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Snowdrops are the first spring bulbs to appear after the winter months and the little white blooms are popping up all over the country right now. What’s more, Londoners, you don’t have to travel far to catch a glimpse of the delicate blossoms. Here’s our pick of the best places to spot pockets of white in the city.
Chelsea Physic Garden
London’s oldest botanic garden has a mighty fine collection of snowdrops, which it shows off at its official Spring opening each year. If you missed the ‘Snowdrop Days’ event last month, don’t worry. You can still see the little white flowers by taking a walk through the half-acre grounds, which are home to more than 150 species of plants. See the blooms by taking a tour or learn more about the flowers by speaking to one of the garden’s volunteers.
Chelsea Physic Garden. Sloane Square. Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm. £7.40, £4.90 concs, under 5s free.
Early Spring Plant Fair
Bunches of snowdrops donated from gardens across the country are cascading from the ceiling of the RHS Lindley Hall for RHS London’s Early Spring Plant Fair. See this showcase of all the beautiful blooms that get going in the early spring and walk through gorgeous bunches of the snow-white flowers suspended from the ceiling in brown paper as part of a beautiful installation from garden designer Fiona Silk. You’ll also be able to take part in horticultural workshops, talks and potato tastings and even get your mitts on some of the special spring shoots.
RHS Lindley Hall. Victoria. Tue Feb 13 (11am-8pm) – Wed Feb 14 (11am-6pm). £8, £9 OTD.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
In an old nineteenth-century cemetery, this park is the only woodland in Tower Hamlets and right now it’s filled with torrents of snowdrops. These include common varieties and some rarer blooms such as the giant snowdrop and the green snowdrop as well as different kinds of snowflake flowers. Seeing these pure petals pop up between the gravestones is other-worldly.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. Mile End. Free.
Kew Gardens
There are a whopping 300 acres to explore at London’s famous botanic gardens. But, if it’s snowdrops you’re after be sure to make a beeline for the Rock Garden and the futuristic-looking Davies Alpine House where you’ll find the precious white flowers. Keep an eye out for bright pink cyclamen and an array of colourful alpine blooms, too.
Kew Gardens. Open daily at 10am-5.45pm (until Mar 24). £17.75, £15.50 concs, £4 child 4-16, free under 4s.
Ham House
Ham House is known for its lavish interiors and spectacular collections of fine furniture, textiles and paintings, but spare some time for its grounds where you’ll find plenty of horticultural highs. Take a stroll through The Wilderness: not as bleak as it sounds, this is the Stuart house’s woodland garden and it’s filled with layered snowdrops, winter aconites and early narcissi at this time of year.
See more fantastic flowers at these hidden gardens and green spaces in London.
Find more amazing things to in London this February.
Images: RHS / Luke MacGregor, National Trust Images