The small-flowered species of Leucojum, the snowflakes, have recently been transferred into a new genus, called Acis. They make clumps of slender, grassy leaves, and have delicate nodding flowers, white in most species, some flowering in spring and others in autumn. Don’t leave them to the rough and tumble of the wild parts of the garden, like snowdrops, but give them a special place, where they can be appreciated and cared for.

Acis autumnalis var. pulchella is a particularly beautiful variety of the autumn snowflake, which for a long period from late summer through autumn produces its white conical flowers, several on each stem. In this variety, which comes from north Africa, the stems holding the individual flowers are arched over, so the flowers hang vertically downwards.