Snowdrops: When Does a Bud Become a Bloom?

March 16th, 2008 by Kathy Purdy · 24 Comments

You tell me: do I have blooms for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day?

These snowdrops are the furtherest along of all that I have. They have “dropped”; that is, their buds are no longer pointing up, but have been released from their sheaths and are hanging from their pedicels.
Now these…
These are unquestionably blooming snowdrops–but this photo was taken last year, at the end of March. None of this year’s snowdrops have opened:
Yet.

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day

Carol at May Dreams’ Gardens invites all garden bloggers to share what’s blooming in their garden once a month on the 15th. Visit her post to see what’s blooming in gardens around the world.

Stumble it!

Categories: Snowdrops

Keywords: bloom dates · bloom records · snowdrop · snowdrops

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24 responses so far ↓

1 Genie // Mar 16, 2008 at 12:58 pm

They’re beautiful!
2 Gail // Mar 16, 2008 at 1:27 pm

They are beautiful and I have added them to my ‘Must Have” list.

gail
3 Carol, May Dreams Gardens // Mar 16, 2008 at 2:31 pm

When indeed is a bud a bloom? Is that one of those questions that gardeners will debate and debate and never agree on an answer?

But even the buds are pretty and are better than snow on the ground.

Thanks for joining in for bloom day!
4 steve // Mar 16, 2008 at 2:39 pm

I must add those if we can get them to grow here they are the best indication I know that spring is in the air, and they are so wonderful to look at

steve
5 jodi // Mar 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm

I’d call those blooms, Kathy…they’re sure closer to blooming than mine are (which are still sleeping under snow….)
6 Don // Mar 16, 2008 at 3:19 pm

Kathy… you REALLY have a nice clump, and with the single green mark on the petal, they probably are nivalis, the late snowdrop. Git yerself some elwesii (though your nivalis are well worth waiting for)! I’m looking forward to seeing them all open.
Don
7 Kathy Purdy // Mar 16, 2008 at 3:58 pm

Don, look back at this post for a long view of the snowdrop patch. You’ll have to click on the photo to get the full effect.
8 kerri // Mar 16, 2008 at 4:20 pm

Kathy, it’s interesting to see that your snowdrops and mine are at the same stage. It won’t be long now, surely!
You do have a nice big display of them. I plan to move more of mine and start some new clumps this spring. I’ve done a little of this in the past, but spring is such a busy season and the job mostly gets overlooked. I know I can do it any time before winter, so maybe this year I will!
We had light snow falling this morning, but it’s bright and sunny this afternoon, although the cold wind is keeping me indoors.
9 Robin at Bumblebee // Mar 16, 2008 at 5:13 pm

I planted some of these and those blasted squirrels and skunks managed to dig every single one up. No snowdrops for me.

But now that I see yours, I will have to plant some in cages next time to foil the beasts.

Robin at Bumblebee
10 Nan Ondra // Mar 16, 2008 at 5:15 pm

Oh, sure - I’d say they definitely count, Kathy. After visiting dozens of Bloom Day posts over the last two days, I’ve seen everything from the tiniest crocus buds to roses and irises in full flower (those Austinites taunt us yet again) to blooming bougainvilleas and mango trees. It’s all good!
11 sherry // Mar 17, 2008 at 5:41 am

I think they count. Hey, in the north we gotta do what we gotta do! They will be just gorgeous in another couple of weeks, won’t they?
12 Ki // Mar 17, 2008 at 8:48 am

I took a picture of our meagre patch of snowdrops one morning and the flowers looked like the ones in your photo. Later that same day, when they finally got some afternoon sun, the flowers opened to reveal the inner reproductive parts.

I guess like crocus which also closes in the evening you could technically say that your snowdrops are blooming. They are beautiful in any stage especially for our winter weary eyes.
13 Mr. McGregor's Daughter // Mar 17, 2008 at 6:43 pm

They qualify for Bloom Day because they are in bud, but I don’t consider Snowdrops as being “in bloom” until the petals loosen up. (I use this measure because they don’t open wide until a sunny day.)
14 Shady Gardener // Mar 17, 2008 at 9:08 pm

I say, “yes” they qualify. We’re all too ready for Spring to arrive to worry about details. Beautiful grouping!!!
15 Muum // Mar 17, 2008 at 9:09 pm

Your snowdrops look great! thanks for sharing them.
16 Kim // Mar 18, 2008 at 5:05 pm

It’s March, and you garden in a Cold Climate. They definitely count, no matter how open they are!
(And I’m jealous.)
17 Apple // Mar 20, 2008 at 10:34 am

The longer they last the better so I will be counting my buds - if the snow ever melts. My one snowdrop had me very excited last year. I hope it multiplied over the winter.
18 Vernal Equinox - A Well Balanced Day // Mar 21, 2008 at 2:19 am

[…] fitting that today, from beneath the melting snow from the last snow storm, I spied the very first snowdrops of the season in my garden. It gladdened my heart. But I have to be honest, it did not gladden it […]
19 kate // Mar 21, 2008 at 5:37 pm

At this point, anything green outside looks good to me. You have a beautiful patch of Snowdrops!
20 Pam/Digging // Mar 22, 2008 at 6:01 pm

I’m late to the party, kind of like your snowdrops. But yes! I’d definitely count them as blooms. In fact, they’re so pretty hanging downward like that, they may look better in bud than in bloom.
21 FarmDotr // Mar 25, 2008 at 2:34 pm

First blossoms here in NH too.
I have cheat patch at southern end of foundation.
The rest are still under 3 -4 feet of snow, YIKES!!
22 Kathy Purdy // Mar 25, 2008 at 7:44 pm

FarmDotr, I used to have a “cheat patch” on the southern side of our house, but they died out. I am going to follow Don’s advice and get some Galanthus elwesii to try again, because I have a small patch on the north side of the house that sprouts later than the ones pictured, but winds up blooming at the same time.
23 tedb // Mar 27, 2008 at 8:10 pm

I had my first snowdrop open on the 1st day of spring here in western Wisconsin. A little later then usual but welcome none the less.

I’m always trying to push the ends of the seasons by trying to get blooms as early and late as possible. I count it as ‘in flower’ if it could be pollinated.

Ted
24 I weeded today - A Sure Sign of Spring // Apr 7, 2008 at 10:39 pm

[…] of funny that I do not consider the appearance of flowers to be the start of Spring. The showing of snowdrops and Siberian iris are good signal flags that Spring is on her slow-ass way, but their appearance is […]