To test vegetation development in relation to the snow cover characteristics of ski pistes, the soil temperature, time of snowmelt and phenology of flowering plants were recorded on plots with groomed artificial snow, groomed natural snow and untreated natural snow, on an experimental field near Davos, Switzerland. The soil temperature was lowest under the compressed artificial snow, and significantly lower under the compressed natural snow compared to the untreated natural snow. The snowmelt in April occurred first on the ungroomed natural snow, followed by the groomed natural snow and finally the groomed artificial snow. The phenology of the plants, postponed by the snow properties, followed the same pattern as the snowmelt until mid June. Although the difference in snow characteristics between the snow types was small, their impact on the early flowering plants was measurable for a relatively long time after the snowmelt.