Snowdrops

Snowdrops 
Those visiting Texel for the first time are often amazed by the colorful flower bulb fields on the island. The soil here is just as suitable for cultivating flower bulbs as it is in the famous Dutch bulb growing area known as the ‘Bollenstreek' and flower bulbs have long been grown on the island.

Trading in snowdrops
In the 1960s pioneering Texel inhabitants earned a good living by trading in snowdrops. They travelled with buses to France, where snowdrops were considered a sort of weed, and they were allowed to dig them out of the woodlands. Snowdrops thrive the best in-between the trees. Snowdrops grow up to 25 cm high. The white flowers hang downwards on a single stem. The narrow leaves of the Snowdrop are bluish green. The bulbs were cultivated on the island in woods and coppices, which were often planted especially for this purpose. For this reason we can now enjoy the many white carpets of snowdrops across the island in the very early spring. There are a great many snowdrops in the pine forest but the bulbs are not cultivated here anymore as the woodland commission no longer lease out the woodlands.

Bulbs flower of the snowdrops on Texel nearly all year round, even on roadside verges. The season usually begins in January with the snowdrops, then the crocuses follow, the scillas with their blue bells, the daffodils and the grape hyacinths. Do not confuse these with the wild hyacinths which decorate the turf walls. Then the tulips bloom. Lilies show their warm colours in the summer.

Dry flowers

Many people are surprised to see lilac crocuses flowering in the late summer and autumn. What they see is actually a crocus called the autumn crocus.The inhabitants of Texel call these bulbs ‘dry flowerers' as they can flower inside without soil or water.