Snowdrops are always the first to emerge. Galanthus elwesii. Crocus shoots are showing green tips.

With above zero temps and rain instead of snow, it’s safe to believe it’s spring. Although we had some well-past-their-welcome snowflakes in early April—causing much wailing and gnashing of teeth from gardeners—the growing season is now upon us and can only get better from here on in.

A new garden season always gets the blood pumping in a gardener’s veins. Now, it’s daily checking to see what’s popping up, scanning for green shoots—any green shoots!

Spring bulbs are the first shoots we spy, and snowdrops show their faces first. The large flowered variety, Galanthus elwesii, are the best in my garden: they pack a bigger punch, even in a small group. I’d love to have a huge swath of snowdrops, but in my tough, sandy garden full of competitive Norway maple tree roots, I am lucky to see a few snowdrops here and there. To behold a real flower emerging from the soil, after the winter we’ve had is an exquisite thrill. Plus it’s good exercise to bend low—in the case of snowdrops, very low—in order to see the delicate flowers close up. Consider it your gardener’s spring warm up?