Days out for snowdrop lovers at RHS Partner Gardens

As the dull days of late winter linger, many RHS Partner Gardens come alive with enchanting snowdrop collections, offering a much-needed dose of brightness and charm. Whether nestled beneath ancient trees, carpeting woodland floors or lining pathways with their nodding heads, these delicate white blooms transform garden landscapes into magical displays of natural beauty. We’ve rounded up a selection of gardens where you can enjoy delightful carpets of these cheerful favourites.

Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan

© Dyffryn Gardens

Snowdrops light up the Edwardian garden and grounds at Dyffryn Gardens

There are snowdrops to see from December through to March in this peaceful Edwardian garden just 20 minutes outside Cardiff. Discover mass plantings of Galanthus elwesii and G. nivalis throughout the garden, as well as many other snowdrop cultivars, with the best displays starting from early February. Over the past few years, visitors and local schools have helped plant more than 100,000 snowdrops at Dyffryn Gardens. Other winter highlights include early bulbs, scented winter shrubs, seasonal pot displays and the glasshouse, where there is always something exotic to see, even in the coldest months.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Open every day, except for 25 and 26 December
• Plan a visit to Dyffryn Gardens

Bodnant Garden, Conwy

© Bodnant Garden

A carpet of common snowdrops Galanthus nivalis at Bodnant Garden

Over the past decade, hundreds of thousands of snowdrops have been planted at Bodnant Garden. First to bloom are the unusual specimens found in the Winter Garden, followed by a carpet of common snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, running from the Old Park meadow through the woodland garden to The Far End. Also in February, the scent of winter-flowering shrubs such as daphnes, Sarcococca and many varieties of Hamamelis fills the air. The first camellias bloom and, if the season is mild, the grand old Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata may be in flower on the Terraces. Enjoy the sight of lilac Rhododendron ‘Praecox’ and many colourful hellebores all around the garden.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Open every day, except for 24 – 26 December
• Plan a visit to Bodnant Garden

Hever Castle & Gardens, Kent

© Hever Castle & Gardens

Drifts of dainty snowdrops cover the banks of the moat at Hever Castle

From 11 – 28 February 2026, follow the spectacular Snowdrop Walk through the grounds of Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Around 115,000 snowdrops have been planted in the gardens in the past few years, including some interesting cultivars in the Winter Garden, such as Galanthus ‘Colossus’, a giant of the snowdrop world at more than 20cm tall. These delicate flowers blanket the banks of the double moat surrounding the 700-year-old castle, with more drifts of snowdrops to delight you along Sunday Walk and Church Gill Walk. Meander through the rest of the extensive gardens and grounds to enjoy the early blossoms of camellias and quince, and the first daffodils of the season.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Monday to Friday, 11 February – 19 November, when open (excluding bank holidays and Kent school holidays)
• Events in 2026: Snowdrop Walk, 11 – 28 February
• Plan a visit to Hever Castle & Gardens

Chippenham Park Gardens, Cambridgeshire

© Chippenham Park Gardens

Impressive displays of snowdrops will lift your spirits at Chippenham Park Gardens

Impressive and vast displays of snowdrops and winter aconites create a sight to behold in February at Chippenham Park Gardens. Wander through a mass of Galanthus nivalis, both single and double cultivars, which have

Naturalised plants are those that have been introduced to a place outside of their native range and have become established in the wild there, surviving, reproducing and spreading without help. Sycamores, snowdrops and sweet chestnuts are naturalised plants in the UK.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Monday – Friday, when open
• Plan a visit to Chippenham Park Gardens

Stowe, Buckinghamshire

© National Trust / David Humphries

Snowdrops blanket the ground around the Temple of Ancient Virtue at Stowe

Snowdrops are such an iconic feature of Stowe in late winter that they’re fondly known as ‘Stowedrops’ here. Not long after New Year’s Day, the first of these dainty delights brave the cold and by February, snowdrops carpet much of the 18th-century landscape gardens, from Elysian Fields to the Sleeping Wood and Lamport Garden. For a garden designed mostly without flowers, there are a lot of snowdrops to see! Follow the seasonal ‘Stowedrop’ walk and take in picture-perfect views of the many monuments, temples and lakes along the way. As spring develops, you’ll also be able to spot cyclamen, aconites, hellebores and tulips.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Open every day
• Plan a visit to Stowe

The Lovell Quinta Arboretum, Cheshire

© Lovell Quinta Arboretum

Scattered drifts of snowdrops light up the woodland walks through Lovell Quinta Arboretum

Scattered drifts of snowdrops light up the woodland walks through Lovell Quinta Arboretum in February and early March. The double snowdrop Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’ blooms at the arboretum entrance, while naturalised clusters of the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis are peppered across the arboretum and around the lake. Winter is also a perfect time to appreciate the skeletal silhouettes of

Deciduous refers to plants (mainly trees and shrubs) that lose their leaves seasonally, usually during autumn. This is a natural process triggered by the season's shorter days and lower temperatures and allows plants to conserve energy during the winter months.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Monday – Friday, from April – June and August – September. Monday – Friday and Sunday, in July, when open
• Plan a visit to The Lovell Quinta Arboretum

Anglesey Abbey Gardens & Lode Mill, Cambridgeshire

Galanthus with Luzula sylvatica ‘Aurea’ in the Winter Garden at Anglesey Abbey

Anglesey Abbey Gardens boasts a remarkable snowdrop collection, with more than 400 species and cultivars, including many that are rare or were discovered in the garden. Look out for Galanthus nivalis ‘Anglesey Abbey’, G. ‘Richard Ayres’, named after a former Head Gardener, and G. ‘Hobson’s Choice’, named after Thomas Hobson who, in the 17th century, transformed the derelict priory into the country house you see today. There are snowdrops to seek out across the gardens, with the best spots to enjoy them being the Winter Garden and Woodland Path. Discover even more seasonal delights in the beautiful Winter Garden, from the glossy

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Open every day, excluding 24 and 25 December
• Plan a visit to Anglesey Abbey Gardens & Lode Mill

Branklyn Gardens, Perthshire

© Branklyn Gardens

Swathes of snowdrops and other spring-flowering bulbs bring Branklyn Gardens to life

Branklyn Gardens is a peaceful haven of unusual plants from around the world, attracting gardeners and botanists from far and wide to admire its several National Plant Collections, including Meconopsis and Cassiope. The garden is also known for its annual Snowdrop Festival in February, a rare chance to visit during the winter season when it is otherwise closed. During the festival, visitors can explore the garden to see an extraordinary display of more than 200 varieties of snowdrop, planted over many years among sweeping drifts of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis and alongside other early spring-flowering bulbs. Cultivated highlights include Galanthus ‘Faringdon Double’, Galanthus ‘Little Ben’ and Galanthus elwesii ‘Moses Basket’.

• Free days out for RHS Members in 2026: Wednesday and Thursday, when open
• Events in 2026: Snowdrop and Early Bulb Festival, 11 – 15 February (10am – 4pm)
• Plan a visit to Branklyn Gardens

Please check the gardens’ website before you visit, as times and access may change.