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Where to see snowdrops in Kent throughout February 2022

It’s time to take a stroll and enjoy nature’s delicate winter wonder, the snowdrop.

We've found seven super spots to see them...

The special Summer Snowflake snowdrops, found at Chartwell Picture: Sarah Haile/National Trust Images
The special Summer Snowflake snowdrops, found at Chartwell Picture: Sarah Haile/National Trust Images

CHARTWELL, WESTERHAM

The picturesque winter gardens and estate which was once home to Sir Winston Churchill and his family are open for winter walks. Look out for snowdrops, including the special Summer Snowflake snowdrops around the Gavin Jones waterfalls, and colourful hellebores in the borders.

The Landemare café will be open and serving a warming winter menu.

Book your entry tickets via the National Trust website here.

Snowdrops at Great Comp Garden Picture: Great Comp Garden/Vikki Rimmer
Snowdrops at Great Comp Garden Picture: Great Comp Garden/Vikki Rimmer

GREAT COMP GARDEN, BOROUGH GREEN

The Borough Green garden will hold its Snowdrop Sensation plant fair on Sunday, February 20, with delicate displays of snowflakes and hellebores.

Joe Sharman - also known in the Galanthophile world as Mr Snowdrop is curating the nurseries attending and will have a stand selling rare and unusual snowdrops. The fair will run from 10am to 2pm and the garden will stay open until 4pm.

Curator William Dyson said: “Our Snowdrop Sensation plant fair has proved to be a really popular one-off date for us in the past. It’s quite amazing how many ‘galanthophiles’ there are ‘out there."

The Old Dairy Tearoom will also be open. Pre-book by clicking here.

Snowdrops will be springing up in the grounds of Hever Castle Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens
Snowdrops will be springing up in the grounds of Hever Castle Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens

HEVER CASTLE, EDENBRIDGE

Some 100,000 snowdrops will flower throughout the grounds from Wednesday, February 9. Visitors will be encouraged to put on their wellies and explore the snowdrop trail through the woodland walks and into the Winter Garden.

The gardening team have been collecting different snowdrops for more than a decade, including unusual ones such as Green Brush, Colossus and Wendy’s Gold.

Garden writer and galanthophile Val Bourne will also deliver a snowdrop talk on Saturday, February 12.

There will also be a self-guided snowdrop walk available from Wednesday, February 9 through to early March. For more details click here.

Snowdrops will be springing up Picture: Contributed
Snowdrops will be springing up Picture: Contributed

HOLE PARK GARDENS, ROLVENDEN

The Plant Fairs Roadshow, featuring a group of plant specialists who have been rocking the British independent nursery scene over the last 10 years, comes to Kent for the first time on Sunday, February 13.

The event at Hole Park, Rolvenden will take place between 11am and 3pm and there will be 75 tickets for each morning time slot which can be booked via the Hole Park website.

Admission to the roadshow is £5 for adults and includes admission to the gardens.

Plant nurseries such as Copton Ash, Spring Platt Snowdrops and galanthophile members of the Kent group of Hardy Plant Society will top the bill with a vast range of snowdrops, and other nurseries such as Charleshurst Farm Nursery, Pineview Plants, Mrs Mitchell’s Kitchen & Garden and Swallowfields will offer early shrubs and perennials.

Resident plant doctor and head gardener at Hole Park, Quentin Stark, will be on hand to offer advice and plant suggestions. Parking is free.

More details here

Hole Park is four miles west of Tenterden on the B2086 between Rolvenden and Benenden
Hole Park is four miles west of Tenterden on the B2086 between Rolvenden and Benenden

IGHTHAM MOTE, BOROUGH GREEN

The gardens of the National Trust estate are home to an estimated 5,000 snowdrops in clumps and pockets to be found as you explore. They will flower across the gardens throughout February.

With the newly re-instated hard path through the orchard, you can now access most of the garden this winter. Pre-book your visit here.

Snowdrops at Spring Platt Picture: Susie Challen/NGS
Snowdrops at Spring Platt Picture: Susie Challen/NGS

NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME

Spring Platt, near Sutton Valence, opens several times in January, as well as in February when its snowdrops will be on show. It has over 700 varieties of snowdrops grown in tiered display beds as well as in spring borders.

Opening for the National Garden Scheme, February dates include Thursday, February 3 and Wednesday, February 9.

Also opening just down the road for the NGS will be Knowle Hill Farm at Ulcombe, near Maidstione, on Sunday, February 6 and Monday, February 7. Find out more here.

The National Garden Scheme has properties opening right across the county this month Picture: National Garden Scheme
The National Garden Scheme has properties opening right across the county this month Picture: National Garden Scheme

OLD RECTORY, FAWKHAM

A sea of naturalised snowdrops and aconites is among the winter highlights of this one-and-a-half-acre garden at Fawkham, near Brands Hatch, which has been developed around the snowdrops by the current owners for more than 35 years. It’s also home to 100 named snowdrops that have been added more recently.

Other highlights include pulmonarias, hellebores and other early bulbs and flowers, foliage perennials and a natural woodland.

Wherever you wander, you will see them – naturalised in the grass, throughout borders, the mixtures of single and double-flowered types creating a white tapestry throughout the garden.

Visits are by arrangement via ngs.org.uk

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