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Since Elizabethan times, snowdrops have been favourite in English gardens. In a famous poem, called "To a Snowdrop," William Wordsworth described its beauty. He wrote:

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A delicate snowdrop will bloom early in the spring if you plant it now.

"Chaste snowdrop, venturous harbinger of spring,

And pensive monitor of fleeting years!"

If you want this alluring little plant in your garden next spring, now is the time to plant its bulbs in your garden bed.

The soil is not yet frozen, despite the snowfall last week, and the month of November so far has been remarkably mild.

The snowdrop is thought to represent hope. Some authors, notably Robert Tyas, also suggest it stands for consolation since it promises that spring is coming and offers a consoling pleasure at the end of a long winter.

In fact, an alternative name in the Maritimes for the snowdrop is the "snow pioneer."

A modest, delicate flower, the snowdrop has lovely green grassy foliage and delightful white flowers that brighten one's spirits.

In these days before the darkness of winter hits full force, it is also time to consider any other bulbs you might like for your garden.

It's all about planning ahead for the spring garden. If you want a sprightly array of tulips, daffodils and sweet-smelling hyacinths, now is the time to put the bulbs into the ground.

A little planning must also now go into plants you will want on display in your home this Christmas season.

Now is the time to plant your paper whites and amaryllis bulbs so that they will be stars of the festive season.

There is nothing like paper whites to perfume a house and serve as their own decoration. As a general rule, begin to force paper whites about three to five weeks before you want them to bloom.

Simply fill a container that does not have drainage holes with pebbles to reach just an inch below the top.

Then anchor about half a dozen bulbs if they will fit and add enough water to barely touch the bottoms of the bulbs. It is okay to plant the bulbs close together, even touching.

Maintain this water level and place the container in a cool, dark place (a garage is good) until the shoots develop. This takes about two weeks.

If you don't have a dark corner of a garage, you can put the planter in a black plastic bag so it will hold in the moisture and provide the necessary darkness.

A cold room in a corner of the basement is also an excellent location for the process.

When roots form and the shoots emerge, bring the paper whites into indirect light where they will bloom like an emblem of the Christmas season.

Their heady scent will filter throughout your home for about two weeks, adding a wonderful dimension to your interior décor.

In the event you have misjudged the time and your plant is coming into bloom too quickly, just return it to a cool, dark area for a few days.

To keep this fragrance alive well into the new year, or even for the entire winter, force more bulbs every few weeks so they will flower continuously.

Another popular holiday plant is the Christmas cactus, so loved because of its beauty this time of the year and its ability to survive and come back and surprise us with even more blooms in the Christmases to come.

Its long arching arms suddenly come to life with magnificent pink, white or orange flowers.

If you want your Christmas cactus to bloom over the season, simply stop watering it now and put it in a cool place that is totally dark at night.

Water it only enough to keep the plant alive and within about six weeks, gradually bring it out to warmer temperatures. It will bloom again.

The other favourite Christmas plant, the amaryllis, will bloom in time for the holiday season if you force it now as well.

Also known as the hippeastrum hybrid, we can understand why when we learn hippeastrum is Greek for "horseman's star."

The blossom of the amaryllis does resemble six pointed stars and its closed blooms are similar to the shape of a horse's head.

Amaryllis is a beautiful seasonal flower and it never fails to cheer all who look at it. It is easy to grow but offers a big reward for the indoor gardener.

n Community Gardener is a bi-weekly column about all things gardening. If you have a question for our Community gardener, e-mail thisweek@brunswicknews.com.