Spectacular South East Snowdrops - a sign that spring is on the way!

23rd January 2023

You may not necessarily think about heading out and about to visit one of the South East’s many gardens, parklands or woodlands in January and February.  It’s often a time when the trees are bare, the leaves have all fallen and the icy grip of winter has put everything to sleep.  However, from January until early March, the delicate white snowdrop graces our gardens and open spaces, like jewels brightening up the gloomiest of days, reminding us that spring is on its way.  The snowdrop is the prelude to spring, creating carpets of white that light up any winter walk and remind us that life is returning.

These tough little flowers are often amongst the first flower, peeking their delicate heads up above the frozen soil.  Snowdrops have adapted to pierce through snow and have a special ‘anti-freeze’ protein that helps keep them from freezing and making them more likely to be able to survive the cold. Each snowdrop bulb produces narrow greyish-green leaves with small teardrop white flowers, that droops its dainty heads towards the ground. Often found in clumps, they bring early colour to gardens and open spaces and give us a fantastic reason to wrap up warm and venture out.

Discover 10 different places to enjoy the snowdrops this winter.  Did you know, several gardens throughout South East England operate special ‘winter open weekends’, allowing us to enjoy these winter beauties in all their splendour.  There are also many woodlands, parklands and free open spaces to head out in search of first signs of spring.

Petworth House and Gardens, West Sussex
Self-guided Snowdrop Wanders - January 28th 2023 onwards.

For the first glimpse of spring visit Petworth House and Park and see swathes of snowdrops that carpet the Pleasure Gardens - a welcome sign of warmer days to come.  Petworth House, West Sussex has over 700 acres to explore. Download the 1-mile Capability Brown Pleasure Grounds walk which includes views of the Ionic Rotunda, views of Black Down the highest point in Sussex at 280m in the distance and the Doric Temple along the way.  Petworth House is managed by National Trust, the house, gardens, deer park and café are open seven days a week.  It is free to visit for National Trust members, tickets are required for other non-members.

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens 
Snowdrop Strolls - January/February 2023.

It is thought that there are around 2500 different varieties of snowdrops around the world, the exact number found at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, West Sussex, is uncertain, but the garden team have been busy, planting more than 20,000 new snowdrops around the lake.  The Grade 1 listed gardens cover 240 acres and consist of lakes, woodland areas, and the famous Rock Garden. Enjoy a visit and see how the beautiful white flowers blanket areas of the gardens, as well as the chance to enjoy the host of wildlife that call the gardens home, including foxes, rabbits, green woodpeckers, herons and their famous wallabies. Leonardslee also has an extensive deer park which is home to over 100 free-roaming deer; with varieties: Sika and Fallow.

Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens, Dover, White Cliffs Country 
Snowdrops in the Park - February 2023.

Kearsney Abbey is located just 2.5 miles from Dover as is a delight to visit at any time of the year, having recently been transformed alongside Russell Gardens (on the opposite side of the road) thanks to a £3m investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Community Fund. Once part of grand country house estates, these are now both beautiful open spaces for everyone to enjoy. Kearnsey Abbey with its informal parkland around two ornamental lakes offers the best opportunity to enjoy the dainty snowdrop. Shooting up around the historic trees and along the riverbanks of the River Dour which flows through the parkland.  Look out for sections of walls, arches, gate piers and bridges on your wanders, these are still visible today from the original estate and pop into the café, which was formerly the manor house billiards room, the decorative ceiling, wooden panels and stained glass are well-worth seeing.

Snowdrops at Cliveden, Windsor, Berkshire
Snowdrop Walk - February 2023.

The first snowdrops are already out at Cliveden, located on the outskirts of Windsor. Set high above the Thames with far-reaching views, Cliveden’s impressive gardens and majestic woodlands capture the grandeur of a bygone age. A special snowdrop walk has been designed around the estate that takes you past all the top snowdrop viewing spots and helps to keep the snowdrops from being damaged. A leaflet containing the details of the walk is available to pick up from the Information Centre in the Walled Garden car park. Some of the best spots include The Long Garden, Blenheim Pavilion and The Water Garden. Owned and managed by the National Trust, the gardens are open from 9.30am until 16pm daily. It is free to visit for National Trust members and children under 5 years, a garden ticket is required for all over visitors.

Danesfield House Hotel and Spa, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Garden Tours first of the month - 1st February/1st March. 

Danesfield House Hotel is located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire overlooking the banks of the River Thames.  The 65-acre formal gardens are full of snowdrops and winter flowers during the early months of the year. The gardens have been restored and renovated since 1989 and now offer a variety of beautifully tendered and most unusual plantings. The hotel run a monthly one-hour walking tour of the grounds with the Head Gardener, followed by a 30-minute talk about this history of the house as RAF Medmenham.  Spaces are limited to 30 people. Tour tickets are available at £10.00 per person (children under 12 years are free). Reservations are essential due to high demand.

Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire 
Snowdrop Season, 1st Feb - 28th Feb 2023.

The beautiful 8-acre Waterperry Gardens, just 7.5 miles from Oxford, has been inspiring visitors for years. Made famous by Beatrix Havergal when she established her 'School of Horticulture for Ladies' in 1932, the garden retains its educational history at its core.  Home to more than 60 different snowdrop varieties, they carpet the ornamental gardens and provide a spectacular show down by our walk along the River Thame.  You can also pick up a selection of varieties from their garden shop, the knowledgeable staff will help answer questions about the planning and growing of native species. The gardens are open daily from 10am daily and close at 5pm during the winter season, admission is just £7.50 at this time of the year.

Hever Castle, Kent
Snowdrop Walk from 8th February onwards.

Hever Castle in Kent offers the chance to discover around 115,000 Snowdrops that have been planted in the Gardens over the past few years.  A self-guided snowdrop walk is available from the 8th February until the end of March.  Look out for a mix of single and double headed snowdrops interspersed with unusual varieties such as Wendy’s Gold, Colossus and Galanthus Green Brush in the Winter Garden.  Head to the banks of the Outer Moat, along the lakeside walk or Anne Boleyn’s Walk, with its impressive collection of trees planted more than 100 years ago.  Don't worry if the weather is cold, you can pick up a warming drink at the Moat Cafe along the way. 

Gilbert White’s House, Shelborne, Hampshire 
Snowdrop Celebration Weekend - 12th & 13th Feb 2023.

Located 30 minutes from Winchester is the village of Selborne, Hampshire, where you will find Gilbert White’s House and Gardens.  Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house.  At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’ but over the subsequent years, lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the sizeable house you see today. Gilbert White’s House and Gardens celebrate his life-long investigation of the natural world and every year they open their doors for an annual snowdrop celebration.  This one weekend offers visitors the chance to enjoy half price admission to the house and gardens all weekend, plus free garden tours hosted by the garden team at 12pm & 2pm. Keep an eye out for a variety of snowdrop known as the 'Selborne Green Tip'.  It was discovered in Selborne by Henry John Elwes who was an English naturalist, traveller and horticulturalist and can today be found within Gilbert White’s Garden.  

Eythrope Parkland Tour & Visit to Waddesdon Manor Gradens, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Private Tour 15th - 17th February.

In February, take an exclusive tour of the private gardens of Eythrope. For a truly inspirational winter walk, winter flowering shrubs, spring bulbs, and best of all, the seasonal snowdrops which create a distinctive white blanket across the grounds. The gardens where laid out for Sir William Stanhope in the mid-18th century, so much of what you see predates Alice de Rothschild’s ownership. Visits to this private parkland and woodland garden run around an hour and are led by Waddesdon's garden experts.  After your tour, you indulge in a delicious lunch at the Five Arrows Hotel, which is located at the gate to Waddesdon Manor's gardens before having time to explore Waddesdon's Manors grounds and gardens, Buckinghamshire.

Here you will find swathes of the brilliant white snowdrops along the top of 'Daffodil Valley', where thousands of early flowering daffodils are also beginning to burst into bloom at this time of year, or as you wander along the secluded woodland of Baron’s Walk and enjoy the ever-growing clusters of snowdrops amongst the trees. There are plenty of places within Waddesdon's Manor Gardens to enjoy this delicate flower.  Take a look and discover ten fun facts about snowdrops from the Garden Manager before you visit.

Great Dixter House and Gardens, Rye
Snow Drop Tour - 25th February & 4th March.

Great Dixter House and Gardens near Rye in Sussex was the spiritual home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd.  He spent his whole lifetime at work in this garden and almost fifty years writing about it, producing over 25 gardening books including ‘The Well-Tempered Garden’ and ‘The Mixed Border in the Modern Garden’. Today it’s a place of pilgrimage for horticulturalists from around the world.  Great Dixter Gardens will be open early for two weekends (25th/26th Feb, 4th/5th March) ahead of their official re-opening on 28th March, allowing visitors the chance to enjoy the very different winter landscape including variety upon variety of snowdrops, hellebores and primroses.  Usually found around the front pond and along the entrance driveway, big clumps are naturalised amongst the grass and beneath the frames of the summer beds. 

We hope you have fun exploring South East England’s beautiful gardens, woodlands and parklands this winter.  Don’t forget to share you pictures with us and use the hashtag #lovesoutheastengland to show how much you enjoyed your visit.  Planning to visit in spring/summer then head to our garden page for more information.