With a very restricted choice of blooms, I had had these Leucojum vernum or ‘spring snowflakes’ in mind for several days, and fortunately they were still blooming happily on the edge of the woodland when I went to pick them yesterday.

Often mistaken for snowdrops by those with limited plant knowledge, they are both of the Amaryllidaceae family but have been long recognised as different species. Blooms of these leucojum and the taller L aestivum or summer snowflake are always bell shaped with 6 identical green-spotted petals, and lack the huge variation seen amongst true snowdrops or galanthus. Today they were joined in my vase by leaves of Arum italicum ‘Marmoratum’ and a sprig of ivy berries, the current caviare of the local berry-eating bird population.

Looking for something dark to place the material in, to reflect the blackness of the berries, I eventually chanced upon these chicken egg cups…