Organic Glory of the Snow

Organically grown Glory of the Snow flower bulbs

The Chionodoxa (syn. Scilla forbesii) is a special appearance, just after the cold winter, in early spring! It is also called 'glory of the snow' and is very popular because it blooms so early. This way bees have nectar early in the year so that they become extra strong for the summer.

The flower bulb of the Glory of the snow forms 2-3 trough-shaped leaves and grows to about 15 centimetres high. Per stem it gets 3 to 12 small white flowers with blue-coloured tips of about 5-7 centimetres wide. Characteristic of the 'large Glory-of-the-snow' is that the six tepals grow together in a tubular form at the base and in the middle of the flower the filaments are close together which forms a kind of tube-like covering around the ovary, whereby the anthers touch each other.

The difference between Chionodoxa, Puschkinia (tube hyacinth) and Scilla (Siberian squill) is that in Scilla the filaments spread outwards, while in Puschkinia the corolla consists of connected filaments that form the tube.

Oak processionary caterpillar

Tip: It is one of the types of flower bulbs that we recommend to take if you are bothered by oak processionary caterpillars. It attracts natural enemies of processionary caterpillars such as ichneumons. They lay eggs in the caterpillars that do not survive.

How, where and when do I plant Glory of the Snow bulbs?

A flower bulb of the 'Glory of the Snow' needs a cold period in the winter, so it is planted in the ground from September to January. It can be planted in any fertile garden soil, preferably in a nutritious, water-permeable, chalky sandy soil. Plant it in the sun or partial shade.
Plant them in groups in the grass, border, under trees or shrubs, in pots or even in a rockery. They are suitable for naturalisation in the right location. They come back faithfully every year.

When planting, the tip goes up and the old root crown goes down. The planting depth is 2 to 3 times the height of the flower bulb itself and the planting distance is 2 to 3 times the bulb width.

Caring for Glory of the Snow

Glory of the snow is a stinzenplant that naturalizes well. You plant it once and it will come back every year in the right location. Give it annual organic food for the best result. It needs little attention otherwise.

Propagating Glory of the Snow

Chionodoxa reproduces via brood bulbs and via seeds.
For propagation, the bulbs are taken out of the ground in June or July, remove the small brood bulbs and then dry the flower bulbs. The flower bulbs are best stored in a warm place out of the sun in the summer, for example in a shed and from September together with the small brood bulbs that the flower bulb produced the year before planted in the ground again.

Origin of the Glory of the Snow

The Chionodoxa is native to western Turkey, but has been running wild in Dutch gardens for centuries. It comes from the asparagus family (Asparagaceae) and Scilloideae is its subfamily. 'Glory of the Snow' is the literal translation of Chionodoxa, which comes from the Greek word 'chiōn' which means 'snow' and 'doxa' which means 'glory'.

Buy organic Glory of the Snow

It is of great importance that the flower bulbs of the Chionodoxa, because of the attraction to bees, are grown without chemical crop protection agents. At the Bloemoloog you can only get organically grown flower bulbs of the glory of the snow.

When to buy Chionodoxa?

From June to January, Glory of the Snow flower bulbs can be ordered from the Bloemoloog. These are available from August to January at the market to pick out yourself.

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Spring-flowering bulbs

  • Organic spring bulbs

    Spring flowering bulbs and tubers are popular plants that produce beautiful flowers from early spring to summer. Because of their early flowering, they can be combined well with perennials, when they still have to grow a bit.

    Tulips are probably the most well-known spring flowers. They come in many different colours, shapes and sizes. Daffodils are known for their cheerful yellow flowers, but they also come in other colours such as white and orange. Crocuses are small bulbous plants with striking flowers in shades of purple, yellow and white. They are often the first flowers to appear in the spring. Hyacinths have fragrant flowers in various colours, such as pink, purple, blue and white. They are often planted in borders, flower beds or pots.

    Benefits of organic spring bulbs

    When you choose organic flower bulbs that bloom in the spring, you can be sure that no chemicals or pesticides end up in the garden. These pesticides are harmful to bees and ensure that bees can no longer find their way to their nesting place. As a result, more and more bee species have been added to the red list in recent years, together we can still do something about this!

    Flower bulbs for wild bees

    Did you know that there are wild bees that lay eggs in their nest that then hatch in early spring? These newborn insect helpers immediately go in search of food in the area. There are also insects that have been hibernating and are very much looking for a hearty breakfast; the blooming flowers where nectar and pollen can be found! Just after winter, there is little green and edible to be found for these insects. Planting early blooming flower bulbs ensures that there is food and the insects can gain strength for the summer that is coming.

    Organic growers

    The organic growers we work with not only grow the most beautiful, but also the strongest products. The growers grow with varieties and types of flowers and plants that experience has shown to be virus-resistant, so that they do not have to use chemicals and pesticides. The organic grower looks for natural remedies and solutions against diseases and/or pests. All our flower bulbs are controlled organic; both we as Bloemoloog and the growers have a SKAL certificate.

    When do you plant spring bulbs?

    The spring flowering bulbs are planted from autumn to January. Flower bulbs that need to be taken out of the ground in the summer after flowering are taken out of the ground from the end of July and stored until the new planting time in autumn.

    What to do after flowering

    When spring bloomers have finished blooming, cut off the wilted flowers at the top of the flower stem. Let the rest of the plant die back naturally, so that it can still receive maximum energy from the sun.

    How do you store spring bulbs?

    If you have purchased flower bulbs from us and had them delivered to your home and you want to leave the flower bulbs for a while, we advise you to open the box and store them in a ventilated, cool place until you want to plant them in the ground.

    Flower bulbs that you take out of the ground after flowering, you store in a warm place in the shed, for example. To prevent mice from eating the bulbs during that period, you can also hang the flower bulbs in a bag.

  • Where is the best place to plant spring bulbs?

    Spring bloomers are flowers that bloom in the spring, between January and June. There are many different types of bulbs that bloom in the spring, which are suitable for different types of gardens and soil types. For example, there are bulb plants that like to catch a glimpse of the sun during flowering, but like to be covered by a tree during the dormant period in the summer.

    Spring bloomers in the sun

    Many spring bloomers need a lot of sun to bloom well and grow for the following year. These flowers can be planted in full sun:

    Spring bloomers in the shade

    Some spring bloomers also grow and bloom well in the shade, such as:

    Spring bloomers in moist soils

    There are also flower bulbs that can be planted in wet soil. Some species from the Floriologist's collection are:

    Conclusion

    There are many different types of spring bloomers that are suitable for different types of gardens and soil types. Whether a spring bloomer can grow in the sun or shade depends on the specific type. One person likes dry soil and another prefers wet feet. So there is a suitable spring bloomer for every garden.

    Tips for a flowery garden

    Plant different types of flowers, each with its own flowering time, so that there are flowers in bloom throughout the spring and there is food for bees and other insects in the garden. Do you also want to arrange your garden/box in such a way that you can enjoy flowers throughout the spring and the bees with it? Feel free to send us a message or ask us at the market stall, we are happy to think along! Also go for more biodiversity in the garden and enjoy the first flowers and colors in the garden after the cold and dark winter!

    Order spring bloomers in advance

    Pre-sales for spring-flowering flower bulbs will start in the Bloemoloog webshop from 1 June.

    During the pre-sale you can order your desired products in advance, so you can be sure that your favorite flowers are still in stock and we will send your package with PostNL as soon as the planting time arrives.

    The flower bulbs ordered in the pre-sale will be delivered mid-September. From this moment on, the flower bulbs can be planted directly in the garden or in containers on the balcony.

    Buy spring bulbs

    The spring bloomers can be ordered from Bloemoloog from June to January and are available at one of our markets from August to January.

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