Their arrival usually heralds the end of winter and the promise of spring, and the return of one of Scotland’s most popular outdoor festivals to gardens and estates across the country.
Showcasing a range of beautiful snowdrop collections, the Scottish Snowdrop Festival will be blossoming at venues from tomorrow, 25 January, to 11 March.
Organised by garden tourism group Discover Scottish Gardens and supported by VisitScotland, more than 60 events will take place nationwide in celebration of the classic winter flower.
This year there will be four new gardens displaying carpets of snowdrops, including Kirklands House in Saline, Fife, Floors Castle and Gardens, Kelso, and Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland, the Highlands, with each hosting activities and snowdrop walks for all the family.
So, grab those winter woolies, get outdoors and bask in the beauty of swathes of snowdrops across Scotland.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
With a fascinating collection of specialist snowdrops carpeting parts of the attraction, visitors can enjoy the beauty of one of the first signs of spring. Look out for snowdrops throughout the Garden or ask the visitor welcome team for specific locations. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 15 February to 10 March, visitors can enjoy a special garden guided tour which focuses on the snowdrop collection.
Date : 15 February to 10 March 2019
Open : daily 10am to 4pm (Snowdrop Walks run 11-12)
Entry : Free for non-guided visit. (Snowdrop Walks cost £6 for adults)
Cringletie House, Peebles, Scottish Borders
Tiptoe through the snowdrops in the woods overlooking the gorge or meandering around the stream and Doocot. The Cringletie nature and historical trail has expanded and is now even more intriguing as you explore along the path by the waterfall and collect the delightful fairy tokens along the way.
Date: 25 January to 11 March 2019
Open: dawn to dusk
Entry: free
Cluny House Gardens, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
Cluny has a wide range of beautiful snowdrops dotted throughout the garden interspersed with other early spring flowers including Asiatic primulas, hellebores, winter aconites and cyclamen. Chasing in and around Cluny’s snowdrop clumps watch out for any number of playful red squirrels.
Snowdrops at Cluny House
Date: 23 February – 11 March 2019
Open: 10am-6pm
Entry: Adult – £5.00, children- £1.00.
Broughton House, Dumfries & Galloway
The enchanting garden of Broughton House in Kirkcudbright’s historic High street was designed and maintained by the artist E A Hornel between 1901 and 1933. With its narrow winding paths and series of secluded compartments, you can feel the intimate and quite magical atmosphere that prevails throughout this garden. The snowdrops within the garden provided inspiration for some of Hornel’s best known paintings and hellebores provide much needed colour at this time of year.
Date: 1 February to 11 March 2019
Open: Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm
Entry: via the garden gate is by donation
From specialist garden tours to indepth snowdrop sessions, this Fife estate is bursting with swathes of these delicate flowers, including some rare blooms. This year’s events calendar includes, walks, children’s activities and Imbolc, a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring.
Date : Runs various dates from mid January to 8 March 2019
Open : various times
Entry : most events are free with garden entry but booking may be required
To find a Snowdrop Festival garden near you visit www.discoverscottishgardens.org or www.visitscotland.com/snowdrop
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