Sunday 12 February 2012

In Search Of Spring and the elusive Snowdrops

Hello all!!

Having spent the last week suffering from a very bad stomach bug, I knew that a walk in my local green land, Brockwell Park, would be a good way to lift my spirits. I was also on a mission to find snowdrops. 
Snowdrop is one of those flowers that if you don't catch it in a very short period of time when they grow, you will miss them and have to wait a whole year before they grow again. It is that time of the very last snow, bu how can you anticipate when it is going to snow for the last time in the year? Looking for them is a bit like digging gold. But I love them. And I love them for exactly that reason - they dictate when you can see them. In other words, they have control over when they can be seen. Of course, other flowers do too, but snowdrops don't give you much time. It's on their terms that the viewing is arranged. It's a bit of a chase with nature. I quite like that. So shy, yet temperamental.
And so this elusiveness of the snowdrops means that I don't see them very often. And indeed when I do, it is always just a few, never more than 10 in one place. And usually, it is accidental. This time, I went in search for an appointment with the white beauties.

The 8th of March is the International Women's Day that is religiously celebrated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every woman, younger or older will most probably get flowers from at least one person. As my mum was a maths teacher, she used to get lots and lots of bouquets of flowers every year. And I remember, this one year when I was maybe 10 years old, she received a huge bunch of snowdrops from a boy who lived in the country side. He must have loved my mum quite a lot as finding that many snowdrops must have been quite difficult.
Almost 30 years later, I still remember this kind gesture and the beautiful snowdrops. 
And, that's not where the story ends. We enjoyed looking at them for a whole afternoon and then gave them to my aunt as they were so special and thought someone else should enjoy them too.

So, did I find any snowdrops? 
Let's see:

At the very entrance of the park (well, entrance from my end), the little lake was frozen, but that didn't deter these brave birds:



Any flowers here? Nope, just very dry and frozen tree roots:


I got a bit distracted from looking at the ground and looked up to see the panoramic view from the top of the park. We are not very far from Central London:



I was lucky to catch the sunset, but no snowdrops:


Wait a minute, here is something green,... a promise of spring?


A shy promise indeed, but not the one I was looking for. So, I made my way down the hill about to go home, when something caught my eye. 
Yep, they showed up just for me (well, I'd like to think so):





It is said that snowdrops are a sure sign of spring. I'd like to think that now that I saw them, the spring is on its way too. I enjoy winter, but I think I am ready for the nature to wake up and for the sun to shine and warm us up.

So, that was my Saturday afternoon. I hope yours was as happy as mine. Did you go in search of something? Did you find it?

Red xx

4 comments:

Natalia | Look-A-Porter said...

Wakehurst is a good place to visit if you want to see them. :)
I really like the little guys, too, and also the crocuses, especially the yellow ones. Was very happy to see all of them so early this year, but it was such a shame that they had to deal with all this snow.
xxx

Big Tavel Adventure said...

Do you have them in your vase now?
Very nice photos!

Diane said...

If snowdrops are a sure sign of spring ours here made a mistake! They all flowered just before we were hit by this terrible weather. Great photos. Diane

Anonymous said...

Oh there are a few up in my garden. Ah a bunch of snowdrops would be a beautiful thing to receive and yes, cake and tea and chat will be my start with the OAP's.