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Snowdrops gardens to visit across the UK
Spring, that most welcome celebrity of a season, might announce its arrival in a golden fanfare of daffodils. But its long-awaited appearance is first signalled by the rolling out in early February of nature’s own white carpet, as snowdrops challenge the winter to retreat, writes Chris Binding
It is a seasonal show that grows more spectacular by the year, witnessed by an ever-growing fan club of Galanthophiles - after the flower’s scientific name Galanthus - won over by wonderful displays in gardens and woodlands across the UK.
Wherever you live, there’s certain to be an open garden or place to visit nearby, which has its own snowdrop spectacular to offer - and you’ll be dazzled by the displays.
Scotland’s Cambo Estate, near St Andrews on the east coast, boasts over 200 varieties of snowdrops in its 70 acres of woodland garden, and they are added to yearly in a burgeoning mail order business, as gardeners clamour to bring the snowdrop magic to their own special plots. Orders are received from all over the world.
Hodsock Priory, in Nottinghamshire boasts a myriad of snowdrops in its five-acre gardens, plus a half-mile walk in the woods with carpets of blooms to delight you. It’s open every day from February 1 to March 2, 10am to 4pm.
East Lambrook Manor, in Somerset, has been the site of a new snowdrop discovery, galanthus ‘Sir Henry B-C’. The gardens were created by the British garden icon, Margery Fish in the 1950s, who popularised snowdrops and made the general public aware of their immense beauty and variety. Since then, East Lambrook Manor has become a site of pilgrimage for snowdrop enthusiasts from all over the world.
This new variety was discovered by gardeners at East Lambrook Manor and was confirmed by galanthus expert, Matt Bishop, as an exciting addition to the already rare and extensive snowdrop collection in these famous Somerset gardens.
The snowdrop was named ‘Sir Henry B-C’ after Sir Henry Boyd-Carpenter who was Margery Fish’s nephew and who spent much of his childhood growing up at East Lambrook Manor.
The Manor has organised a Snowdrop Study Day on Saturday, February 9, with guest speakers, lunch and viewings of specialist snowdrop display and a wander around the grade I listed gardens.
Also in Somerset, a park-and-ride scheme will be in operation again from February 2, to bus thousands of visitors to the hidden Snowdrop Valley, near Exmoor's Wheddon Cross. This helps reduce traffic pollution to a minimum, and ensures visitors a safe and comfortable trip to the secret valley of the River Avill. A really special place to see.
There are snowdrop extravaganzas on offer at splendid Heale House, near Salisbury, Wiltshire on February 3 and 10, with talks by experts and guided tours by the head gardener. There are eight acres of beautiful gardens beside the River Avon with fabulous shows of snowdrops guaranteed.
The National Trust is laying on many snowdrop events at its gardens.
In the South West, Trust gardens in Cornwall are open from February onwards and are great for spring flowers but Lanhydrock and Trengwainton are particularly good for snowdrops. Lanhydrock garden is open all week, all year from 10 - 6pm. From 10 February Trengwainton is open Thursdays through to Sundays.
In the South and South East, Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire is open for weekends in February for snowdrops and other early bulbs. Opening times: 11am - 4pm.
Stowe Landscape Gardens, in Buckinghamshire, is open for weekends in February for snowdrops and other early bulbs. Snowdrops make an appearance alongside the lake in the Elysian Fields, jostling for space with yellow aconites. Opening times: 10.30am - 4.00pm.
The Vyne, In Hampshire, is also open for weekends in February for snowdrops and other early bulbs.
East of England: The garden at Oxburgh Hall, in Norfolk, is another great location for snowdrops. Open at weekends until 24 February. Opening times 11am - 4pm.
Anglesey Abbey Garden, in Cambridgeshire, has more than 240 varieties of snowdrop scattered throughout the 100-acre garden in January and February, including Galanthus lagodechianus. This variety, uncommon in Britain and thought to be a relic from the Crimean War, was one of 17 discovered by Head Gardener Richard Ayres on the site of the garden's Victorian rubbish heap. Open for snowdrop season from Tuesday, January 15 to Sunday, February 24 (closed on Mondays).
East Midlands: Belton House, in Lincolnshire, will be opening at weekends in February and they have a great display of spring flowers including snowdrops, bluebells and aconites. Open at weekends from February 3 - 24. Opening times: 12 - 4pm.
West Midlands: Attingham Park, in Shropshire, has snowdrop weekends on January 26 and 27 through to the end of February where you can watch the woodland floor transform into a beautiful carpet of snowdrops.
There'll be snowdrop walks at Dudmaston, in Shropshire, two weekends in February. Visitors will be able to take a self-guided walk around the Big Pool and through the historic Dingle on a search for some fabulous snowdrops. Open on February 2, 3 and 9, 10. Opening times: 11am - 4m.
The Weir Garden, in Herefordshire, is renowned as a spring garden. There are usually lots of snowdrops then spectacular displays of early bulbs (chinodoxa, primroses and daffodils). The garden is open for the last two weekends in January (19, 20 and 26, 27) from 11am until 4pm.
Wales: Visit Penrhyn Castle, in Gwynedd, for carpets of snowdrops and wonderful views Open on the weekends of February 2, 3 and 9, 10 between 11 - 3pm.
And if that's not enough, click here for even more ideas for snowdrop gardens to visit.
