There is a moment in late winter, when the days are still short and the cold has not loosened, that the first snowdrops appear and the year quietly turns. Britain's gardens come alive earlier than most people realise, and a trip to see snowdrops carpeting a wood, or the first camellias in a sheltered valley, is one of the great low-key pleasures of early spring.
The snowdrop season
Snowdrops are the headline act of late winter, and certain gardens become famous for them, with whole woods turned white in February. Many estates and gardens open specially for snowdrop walks, and the sight of millions of them under bare trees, with the low sun behind, is genuinely moving after a grey winter. They are followed quickly by aconites, crocuses and the first daffodils.
Where to go
- Seek out gardens known for their snowdrop displays, often grand estates that open their woods for the season.
- For early colour beyond snowdrops, the mild gardens of Cornwall and the west coast bring camellias and magnolias weeks ahead of the rest of the country.
- Check opening times carefully; many gardens open only on set days in winter and early spring.
Making a day of it
Wrap up warm, because it is still winter underfoot even when the flowers say otherwise, and wear boots for muddy paths. Most garden estates have a tearoom for warming up afterwards, which is half the appeal of the outing. Go on a clear, crisp day if you can, when the light through bare branches shows the flowers at their best.
You do not need to travel far; almost every region has gardens that do early spring well. The point is simply to mark the turn of the year, to get outside after the long dark and see living proof that spring is on its way. It is a modest pilgrimage, but a deeply cheering one.