, as well as sword-like leaves that allow the plant to pierce through frozen ground!
They tend to open at the same time as the first bumblebees wake up from hibernation for spring. So their blooms feed the first hungry awakening bees.
Isn’t Mother Nature swell?
