Signs of spring in National Trust gardens 

Spring is on the way at many National Trust places in the South West, with snowdrops being spotted at many places.  

 The dainty white flowers tend to bloom in January and February and pave the way for the crocuses and daffodils, which are a common sight in springtime. This humble little flower has been the top choice of flower to spot by National Trust visitors over the years with over 72% of people looking forwarding to spotting them in their local National Trust Garden. 

Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne, Dorset, is famous for its snowdrop display. The snowdrop walk stretches through the 40-acre garden for one and a half miles. Even without the cold weather needed to encourage the snowdrops to bloom the team are starting to see a good display. 

Nestled between the sleeping tree ferns in the Victorian fernery sprout the bright white droplets, carpeting the beds around the twisty paths. With fun names like ‘Ding Dong’ and ‘Heffalump’ the fernery is home to over 35 different varieties. You’ll spot more if you continue further down the iconic Lime Avenue and on to Lady’s Walk, where Henrietta Bankes, a passionate horticulturalist, first had her gardener plant snowdrops in the early 1900s. 

The parkland and garden at Dyrham Park near Bath, is home to more than half a dozen types of snowdrop, all of which occur naturally – although they are helped along with annual snowdrop dividing sessions carried out by the garden team to encourage growth the following year.  

At Newark Park in the Cotswolds, snowdrops herald the end of winter and the coming of spring and are one of the first of the early garden flowers. Newark Park’s stunning snowdrops and winter aconites have become a major draw in the few years since we introduced these special winter opening. 

The garden at Cotehele near Saltash in Cornwall, is a garden for all seasons. At this time of year snowdrops are in abundance. Although snowdrops flower all over Cotehele, you’ll find them en masse in the Upper Garden; under trees, in the borders and peeking through the black grass on the pond in contrast to the brilliantly coloured dogwood stems. You’ll also find the daffodils making an appearance with the first stems sprouting with the first daffodils providing some yellow sunshine. 

Killerton’s garden at Broadclyst near Exeter, is filled with pockets of cheery snowdrops. You can find them throughout the garden, near the chapel, in the parkland in front of the house, in Dane’s Wood and Ashclyst Forest. 

The woodland garden at Knightshayes near Tiverton in Devon is a great place to see dainty snowdrops and hellebores, as well as early flowering camellias and rhododendron. This part of the garden has been described as ‘like a sweet shop for any plant lover’ - a description which holds true at any time of year.   

With walking trails among the delicate scatterings of snowdrops in the Abbey's grounds, a day at Lacock near Chippenham in Wiltshire is a great way to get out in nature. Lacock's woodland garden is at its best in winter and spring, before the leaf canopy of the trees block out the light to the bulbs and flowers. Soon enough, under the trees you'll find, alongside snowdrops, aconite’s, anemones, daffodils, snakeshead fritillaries, hellebores and one of the best displays of crocus vernus in the country. 

At Stourhead near Mere in Wiltshire, brilliant white snowdrops can be found around the lake in this world-famous garden from February. With winding paths to follow and many shrubs lie dormant waiting for spring, you can clearly see the design of the garden created over 250 years ago.  

The Snowdrops at Fyne Court in Bridgewater, Somerset, cover the woodland floor in early spring and are well worth a visit in their own right. They provide a fantastic display, making the woodland a photographer's dream. A number of other wild flowers are also found here, such as primrose, yellow archangel and bluebells. 

Thanks to the mild maritime climate at Trelissick, near Truro in Cornwall, the borders are already scattered with hellebores, snowdrops and primroses, and the river views are framed and silhouetted by the budding branches in the canopies. 

There are great displays of snowdrops to see as you wander the winding paths at Trengwainton, in Cornwall, with hundreds nestling at the base of the trees lining the Drive and Long Walk.  

Please check the National Trust website before visiting and for opening times which may differ from place to place. www.nationaltrust.org.uk