As you may know I’m a bit keen on Snowdrops and I’d like to share some of this joy with you!

I’ve put together a very short calendar of events and I’m sure I’ve missed more than I’ve found so if you know of somewhere that I haven’t included please do add it in the comments section below!

January

15th Jan

Art & Thrive, Snowdrops art evening
Wed, 19:30 – 22:30

The Robin Hood, The Ridgeway, Enfield, EN2 8AP

For those of you that just cant wait for Snowdrop season to start and have an artistic bent this ticketed event might be right up your street.

20th Jan

Snowdrops Brush Party – Shefford
Mon, 19:00 – 22:00

The Bridge, 50 High Street, Shefford, SG17 5DG

Another artistic night out although this one may challenge those doing Dry January! Brush party UK hold ‘Paint & Sip’ parties with a resident artist to help you achieve your potential. Tickets available on the link.

25th Jan

Ultimate Snowdrop Sale
Sat, 10.30 am until 12.00pm
Myddelton House Gardens, Bulls Cross, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 9HG

One of the biggest sales of Snowdrops, drawing specialist nurseries from all over. Bring plenty of cash as some of the more desirable varieties can really set you back and be a bit prepared if this is your first time by having a look online at what might be available. Once you’ve had your fill of the melee take a moment to walk round the fascinating historic gardens of E.A.Bowles.

February

This is of course the most important month in the calendar, not least because it contains my birthday and is over quickest but because this is when most of the snowdrop gardens open and sales take place!

1st Feb to 29th Feb

Snowdrop Weekends

Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU

30 Acres of Snowdrops and topiary and an excellent HG I had the pleasure of working alongside when we were both at Sissinghurst. I really must pop down and see Josh as he’s incredibly knowledgeable, fun and talented!

2 Feb

Snowdrop Walk at West Wycombe Park
Sun, 10:30 – 16:00
West Wycombe Park, West Wycombe High Wycombe

The Snowdrop walk is specifically for Child Bereavement UK and its a truly beautiful way of remembering an incredibly important person for families. The event is open to all (admission is £3 for adults, £2 for concessions/under 16s and free for under 2’s) and  families invited to plant a snowdrop in memory of their loved one. There is a treasure hunt, tombola and other entertainments throughout the day.

2 Feb

Snowdrop Day
Sun, 13:00 – 17:00

Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 0TW

Designed by English landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’ Gatton park has a parterre and pleasure gardens laid out by H E Milner in the 1860’s. The Japanese and Rock gardens were laid out in the early 1900’s

8–16 Feb

Snowdrops woodland walk and gardens
Hodsock Priory, Blyth, Worksop

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Hodsock Priory in 2018 and it really is a truly glorious environment both for the galanthophile, the gardener and for families! A beautiful winter garden full of scent and colour to stroll in and a huge ancient woodland absolutely carpeted in snowdrops!

You can also sit around a huge open fire, telling stories, toasting marshmallows and enjoying the crisp cold day!

8th Feb

Shaftesbury Snowdrops Study, Sale and Social Day
Sat, 09:15 – 15:45
Shaftesbury Arts Centre, 13 Bell St, Shaftesbury

Tickets ££35 – £40

Exclusive access to speakers and VIP access to snowdrop sale. Lunch provided

Speakers:

• Dr Aaaron Davis Senior Research Leader of Plant Resources, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• Matt Bishop, celebrated gardener, snowdrop grower & seller
• Dr John Grimshaw, Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum, respected gardener, botanist and author

8th Feb

Snowdrop Walk
Sat, 13:00
Hever Castle & Gardens, Hever Rd, Hever
Edenbridge

Ancestral home of Anne Boleyn, and the other Boleyn girl, Hever’s gardeners have planted over 80,000 snowdrops in the last few years including some choice varieties. Guided walks run throughout February and on the 8th Val Bourne is giving a talk entitled The Wonderful World of Galanthophilia

8th/9th & 15th/16th Feb

Snowdrop Teas Open Days
Braziers Park, Ipsden, Wallingford

A pop up tea shop is being held in the main house with snowdrop walks on the weekends. Advance booking is essential

9th Feb

Invitation to View – Snowdrop walk with light lunch
Sun, 11:00 – 14:00
Hoveton Hall Estate, Hoveton Hall, Hoveton, Hoveton Hall Estate
Norwich

Booking is essential for this event as its a private house. You get a tour of the gardens and lunch provided by the host.

9th to 16th Feb

Snowdrop Sale at the Nature Discovery Centre

Nature Discovery Centre , Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way , Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 3FU

A sale of Galanthus nivalis and at an excellent price, take a walk around the nature reserve too!

9th to 23rd Feb

Snowdrop Sundays

11:30 am – 4:00 pm

Gibberd Garden, Marsh Lane, Harlow, Essex CM17 0NA

The Gibberd Garden was created by Sir Frederick Gibberd (1908-1984) and planned as a series of garden rooms. I’ve never visited personally but this may change this year as its right on my doorstep and apparently has cake!

9th Feb

Snowdrop & Plant Fair Roadshow
11am – 3pm
Hole Park, Rolvenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4JA

This is an absolute staple of my Snowdrop year, not least as I have a personal interest in the gardens as I planted some of the snowdrops myself! Some excellent nurseries attend this event (as you would expect from all of the Plant fairs Roadshow events) and you get to see the gardens at a time they would ordinarily be closed. There are sheets of snowdrops which have been carefully cultivated for decades, Rhododendrons, Camellias and Magnolias amongst other winter treats.

9th Feb

Snowdrop Walk London
Sun, 11:00 – 14:00
Queen’s Park, London

The Snowdrop walk is specifically for Child Bereavement UK and its a truly beautiful way of remembering an incredibly important person for families. The event is open to all (admission is £3 for adults, £2 for concessions/under 16s and free for under 2’s) and families invited to plant a snowdrop in memory of their loved one.

14th to 23rd Feb

Children’s Snowdrop Trail

Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum, Coggeshall
Colchester

Marks Hall really is a brilliant venue for families with children and I’m sure their snowdrop trail won’t fail to inspire youngsters. and honestly if you don’t have littleuns its still a lovely arboretum to take a stroll around. Even if you don’t go its really worth clicking on the link to see a brilliant pic of one of the resident peacocks enjoying the snowdrops!

16th Feb & 23rd Feb

Snowdrop Open Days
Sun, 11:30 – 4.30
The Gardens Of Easton Lodge, Easton Lodge, Little Easton, Dunmow

The Gardens of Easton Lodge are an idyllic haven (Historic England, Grade II listed). They have been partially restored to their former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers and the owners of Warwick House. The gardens have limited open days especially in winter so if you miss the snowdrop days check the website before travelling.

16th Feb

Snowdrops Service
Sun, 14:00 – 15:00
The Beth Chatto Gardens, Elmstead Market, Clacton Rd, Elmstead, Colchester

Beth Chatto Gardens has been hosting the installation of commemorative metal snowdrops and will be hosting the service for St Helena Hospice on the day. All are welcome to join and it is free but places are limited so please book.

16th Feb

HPS Galanthus Group AGM and Study Day
Sun, 10:00 – 16:00
Tuxford Academy, Marnham Rd, Tuxford, Newark

The Hardy Plant Society is an amazing group of like minded individuals who run events all over the country. There are local groups but there are also specific subdivisions such as the HPS Galanthus Group. Membership of the HPS Galanthus Group is open to all members of the Hardy Plant Society who are interested in propagating, growing or showing Snowdrops. This is a ticket only event so if you want to go you might need to organise your super quick (check as it may already be too late!) or put it in the diary for next year! Talks from Anne Repnow and Mark Brown before visiting two members gardens near Tuxford.

20th Feb

Snowdrop Day
Thurs, 10:00 – 14:30
Perennial, Fullers Mill, Bury St Edmunds

Perennial are the Royal Benevolent Fund for Gardeners, a charity set up to help people working in Horticulture. They run events all over the country but Fullers Mill is one of their flagship gardens. Rod Leeds, who will be available all day,  has grown snowdrops for many years in a Suffolk garden and has built up a wealth of knowledge. He is a member of the RHS Joint Rock Plant Committee that recently assessed snowdrops for Awards of Garden Merit (AGM).

Other places to see Snowdrops….

Visit an NGS Garden!

One of the bonuses of NGS gardens is more often than not these are private spaces which under normal circumstances you would never get to see. They are always the preserves of madly keen horticulturists and I’ve seen so many wonderful, inspiring and sometimes downright quirky gardens!

More often than not they will also have a few plants for sale and sometimes cake, which is of course always welcome!

And of course there are any number of places looked after by the National Trust   and English Heritage