The garden visiting season starts with a Snowdrop Festival and here in Nottinghamshire we have three eclectic snowdrop gardens opening – a city garden, a large country farmhouse garden next to a beautiful medieval church, and an extensive, historic country estate. All three have wonderful snowdrop collections. Why not shake off the cobwebs and visit a National Garden Scheme snowdrop garden in January and February?
Friday 31st January and Sunday 2nd February 2025, 10.00am to 4.00pm
1 Highfield Road, Nuthall, Nottingham NG16 1BQ
If you love snowdrops, this garden is a must see and you can share the owners Richard and Sue’s passion for and collection of snowdrops. They invite you to visit and see their collection of 600+ snowdrop varieties, with 300 varieties in the garden and many more in show benches, where you can study the varieties up close. The spring garden has lots of colour with many rare and unusual plants alongside spring flowering miniature narcissus, acers, aconites and hellebores. A collection of unusual pots and garden ornaments. Many snowdrop varieties and other plants available for sale. Refreshments, including hot savoury rolls and homemade cakes, available.
Sunday 9th February 2025, 11.00am to 4.00pm
Norwood Park, Halam Road, Southwell NG25 0PF
The grounds of Norwood Park date back to medieval times when they were part of a series of deer parks. Today a new garden on the south front of the 18th century house showcases plants for all seasons. To the west, a lime avenue lined with snowdrops and daffodils leads on to Mrs. Delaney’s Path, which winds up through woodland to an ornamental temple with sweeping views of the estate, where hot apple punch will be served. Wheelchair access, dog friendly, plants for sale, parking, refreshments, including hot food available at Norwood Park Golf Club in the grounds.
Sunday 16th February 2025, 10.30am to 4.00pm
Church Farm, Church Lane, West Drayton, Retford DN22 8EB
This is a spring garden with a small woodland area which is carpeted with many snowdrops, aconites and cyclamen which have self seeded into the adjoining churchyard. It is a beautiful sight to see. Approximately 180 named snowdrops growing in island beds along with hellebores and daffodils. Parking, limited number of snowdrops for sale. Wheelchair access, dog friendly, refreshments.
2024 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227 from the 2024 garden opening season. The impact of these donations to their major nursing and health beneficiaries means that thousands of people who live with health conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s, who have poor mental health, or who struggle financially as unpaid carers, have been supported by our funding of the nurses, health professionals and case workers who support them.
Funding has also provided support to those in the gardens and health sector along with community gardens and also supported gardeners through traineeships.
The National Garden Scheme relies primarily on the income generated by admission at its garden gates and through the sale of plants, teas and cake at these gardens. Additional income streams include donations, sponsorship and advertising, fundraising events and commercial partnerships.
For a full list of our beneficiaries, please visit www.ngs.org.uk/beneficiaries.
To find your perfect garden, visit www.ngs.org.uk, download the National Garden Scheme app or purchase the National Garden Scheme’s Garden Visitor’s Handbook, which is published annually.