Excited snowdrop enthusiasts are set to travel across the UK to a corner of Devon to see one of the best collections of snowdrops in the world burst into fragrance and colour at The Garden House’s first ever Snowdrop Festival, which takes place from January to March.
The festival will showcase the world renowned Matt Bishop Snowdrop Collection, one of the most diverse collections of named and naturalised snowdrops in the UK, in full bloom at The Garden House, one of the finest gardens in England.
For the first time, over 100 named varieties of snowdrops, many of which will be in flower, will create a stunning display across the plantsman’s paradise in Dartmoor. Planted in swathes across the garden’s stunning ten acres, snowdrops are scattered across banks and in borders, in plain sight but also tucked away in secret corners.
The snowdrops which bloom from early October through to April, are carefully labelled, tucked into herbaceous borders and naturalised with early flowering bulbs.
For those who visit The Garden House, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during the winter opening hours, as well as the snowdrops, there will be much on offer.
The Garden House display has become a must-see on the galanthophiles (snowdrop lover) calendar.
The Garden House team now hope the snowdrop collection will become a nationally recognised collection, though many varieties remain yet to be formally identified.
“We really wanted to celebrate our snowdrop collection which is not only extraordinarily pretty,” said The Garden House General Manager, Donna Wadham. “It’s a unique chance to see some of the most unusual varieties of snowdrop in an exceptionally beautiful setting. We are thrilled Matt Bishop has added to our collection for 2020. It’s loved by experts and garden lovers alike – the Snowdrop Festival seems like a great way for people to access and enjoy snowdrops.”
- Free expert guided tours of the snowdrops
- Stunning snowdrop exhibition by Di Fifield
- Snowdrop giftware
- The Garden House’s home grown snowdrops will also be on sale
- There will be a bulb sale of snowdrops by Avon Bulbs on February 1st, from 11am to 3pm
The collection was established by (snowdrop) expert Matt Bishop, former head gardener at The Garden House, to include many unusual varieties. Matt is the principal author of the galanthophile bible’, Snowdrops: a Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus’(Griffin Press, 2002) and now has his own worldwide snowdrop business. Matt added more to the collection in 2019, so it now numbers over 100 named varieties, some of which are extremely rare.
The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton PL20 7LQ
Winter Opening hours, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am – 3pm
