International holidays - The Day of Snowdrop

Not every flower that first appears in thawed patches, when the snow cover has not yet melted, can be called a snowdrop. Although this is exactly what happens: for example, residents of Kazakhstan call crocuses this way, and residents of Nizhny Novgorod call open anemone (Pulsatilla patens). Neither one nor the other plant is related to the true Galanthus, which is the correct name for the plant whose day is celebrated on April 19th. The founders of the holiday were the British, for whom this primrose symbolizes not only a sign of the coming spring, but also protection from evil spirits, dark magic and other types of destructive divination. Therefore, the inhabitants of Foggy Albion treat “snow drops” (the literal translation of the name of the flower from English, “snowdrop”) with much more tenderness than prim roses, frivolous tulips or even cheerful bells. The flowers of this amazing plant are incredibly tenacious until they are cut off. “Snow Drop” can withstand frosts down to -10°C. No other flower survives such stressful temperatures, and the snowdrop simply thaws from its completely frozen state and continues to bloom. In order to avoid becoming prey for particularly hungry rodents after winter, galanthus bulbs became poisonous in the process of evolution. The low growth of the stem allows it to withstand strong gusts of wind in early spring. But as soon as a snowdrop is cut, it immediately withers, droops, does not last long in vases and quickly loses its elegant appearance. Therefore, in England it is customary to plant galanthus abundantly in city flower beds, around private cottages and on the balconies of apartment buildings. So these flowers perform both protective and aesthetic functions more effectively. And since on average flowering occurs in early to mid-April, the Snowdrop Day holiday was timed to coincide with April 19, the day on which the buds are most likely to bloom. There are many legends associated with snowdrops. According to biblical legend, this flower was the first one Adam and Eve encountered on earth. The tears of the first woman were turned into galanthus; in other translations, the snowflakes on which she had to walk. In any case, the flower showed a symbol of hope, opening from under the snow, brightening up Eve’s despair and her longing for the ever-blooming Garden of Eden. The real kingdom of snowdrops is Welford Park, which is located in Berkshire. The park is located on the territory of an ancient estate, the owners of which organize entry to their property strictly during the flowering period of the fields. The history of their cultivation in this place dates back to the 14th century, when the monks of Abingdon Abbey began to grow flowers for medicinal and aesthetic purposes. A potion was made from the bulbs to help fight headaches (the plant is currently used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease), and the feast of the Presentation of the Lord was decorated with flowers. Since we are talking about the warm south-east of England, snowdrops bloom here earlier, but Snowdrop Day is also celebrated in April.