Snowdrops: stately heralds of spring

A carpet of snowdrops is one of spring’s finest sights. This is where to see them in the Cotswolds.

But first… a brief look at their fascinating history, including why they have strong roots in the Cotswolds.

A short history of snowdrops

The scientific name for the common species of Ssnowdrop is Galanthus Nivalis, meaning ‘milk flower of the snow’. However, when first described by Greek philosopher Theophrastus, he called them white violets. This name was also used to refer to similar flowers such as Leucojum. It wasn’t until the work of the great Linnaeus that snowdrops were  identified as their own species.

In Greek mythology, there is a story that the snowdrop is the mysterious plant moly, used in Homer’s Odyssey as an antidote to Circe’s poison. This may seem surprising given that the bulbs are toxic themselves, but it is actually not beyond reason: one of the plant’s active elements, galantamine, is used today as a treatment for dementia.

The snowdrop crops up again in Greek mythology, associated with the return of Persephone from her winter home in the underworld and the beginning of spring — a myth that has given snowdrops the meaning of hope, as well as purity from their white flowers, in floriography, the language of flowers.

You may have guessed from how much the Greeks referred to snowdrops that they may not be native to Britain as is commonly believed — and you would be right. Yet no one knows for certain when they first arrived on these shores. While some suggest they arrived with the Romans, the earliest documentary evidence for their presence only dates back to the 16th century, when they were recorded as ornamental (and, at the time, exotic) garden plants.

It was not until the 1770s that they were finally noted as naturalised in the wild. And the first recorded sighting comes from right here in the Cotswolds.

They still have a very strong presence here, with many gardens boasting many of the more than 2,500 varieties now in existence, varying in  height, shape and flower markings. 

Here are four of the very best Cotswolds snowdrops spectacles.

Colesbourne Park gardens

Colesbourne, in the middle of the Cotswolds, is a privately owned garden renowned for its display of snowdrops every spring.
The garden was first planted by  famous plantsman Henry John (HJ) Elwes, and is owned and managed today by his great-grandson Sir Henry Elwes.
They hold  more than 350 cultivars of snowdrop, far too many to be on view  at any one time; but there are always  more than enough planted for a sumptuous display when they open every weekend between 25 January and 23 February, weather permitting.

Website: colesbournegardens.org.uk

Rococo Garden

Rococo Garden in Painswick is the UK’s only complete rococo  garden, infused with the dreamy eccentricities that typify the style.
They boast  more than five million snowdrops, including specimens of the famous Atkinsii, a tall, handsome flower first discovered here in the 1800s by estate worker James Atkins.
Due to high demand,, it is necessary to pre-book your visit online during January and February.

Website: rococogarden.org.uk

Cerney House gardens

Perched above the Churn Valley, secluded Cerney House gardens  wrap around the dignified home of the Angus family.
Developed in harmony with nature by the late Lady Angus and her daughter Barbara, they have become  a perfect example of a country garden.
There’s  a fabulous display of snowdrops every spring, which can be enjoyed on a meandering trail through beech woods.

Website: cerneygardens.com

Batsford Arboretum

Batsford Arboretum is known  for a  fabulous collection of trees from around the world… and  equally well known for the swathes of snowdrops that roll between tree trunks each spring.
There is plenty of other spring colour here, too, , with aconites and hellebores mixing with the snowdrops on the floor,  magnolias and cherry blossom cascading from the canopy.
The arboretum opens its gates nearly every day of the year, but check the website for any closures due to weather.

Website: batsarb.co.uk