Flowers in Season January 1- 8

Snowdrop

Galanthus Nivalus

image via Flickr

Snowdrops, which originated in Switzerland and Austria, begin flowering in January and are a symbol of hopefulness and new beginnings, which makes them a perfect flower for the start of a new year. 

In German folklore, a snowdrop myth tells the tale of how God created all the things on Earth, but the snow was sad to find itself icily transparent and invisible. God told the snow to ask the flowers if they would give it some of their color. The snow asked each flower in turn and every one of them refused, leaving the snow sadder than ever. Finally, the snow asked a little white flowers, which agreed sweetly to let the snow have some of its pure whiteness. In perpetual gratitude, the snow allows its friend the snowdrop to be the first of the flowers to bloom each year.*

*excerpt from The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Gray