Best places to find snowdrops in the UK
February may be the shortest month, and one of the greyest, but it’s the time of year that snowdrop enthusiasts (or “galanthophiles”) across the UK look forward to the most. This is when “enchanting white carpets” begin to crop up, “brightening winter and signalling warmer days ahead”, said The Independent. Here are some of the best places to find the “pint-sized” blooms.
Goldsborough Hall, North Yorkshire
This Yorkshire stately home offers a truly “spectacular” sea of snowdrops, which “blankets” the 12-acre grounds, said The English Garden. The Snowdrop Walk has over “100 rare varieties of snowdrops”, some of which are so rare “they haven’t yet been named”. The dog-friendly home is also hosting Snowdrop Sunday on 22 February – a day dedicated entirely to snowdrops, with plant sales, tours given by the head gardener, and refreshments to keep the cold at bay in the Orangery.
goldsboroughhall.com, throughout February
Shepton Snowdrop Festival, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Back for its 10th edition, this festival promises a proper “celebration of the joyful flower”, said Country Life. The annual event is dedicated to James Allen (the “Snowdrop King”), who in the 19th century was the first person to breed new snowdrop varieties from wild species, and supported by Dan Pearson, of landscaping fame, as patron. Join your fellow snowdrop enthusiasts in Shepton Mallet to “see the white, bell-shaped heads rise above frosty or damp soil”, and “herald the beginning of the end of the winter months”. For the first time, local landmarks including Forde Abbey and Dunster Castle will also be joining forces for the Great Snowdrop Trails of Somerset.
sheptonsnowdrops.org.uk, 20–21 February
Cambo Gardens, St Andrews, Fife
The gardens have been the “spiritual home” of the Scottish Snowdrop Festival since it began back in 2007, said The Scotsman. The snowdrops found here are the perfect “tonic that lifts our spirits”, just as it feels like “winter is dragging its heels”. Through rain or shine the little flowers push through and “fill the air with their honeyed scent”. Cambo Gardens offers a range of ways to enjoy the season, with “walks, talks, woodland trails, expert workshops and live music events”.
cambogardens.org.uk, 25 January–15 March
Gelli Uchaf, near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
Though the smallest garden on this list, the Welsh beauty is home to one of the most “diverse micro-climates”, said The Independent. The slopes are underplanted with hundreds of thousands of snowdrops (including the “unique” Welsh Snowdrop Collection), as well as crocuses, cyclamens, daffodils and many other bulbs. You can even take some home for yourself from the garden shop, where a variety of potted snowdrops are available. Make sure you book, as tickets and tours are in high demand.
ngs.org.uk, 21–22 February, 21–22 March
Rodmarton Manor, Cotswolds
Across the border into England, this Cotswolds gem rounds off our list. The manor’s 20th-century grounds include “one of the best preserved Arts & Crafts gardens of its era”, said House & Garden. The eight acres are home to more than 150 varieties of snowdrop, “including some that originated here”. Rodmarton Regulus is “beautiful, tall and elegant”, while Rodmarton Arcturus has “wonderfully textured, rounded flowers like silk”. “Crouching down to take in the detail of all the different varieties is the order of the day, and you’ll see lots of other galanthophiles doing the same.”
rodmarton-manor.co.uk, 13–14, 20–21, 27–28 February