S is for Snowdrop and Snowflake. The snowdrop is a tiny delicate flower, one of the first of the little bulbs to bloom in the spring, often rising through the snow in February or March. One of the most common snowdrops in the catalogs in the Giant or Elwes Snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, but it just a slightly more robust version of Galanthus nivalis, the 5 or 6 inch tall common snowdrop. G. nivalis has been gracing the early spring gardens ever since 1597 – according to my Old House Gardens catalog.

Old House Gardens specializes in heritage plants and some do indeed go back a long way. I think only the martagon lily is older than the common snowdrop.

I was always confused by the summer snowflake. It looked just like the snowdrop with drooping petals and a tiny green ‘polka dot’. Oh, and it is about a foot tall. And it blooms in April, still very early in the year.

Snowdrop – Snowflake – Both are beautiful.

S is also for Sustainability on this Earth Day. In the garden I am working to include native plants, plants that will attract pollinators, and that will support butterflies through all the phases of  their development.

To see who else is posting every day in April during the A to Z Challenge click here.