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Snowdrops were somewhat confused this year. In the course of January, not having had a correct cold snap, up they pushed. But rather than sending up rockets of hard-tipped shoots (they’re in a position to piercing frozen snow), they sent up short-stemmed flowers so the white droplets hovered barely above the bottom.

In time they extended, however was a worrying moment for those not familiar with the recovery capabilities of winter plants and flowers.

When January is as mild as this one was, daffodils, narcissi, snowdrops and so forth can start pushing up their shoots much sooner than normal. But they may be all hardy plants, well equipped to resist low temperatures, and when frost and snow follow mild spells, the plants simply slip into suspended animation, slowing down or stopping their growth until the temperatures rise again. Only later in spring do frosts really do harm.

When they occur at blossom time, with fruit trees together with apples, plums and pears, they could nip the flowers a lot that the central part is browned and fruit is prevented from developing.

That said, peaches and apricots grown on walls do flower early within the year so it’ll be worth maintaining a tally of them and draping the branches with muslin or old net curtains on cold nights to assist preserve a point or two and provides them a greater chance of setting fruit.

As for the snowdrops, once they finish flowering they’re inside the best state for digging up, dividing and transplanting. I’m not suggesting you do that frequently. The fantastic thing about snowdrops is that when planted they are often left alone – no amount of overcrowding seems to fret them, they only carry on spreading that is what most folks want. But when it’s essential make more plantations, planting them “in the green” instead of as dry bulbs in autumn is a more reliable approach to ensuring their survival.

Dig up a clump once the flowers fade and divide it. Don’t waste it slow separating the only bulbs, but break them into clusters of half a dozen or so and plant these mini-clumps a couple of foot apart, and on the same depth as they were growing before, in any half-decent soil in dappled shade or between shrubs. Or naturalise them in a corner of the lawn, planting them within the turf; they’ll wilt and look sad for some time but then they must pick up and finally the foliage will die down and disappear.  

Next year, just whilst you had forgotten where you planted them, up they may push and cheer you inside the darkest months of the year. And hopefully next year they are going to push up within the more normal fashion, beginning to flower at 4in high in preference to at ground level. Well, you can’t say we don’t get variety!

Don’t miss Alan’s gardening column today and each day within the Daily Express. For more info on his range of gardening products, visit alantitchmarsh.com.