The Snowdrop
As we sit in front of a fire, listening to winter storms swirl around about, one small little flower nods its head to us, heralding the welcome arrival of spring, the humble Snowdrop!
Legends
Many legends surround this wonderful flower, and one of our favourites is this ancient German tale;
At the beginning of all things when life was new, the Snow sought to borrow a colour. The flowers were much admired by all the elements but they guarded their colour’s jealousy and when the Snow pleaded with them, they turned their backs in contempt for they believed the Snow cold and unpleasant. The tiny humble snowdrops took pity on the Snow for none of the other flowers had shown it any kindness and so they came forth and offered up to the Snow their colour.
The Snow gratefully accepted and became white forevermore, just like the Snowdrops. In its gratitude, the Snow permitted the little pearly flowers the protection to appear in winter, to be impervious to the ice and bitter chill. From then on, the Snow and the Snowdrops coexisted side by side as friends.
Origin
But what is the true origin of snowdrops in our countryside as these flowers do not originate in England, coming from Southern Europe, and only spread into the wild in the late 18th Century! It is believed that when Norman monks came to our country, they brought with them the humble snowdrop from its natural habitat in Europe and the Middle East.
These are one of the very few flowers that appear in early February, and were gathered at Candlemas on the 2nd February to decorate Churches in this country before the reformation. Candlemas is the feast of the purification of the Virgin Mary and Snowdrops have long been associated with hope and purity.
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But Candlemas long meant something else as well, in practical terms, especially in the Middle Ages: it was the day when everyone in the parish brought their candles to be lit and blessed by the priest. This was so that they could ward off evil spirits. Indeed, imagine how it must have looked in medieval times, with the church a rare blaze of light and decorated with snowdrops.