A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Galanthus nivalis
This pretty little winter flower is one of the earliest to flower in the UK often poking its dainty stems through the snow (hence its common name) snowdrops are.perennial, herbaceous plants which grow from bulbs. Each bulb generally produces just two or three linear leaves and an erect flowering stalk. It makes it so much nicer to look out of my window even when the snow is there.
This one was in my garden and had just been peeking its shoots through the ground before it got covered in snow last night. It is native to a large area of Europe, stretching from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland in the north, Italy, Bulgaria, Northern Greece, Ukraine, and European Turkey. It has been introduced and is widely naturalised elsewhere. Although it is often thought of as a British native wild flower, or to have been brought to the British Isles by the Romans, it was probably introduced around the early sixteenth century and is currently not a protected species in the UK.
photos 4 and 5 after the snow had gone and when the buds had just opened.
Spotted on Feb 11, 2013
Submitted on Feb 11, 2013
16 Comments
Thanks again KarenL
Gorgeous!
You're welcome Smith's zoo and I would take a South African winter over a Northern English one anyday!!! ;)
That is exactly what I thought Gilma! Thank you for the information Debbie, if your flowers are starting to bloom... it means my winter is coming.... ;( at least ill get to enjoy your summer spottings!
Thankyou Gilma, the snowdrop is one of the first flowers to bloom and often shoots up before the snow has gone! this one however had already popped its shoots out of the ground and then we got a late sprinkling of snow so I thought it made a great photo of the two together. The snow has now disappeared (hopefully until next year now) and the flowers have started to open in the bit of sun that we have had.
What a gorgeous little flower...who would have thought, there are flowers coming out of the snow!!
Thank you :) that makes the wait easier.
@Gatorfellows mine have just opened if you want to take a look!
Woohoo! Spring is coming when the snowdrops bloom!
Lovely spotting!
Indeed signs of spring are all welcome Alice, although we tend to have occasional snow showers here up until Easter so not much chance of warmer weather :( Gatorfellows you're welcome I shall let you know when the blooms open and will look forward to seeing yours too.
Wonderful. The leaves on mine are up but no blooms yet. Thanks for sharing yours :)
Any signs of Spring are welcome!
Thankyou Carol and Smith's Zoo
Wonderful!
brrrrrrrriliant!