To discover the in depth Folklore and Magic of the snowdrop,
as well as beautiful art work from the 'golden age' of early 20th century fairy painters,
find my "Snowdrop Magic" page here.

 

 

Don't miss this one,  especially if the weather is fair - lovely teas too!

Mere House,  Mereworth  ( 10 miles from Maidstone ME18 5NB)     Website
National Gardens Scheme - open for snowdrops

Sun Feb 9th 2020 Sun Feb 16th 2020 **New & extra date:** ** Monday Feb 17th 2020**

2.00pm - 5.00pm

£5.00

                    The garden of Mere House opens in February to take advantage of myriads of enchanting winter flowers.

  Please Note:  
     There is an EXTRA date, to take advantage of post-storm Dennis weather !!  
Monday 17th February 2020    2 - 5pm

 Walk through the woodland and along the lake-river bank then back towards the house for good home-made refreshments. On several occasions we have been able to sit outside in the winter sunshine for tea (with real teapots!!) and cake - in February! Inside of course if it is too cold!

Take home some Winter Magic!     Perfect for planting - 'in the green' and such good value.
I'll let you know how mine do!      (The most success I have ever had! 2016 - divided and replanted 2018!)

Snowdrops, winter aconites and heathers brighten the winter days while hundreds more snowdrops grow on the house side of the river walk.

      The Mere House Gardens will also be open for Spring flowers and daffodils and teas on:

              Sunday March 29th and Sunday April 5th   2.00pm - 5.00pm 

Pictures taken at Mere House - February 2013 & 2015  ©vcsinden

 

 

Knowle Hill Farm,  Ulcombe   ( 7 miles SE of Maidstone   ME17 1ES .)     website
Snowdrop openings for the National Gardens Scheme

Or by appointment in Jan / Feb 2020 Phone  01622 850240

Saturday 8th February 2020 Sunday 9th February 2020 Monday 10th February 2020

11.00 - 3.00

Adults £5.00 for NGS

A well known garden in the Kentish NGS year

You'll find hundreds of mature snowdrops in many varieties and sizes. All grown in well labelled clumps, as well as those naturalised under the trees along the walks.

Not to mention the delicious warm sausage rolls and tea in the kitchen by the aga!

Exquisite helebores bloom in amongst the beds, making irresistable combinations!

Pictures taken at Knowle Hill  Farm Garden - February 3rd 2018     ©vcsinden

 

 

 

St. Mary's Church, Sutton Road, Langley   (approx 4 miles from Maidstone   ME17 3LZ )     Website
Soup and Snowdrops event

Saturday Feb 15th 2020 or daily for churchyard walk

11.00am - 2.00pm

Cost of refreshments

    From the church website: (link above)

   "Sample some scrumptious homemade soups, cakes and breads from 11.00 am until 2.00 pm all in the peaceful surroundings of St Mary’s where the churchyard should be carpeted in snowdrops. You are assured of a warm welcome."

It certainly IS carpeted in snowdrops - really beautiful today with snow sprinkling the ground!  (30.01.19)

 

 

Pictures taken at St Mary's Church, Langley - January 30th 2019   ©vcsinden          

 

 

 

 

Brockhill Park, Saltwood,    (Near Hythe  CT21 4HL)     Website
Lakeside, woodland and river walks

Daily

9.00am - dusk

Free but car-parking charge

      This is still one of the very best places to see snowdrops in Kent. You can go there on any day you choose to take a walk in beautiful park land around the lake with banks carpeted in snowdrops in February, especially around the right-hand side as you walk down to the lake. Or try one of the longer walks meandering through the mature alder trees along the river. Perfect winter beauty, and apart from a car-parking charge - free.

  There's a nice cafe at the car-park with delicious home-made meals, cakes and refreshments - a vegetarian delight! Re-opens after winter break, all ready for the snowdrops, on 26th January 2020.

Ducks keeping their feet out of the icy lake water, and snowdrops in the snow at Brockhill Park on 12th February 2013

 Perfect for a winter stroll - admire the myriads of snowdrops, feed the ducks and moorhens on the lake - gaze at the pretty   waterfalls - then indulge in a warming home-made, excellent value vegetarian lunch!  We did - often!

Pictures taken at Brockhill Park, Hythe - February 2012, 14 and 2017  ©vcsinden

 

 

 

A very popular event in South-East Kent, and well worth turning out for.
Snowdrops, teas, amazing surroundings - go and see for yourselves. 

St Cosmas & St Damian,  Challock  (between Ashford & Faversham  TN25 4BP )  Website
Famous Snowdrop Teas 

Sunday 9th February 2020 Sunday 23rd February 2020

12.00pm - 5.00pm

Donation

  You can walk amongst the snowdrops at any time in February, but for a real treat go on one of the two Sundays when the church is specially opened.

 There you will see the amazing, and rightly famous, Millennium Mural by local artist, the late John Ward, which covers two huge walls.

Whilst there you may partake of  the delicious home-made refreshments and browse the Books, CDs and DVDs, Bric-a-brac and chance the Tombola.  

 

*Caution*:  this is a very popular event, be aware that human vehicles sometimes block the narrow,
winding lane up and down the hill to the church. It may be quicker to fly!
Or failing that - leave plenty of time!
Well worth it though.

Pictures taken at Challock Church, Kent in February 2013, 2015 & 2017  ©vcsinden

 

 

Doddington Place (Doddington nr Sittingbourne ME9 0BB)   Website
Open for NGS for Snowdrops

Sunday 23rd February 2020

11.00am - 4.00pm

£8.00

Snowdrops and plants for sale.  Cream teas and Refreshments available

Spectacular 10 acre gardens with sweeping lawns, underplanted woodlands, a giant redwood avenue, and unbelievably undulating yew hegdes surrounding a Victorian mansion -
with a new surprise round every corner.

A varied display to admire at close quarters welcomes you to the gardens.

Above:  Snowdrops en masse under the giant redwoods and through the woodland walks
Below: The house with plenty of room inside and out for all-important refreshments

At my 2017 visit there were some beautiful snowdrops for sale (and other winter plants).

      I fell in love with the delightful snowdrop above and bought a little pot - I even aquired a little openwork cage to protect it!   I see it actually has several little buds already  today - on January 8th 2020 - it's an early opener.

Photos taken at Doddington Place Feb 19th 2017  ©vcsinden

 

 

 

Possibly unusual for a 'Snowdrop' page to mention - but the most traditional of all events - a real (and increasingly rare) Service for Candlemas Night. A thing to be treasured.

St. Pancras Church, Coldred, Kent  (near Eyethorne and close to Dover CT15 5AQ)     website
A Traditional Service for the Night of Candlemas

 

Sunday 2nd February 2020

6.00pm

Church service - collection

 

Find your way to the tiny 12th century church on the outskirts of the delightful, historic village of Coldred and make your way carefully up the snowdrop lined path. As the door opens, the warm glow of candlelight spills through the porch to welcome you in.

The little space will be entirely lit by candles, and all the flowers white. If the snowdrops are plentiful for Candlemas Day, then there will be many in church - if they are late, and still not much more than buds, at least one or two specially tied, precious bunches with be there to welcome you.

Make no mistake - you are witnessing a rare thing. There are few such celebrations and they are getting fewer - should be on the 'endangered species list!'  This is a dedicated candlelit Candlemas Service on the very night of Candlemas itself - February 2nd. - and nowhere could be as pretty as this.

  Snowdrops are the winter symbol of purity - and as such associated with this day, dedicated to the memory of new mother Mary, attending the temple for the first time since the birth, for her lawful ritual cleansing.

 

Not too easy to find, the church is not in the centre. As you drive from the A2 through the village , past the ancient pub and folktale Coldred pond, turn right into Church Road. Continue approx. half a mile and you will find St.Pancras opposite the Coldred Sign and Britain In Bloom winners sign.  There is no actual carpark, but quite a lot of room in the lane itself.

 

Pictures taken at Coldred Church - February 2nd 2015  & 2018    ©vcsinden

A place to buy your 'in the green' snowdrops and other treats

Hole Park, Benenden Road, Rolvenden, Kent  TN17 4JA
Snowdrop & Plant Fair Roadshow 

(Rolvenden is on the A28   between Tenterden and Northiam)   website

Sunday 9th February 2020

11am - 3.00pm

£4.00 - includes plant fair and garden

Hole Park has a very beautiful garden, most renowned for its fabulous bluebells later in the Spring. Their small Plant Fair involves an interesting list of independent nurseries and stall holders and should again prove to have many snowdrop and plant treasures on sale! 

Last year (2019) was the first time that this fair had been attempted, and despite the freezing, wet and windy weather it was lovely to be able to see the garden with its huge winter flowering shrubs and wooded banks in coldest February.

Hot and cold refreshments are available in the coach house.

Picture taken at Hole Park - February 2019 ©vcsinden

 

 

The Old Rectory,  Fawkham, nr Longfield, Kent
( 1.5 miles North of Fawkham Green on Valley Road,  DA3 8LX )       website

Open in February by appointment for groups of up to 20 only

Karin & Christopher Proudfoot 01474 707513

£4.00 for NGS

 

The pictures on the website (link above) look very lovely - and the write-up for the National Gardens Scheme boasts ...   "An impressive display of long established naturalised snowdrops and winter aconites; 100 named snowdrops added more recently".

I have not managed to visit this site - yet! - but will be sure to soon I hope.

 

Lovely visit, with many drifts of snowdrop species, tea-rooms
and potted snowdrops for sale in garden centre

Broadview Gardens, Hadlow College 
( between Tonbridge 3.5miles and Maistone 11.0miles TN11 0AL )    Website
Winter Colour, Hellebores and Snowdrops

 

Gardens, Garden Centre, Tea Rooms - All Open Daily

Mon - Sat  9.00 - 5.00 Sundays 10.00 - 4.00

Gardens Free Winter Tours £4.00pp

 

Broadview Gardens is home to the national collection of hellebores, but it also has well established, spectacular plantings of snowdrops and fine winter plants and shrubs. You can wander the gardens free during opening hours.    Or take a Specialist 'Winter Garden Tour' in 2020, with questions and advice from the Head Gardener.  To Book a Tour, or for more information see Broadview Gardens website or Phone 01732 853211      These exquisite hellebore blooms (below) were set out in big dishes by the entrance to the Garden Centre and Tea Rooms when I visited.

      Snowdrops and hellebores are shown in a formal setting, with many different varieties to enjoy, growing in huge swathes in the various garden borders and beds. The plants are clearly labelled so take a notebook!

     Some potted varieties are available to buy at the Garden Centre, situated right beside the garden walks.

The Tea Rooms, also situated at the Garden Centre will be open for breakfasts, coffees, light lunches and cream teas.

Pictures taken at Broadview Gardens, Hadlow College - February 2015  ©vcsinden

 

 

Definitely worth a visit - enjoyed this a lot

  Copton Ash,  Faversham ( ME13 8XW )    Website
National Gardens Scheme - open for snowdrops & hellebores
Snowdrops for sale

Sun January 26th 2020 Sun February 16th 2020

12.00 - 4.00pm

£4.00

   

  A Snowdrop collector's delight with species after species of snowdrop, all clearly labelled and hellebores of every hue.

The one and a half acre garden, is open early for just two days, so that we can enjoy the owners "special interest in woodland flowers, snowdrops and hellebores with flowering trees and shrubs of spring".

     Homemade soup and teas will be available.

 

   Above, a magical white himalayan birch catches the sunlight. Right species snowdrops 'Gerard Parker' and 'Mrs Thompson'. Many unusual snowdrop varieties on sale at the plant stall.

 

Note from Copton Ash website : " Please note -parking is off site, in laybys and on roadsides."

  Photos taken at Copton Ash, Feb 2013 & 2019  ©vcsinden

 

My favourite summer garden - and I never knew its winter secret ! 
Snowdrops by the thousand underplanting the borders - who would have guessed - what a wonderful surprise!

Great Dixter Gardens  (Northiam, East Sussex, TN31 6PH )  Website
Winter Open Weekends

Saturday 22nd February 2020 Sunday 23rd February 2020 Saturday 29th February 2020 Sunday 1st March 2020

10.00am - 4.00pm

£5.00 Shop & Nursery Open

Bare bones and underplantings

    Just a stone's throw from the Kentish border, many of you will be familiar with the gardens of Great Dixter - but perhaps you've never seen them in their winter splendour. I certainly hadn't.  In 2020 there will once again be two weekends when you can see the structure and plantings as never before - much bare and skeletal but strikingly beautiful.

     These open weekends do not advertise themselves as 'Snowdrop' days, so I was amazed and delighted to find big clumps of variety after variety throughout the garden, and great drifts of white, naturalised amongst grass and beneath the bare boughs in the summer beds.

Photos taken at Great Dixter, February 2015   &  2019  ©vcsinden

 

 

 Spring Platt  (near Sutton Valence ME17 3BY.)  Website
National Gardens Scheme - open for snowdrops

Sunday 26th January 2020 Other dates by appontment only - see website above

Contact owners Mr & Mrs John Millen 01622 843383 carolyn.millen1@gmail.com

10.30am - 3.00pm £5.00

Green Tear	Starling	Lucy

Close-up viewings of species snowdrops are made easy from the raised terrace beds, with many special, rare and unusual blooms to be seen. The garden has over 400 varieties. Take a note of your favourites, many can be bought or ordered.

 

Pictures taken at Spring Platt - February  2014 & 2018   ©vcsinden

 

             

       

Hever Castle  (near Tunbridge Wells and Edenbridge TN8 7NG)    Website
Snowdrop Trail

Daily from Saturday 8th February 2020

Gardens 10.30am - 4.30pm

Gardens only from £15.55 Conc. available

              Val Bourne will be giving a talk entitled The Wonderful World of Galanthophilia on Saturday 8 February at 1pm.

Giant snowdrop signs mark the way along the Hever castle Snowdrop Trail

The pretty grounds of Ann Boleyn's childhood home are a treat in themselves, even in the depths of a wet February.  There is a well signed 'Snowdrop Trail' with its own map for vistors, but you may need your wellies to reach the final display!      There are several well established drifts in the woodlands and along the bank of the moat, but the trail itself is rather newly established.  (Please note:  the new part of the trail has had five years now since Hever's Snowdrop Trail was first reviewed for this page).  Worth braving the wetter parts for the charming surprise ending!     The castle itself is open daily from 12.00, but entrance is at extra cost. Two cafe/restaurants will be open during the February Snowdrop openings for lunches, snacks and teas. See Hever Castle website (link above) for more details.

Pass well established drifts along the trail and meet the colony of wicker bunnies, grazing on snowdrops in the top field.

Pictures taken at Hever Castle - 20th February 2014   ©vcsinden

                                                 

Public Footpath walk through lovely Kentish woods drenched in places with naturalized snowdrops.

 

Sharsted Woods, Newnham, Kent  ( 'The Street', on your left between
Doddington Place & The George  ME9 0LL between Lenham and Faversham)    
Woodland walk through snowdrops and chestnuts.

Snowdrops in February

any time

none

A pretty country drive and great place to walk the dog - paths through a chestnut wood wend up hill and down dale, where the lowest areas are awash with naturalised snowdrops.
*Note: not much parking beside the woods themselves - but an easy walk out of the village of Newnham.

 

Photos taken in Sharsted Woods, February 2012 & 2017   ©vcsinden

 

 

Enough beautiful snowdrops surrounding the medieval church, some small, some huge,
to slake your snowdrop thirst for the whole of 2020

St. Mary's Church,   Hunton   ( 7 miles from Maidstone towards Tonbridge ME15 0RR.)    
Walk through the perfect snowdrop drifts surrounding the church 

February 2020

Church yard any time

   You can visit this wonderful display of snowdrops at any time. The pretty churchyard is planted with thousands and thousands of galanthus, and many kinds thrive in the shady grass and lush, deep leaf-mould.   

	A church has been standing on this site since the 11th century. The churchyard is planted extensively with the symbol of hope.

 

Photos taken in Hunton churchyard, February 2012 & 2015   ©vcsinden

 

Good place to buy rare and unusual bulbs in the green from several specialist nurseries.

 

Great Comp Gardens, Borough Green,  (nr Sevenoaks TN15 8QS)      Website
  Snowdrop Fair & Lecture

Sun Feb 16th 2020

Snowdrop Fair 10.00am - 12.00 noon Gardens open until 4.00pm

Adults £8.00

 

Great Comp Garden, Comp Lane, Platt, Borough Green, will be open for their annual event  'Snowdrop Sensation'.
  The plant sale with specialist snowdrop and spring bulb nurseries will run from 10am to 12 noon with lunches available and gardens open until 4.00pm.

The gardens, rarely seen in mid-winter, will be open to enjoy until 4.00pm  Be warned, this is not really a garden to view snowdrops en masse, it is the variety of specialist snowdrop growers selling their bulbs who are the attraction here - but only until 12.00pm noon.

Lunches, teas and refreshments will be available in the cosy tearoom.

 

Pictures taken at Great Comp - February 2015   ©vcsinden

 

Pretty country churchyard for peaceful snowdrop contemplation -
a long time favourite of local folks for 'a nice drive out'. Sadly some areas are getting thinner now.

St Mary's Church, Hinxhill  ( near Ashford  TN25 6NU )    
Churchyard planted with drifts of naturalised snowdrops.

Late  January - February

any time

no charge

	It's been snowing a little in this part of Kent - but that doesn't deter the Flowers of Hope - in fact I think they like it!   The picture below is a close up from the one on the left, as it is so difficult to see the snowdrops from the snow in the original photograph!

Photos taken in the churchyard of Hinxhill Church,  February 2012 & 2015    ©vcsinden

 

 

A Little Further Afield:

 

Very special varieties of snowdrop, sales, contained walks - great cafe.

Chelsea Physic Garden (66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HS)     Website
'Heralding the Spring'

Saturday 25th January to Sunday 2nd February 2020 Sunday 26th January 2020 Talk - Snowdrops Sunday 2nd February 2020 Talk - Hellebores

11.00am - 4.00pm Talk - Joe Sharman 11.30am Talk - Ed Flint  2.00pm

Adults inc.seniors £7.50 (Winter Ticket) Talk free with entrance ticket

     The garden is open in Winter for these few very special days only. There is a Snowdrop Trail, walks and free guided tours. The short trail takes you around paths with carefully labelled, unusual species as well as more common varieties becoming naturalised under the trees.

   Galanthophile Joe Sharman of Monksilver Nursery will be at the Physic Garden at 11.30am on Sunday 26th January 2020 to give a talk on "The Wonderful World of Snowdrops".

The exhibition in the marquee 'Snowdrop Theatre' shows the most beautiful stars of the week, displayed in big pots. They are against dark backgrounds and well lit so that you can look at them closely at eye-height .

   

 

Potted snowdrops, some very rare (and expensive!), others familiar and accessible, with more winter-flowering plants are on sale from specialist nurseries in the snowdrop marquee.   

    Mulled wine, teas, coffees and warming food available all day in the busy Tangerine Cafė. I really must recommend the 'Orange Polenta' cake if they have it this year!    

 

     

Photos taken at The Chelsea Physic Garden,
February 13th 2014 & January 22nd 2016  ©vcsinden

 

 

 

 

If you are prepared to drive and make a lovely snowdrop day of it  -
Unbelievable!

*Warning:  This place will spoil you for anywhere else! *

Not SNOW ! Snowdrops !

 

Welford Park,  Newbury in Berkshire RG20 8HU          Website
Snowdrop Woods and Snowdrops in the grounds

Daily - (without Mons & Tues) from Wednesday 29th January to Sunday 1st March 2020

11.00am - 4.00pm Not open Mondays & Tuesdays

Adults £8.00    Conc.£6.00 for various charities

  Sales of Snowdrops by specialist nurseries are on specific days - these dates can be found at  https://www.welfordpark.co.uk/

Approximately 120miles away, via M20, M25 and M4
but if you have time and energy for a good day out or even a weekend away  - it is OH so worth it!

   The snowdrops at Welford park have been naturalised in the woods for centuries and are thought to have been some of the earliest introduced into Britain.  The website tells us that ... 
"We think the snowdrops here at Welford Park were planted by the Norman monks to decorate their Church for the feast of Candlemas, and also for medicinal use." 
What a wonderful thought.

     As you walk along the sweeping drives towards the house (above) you'll see more snowdrops than you can believe - I honestly thought that I had seen the best - until - past the river - I found "The Snowdrop Woods" !

Take the bridge across the river - then hold your breath! .....

The ' Teashop' and 'Garden Marquee' will be open for light lunches and teas.
It is adjacent to 'The Snowdrop Shop' which has a fine range of  snowdrop themed ceramics, textiles, stationary and hand-made jewellery.

 

Photos taken at  Welford Park, Berkshire, February 2015   ©vcsinden

 

 

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