Snowdrops

Snowdrops are the earliest bulbs to wake up, pushing slender blue-green leaves and nodding white bells through frozen ground while the rest of the garden is still asleep. Each stem holds a single teardrop-shaped flower that dangles above the foliage, unbothered by frost and late-winter cold snaps.

At just 6 inches tall, they tuck easily under deciduous trees, along walkways, at the front of beds, or into patio containers you can set by the door for a close-up look at the season's first bloom. Left alone, they naturalize and return in wider drifts each year, turning bare winter ground into something worth walking out to see.