Snowdrops have made their first appearance in the garden. The botanical name of these diminutive bulbs comes to us from two Greek words: gála meaning "milk" and ánthos meaning "flower." The resulting mash-up is the source of Galanthus.
Galanthus. I find myself saying the name over and over again. It's really quite lovely. Galanthus. Galanthus. Galanthus. It's a name that strikes me as worthy of a righteous leader. A leader of mythic proportion. If I were to create a hero, I would use the name Galanthus. My musings about the name got me thinking about the leadership role these small bulbs play in the late-winter garden and inspired a poem.
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| Snowdrops (Galanthus) in my backyard Toronto garden |
Galanthus
First born of weary, waning winter
With courage fierce, pierce the snow
Sundering terra from frost's cruel clutch
Renascent ruler of burgeoning spring
Toiling for light, resplendent, milk white
Nourishing ravenous captives, liberated anew
Verdant victor, slayer of inhospitable season
Your vernal vigour heralds hope
Soothing convalescents with salves of inflorescence
Humble woodland servant, saviour of revival
Bow now your nodding head and rest
Restored and freed, awakened are we
In Toronto, watch for snowdrops in bloom starting in early March and sometimes even late February. As the common name of the flower suggests, snowdrops aren't bothered by snow. As such, they lead the way in announcing spring's imminent arrival every year.
Happy Gardening!
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