Due to the prolonged January thaw I find that I am actually in the snowdrop race, limping along in last place. These are growing in the same spot as the blooming snowdrops of the previous post. This photo was taken January 12th. Since then, the cold has returned and we’ve even gotten a little snow, so I expect my snowdrops will go into suspended animation for a month or more, before finally blooming in late February or early March.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
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Snowdrops are the Galanthus genus. Dutchman’s Breeches are related to Bleeding Heart; both are in the Dicentra genus. I don’t believe these two genera are even in the same family. To my eye, the flowers of the two plants don’t look that similar, so it’s probably a poor photo of snowdrops. Snowdrops are in the same family as Amaryllis and Daffodils, and they all share the same resistance to rodent damage.
The flowers of the snowdrops look a lot like a wildflower we used to call “Dutchman’s Britches”. Do you know if they are they related?
I should get some snowdrops!
Well, even with a thaw, you are way ahead of us. We don’t have a smuch snow as usual, but still have a good cover, enough for mushing which my kids do (races), and all the other snow sports. but we could use more for the sake of those who have motels or plow snow in the winter. Plenty of plants inside, though, hold overs from summer: ivies, asparagus fern, geraniums. etc. Have some to still pot up that were clippings. Will use them in planters next spring.