Snowdrop

Snowdrop
Snowdrops grow from bulbs and appear in January and February each year.  The flowers are small, white and bell shaped, each hanging from a single stem. 
In 2009 the Friends of Memorial Park group planted 11,000 snowdrop bulbs in the corner to the east of the park. This area now has an impressive display of snowdrops each February and is known as Snowdrop Corner. If you are standing at the QR code post in Memorial Park, you will be facing Snowdrop Corner. Although this habitat is man-made, it replicates where snowdrops usually grow - in broadleaf woodlands and meadows. 
Snowdrops were only recorded in the wild in the UK in the late 18th century, after having been introduced from mainland Europe 200 years earlier. They are now a naturalised species and grow naturally in many valleys across the country. Despite this, they are listed as Near Threatened on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Snowdrop bulbs know when to grow and flower due to changes in soil temperature. They usually flower in January and February however, due to global warming, there are increasing records of December, and even November, flowerings. Recording their flowering times helps scientists understand the impact of climate change on wildlife.
Snowdrops mainly reproduce by splitting their bulbs but also produce pollen and nectar. They are used by pollinating insects as early nectar sources, especially for bumblebee queens who emerge from hibernation in March. 

Did you know? 
A compound in the snowdrop bulb has been used to develop a dementia treatment. However, the bulbs are poisonous if eaten.
Connect to nature: 
Snowdrops often symbolise hope and new beginnings as they are the first flower to grow in the year and are a sign of spring coming. Reflect and reconnect by doing some nature journalling. Draw a seasonal flower or other natural object or describe it in writing. Try focussing on the whole landscape first and then home in on a single detail. Pay attention to what you’re drawing or describing, not the end result. 
Kids activity:
Snowdrops prefer damp ground and flower in January and February, which is when it rains most in the UK. Next time it rains, go for a puddle walk and splash in some puddles.