Snowdrops at Welford Park
WINTER GARDENS & SNOWDROPS AT WELFORD PARK
…Enjoy the beautiful gardens and snowdrop woodlands here at Welford Park…
Wednesday 27th January 2027 – Sunday 28th February 2027 (please note we are closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
Snowdrops at Welford Park 2027
Is Parking Free?
Yes, we have a free car park, please follow the signs and the staff will show you where to park.
This will give you plenty of time to relax and enjoy the tea tent during Snowdrops or the bar during Spectacle of Light!
Are dogs allowed?
Friendly dogs are welcome but must be kept on their leads at all times. Dogs are also welcome in the heated marquee.
We also ask that dogs leave nothing behind and please put used bags in the bins.
Accessibility
We are committed to providing an accessible attraction, and we strive to ensure that visitors with disabilities can enjoy as much of our magnificent grounds as possible.
Many of our paths are hardcore but we also have woodchipped paths due to the nature of the woodland, which are tough but not impossible for wheelchairs and prams to use.
For Snowdrop visitors, there is one accessible route to the snowdrop wood, heated marquee and gift shop, please ask a member of staff for directions.
There is disabled parking available opposite the front gates. Our road crossing officers will be able to direct you and assist you to cross the road.
For Snowdrop tickets, the carer of a blue badge holder is treated as a concession ticket, as we appreciate that access to all areas will not be possible. A carer accompanying an adult or child ticket holder in their care is treated as a concession ticket. A copy of the relevant documentation or card will prove useful at the ticket gate.
Accessible toilets are located opposite the heated marquee. We have baby changing facilities at the toilet block next to the giraffe statues by the side of the main house.
If you have any other questions, or wish to arrange any additional support for your visit please email contact@welfordpark.co.uk
One of the best places to see snowdrops in the UK
Welford Park maybe known to some as the home of the Great British Bake Off but come late wintertime, you will see one of the finest snowdrop collections in the UK. The dainty droplets of snowdrops thrive amongst the 5-acre beech wood, enchanting riverbanks of the River Lambourn and the glorious gardens at Welford Park.
During certain dates in January – February, the award-winning grounds of this glorious private estate are open to the public to enjoy the swathes of snowdrops, hellebores, aconites and winter flowering shrubs. Wrap up warm and enjoy a walk around the grounds of the picture-perfect Queen Anne style house then head to the tea tent for a warming drink and bite to eat to round off a lovely day.
The gates open at 11am and last entry is 4pm. You can purchase tickets online or at the ticket box on the day. The tea tent starts serving hot lunches from 12pm and the car park is locked at 5pm. There is a small giftshop selling beautiful handmade pieces, paintings, kitchen essentials, linens and textiles, along with other happy keepsakes to remember your special day.
2027 Ticket Prices
Galanthus is the Greek name for snowdrop, derived from ‘gala’ -milk; ‘anthos’ – flower. Through the ages they have held their own in the ever-growing world of horticulture. Stroll around the beech wood at Welford Park taking in the spectacular carpet and breathing the delicate scent you know this natural phenomenon is not only very special but a sacred gift. You can’t fail to gaze in wonderment and have your spirits lifted by this extraordinary sight.
Snowdrops are not considered native to the UK but from mainland Europe. Linnaeus describes Galanthus Nivalis in his Species Plantorium in 1735. However, one cannot escape the fact that the best snowdrop woodland displays in the UK can be found at Anglesey Abbey, Bennington Lordship, Hodsock Priory, Walsingham Abbey and the largest of all here at Welford Park. One thing all these historic places have in common is that they are Norman monastic sites. Norman monks used snowdrops to decorate their churches for Candlemas, planted them in graveyards to sanctify the soul of the departed and as a medicinal remedy.
Medicinal Properties
Welford Park was originally a Norman Monastery, and the Norman monks were apothecaries (doctors), and they planted many species to be used in their remedies. In our beech woods we have found wild Aconitum, which is used to treat a fever; Mistletoe for migraines; and the large leaf Petsites commonly known as Butter Burr, which is used to wrap butter before placing it in an icehouse. From Galanthus you harvest Galantamine, which was used for “Mal-au-tete”. Today pharmaceutical companies are looking to the ancient remedies and Galamantine is marketed as Riminyl, which is a prominent treatment for Alzheimer’s.
In the 1960’s it is recorded that a woman living at the foot of the Caucasian Mountains was known to mix a concoction of the bulbs and gave it to children who developed symptoms of an illness that was close to poliomyelitis. The children apparently completely recovered with no signs of paralysis.
Personally, it is the foliage of plants that interests me more. I love looking for the many shades of greens, greys and hues of blue and the height of stems and Galanthus offers me a wonderful selection but also G. Plicatus with its folded leaf, G. Elweseii with its wide tulip like leaf and G. Nivalis with the grey green pointed narrow leaves.
Here at Welford Park, we have approximately 5 acres of beech woods with a carpet of G. Nivalis and a collection of 73 cultivars around the gardens, which is always growing.
VISITOR INFORMATION
OPENING TIMES
TICKETS
FIND US
FAQs