A Winter Snowdrop Tour - Part 2 (Evenley Wood Garden)

Photo 1: Snowdrops at Upton House (26/2/23)

After our visit to Hidcote, we arrived safely at our son's and fiancee's house. The following day was equally cold (bitterly cold would be a good descriptor) and we ummed and ahed on whether to have a more-indoors sort of day at Blenheim Palace or a more-outdoorish day at Evenley Wood Garden.

Over an excellent brunch at The Yurt at Nicholsons (just under £60 for the four of us), we agreed to stick with the original plan and visit Evenley Wood Garden (£34 entrance fee for 4 adults). A decision we did not regret!

Evenley Wood Garden has a collection of over 80 cultivars of snowdrops (Galanthus); impressive though it only scratches the surface of the more than 500 cultivars known (with a good many more now forgotten). Consequently, the snowdrops at Evenley were grouped together in clumps so each cultivar could be named.

Photo 2: Snowdrops at Evenley Wood Garden (25/2/23)

There was plenty of interest in addition to the dozens of snowdrop varieties on display. The early-flowering cyclamen daffodils (Narcissus cyclamineus) make an ideal partner for the snowdrops.

Photo 2: Carpets of Snowdrops and Narcissus cyclamineus (Evenley Wood, 25/2/23)

Winter aconite (Photo 3), crocuses (Photos 4 & 5), and cyclamen (Photo 6) were also flowering ...

Photo 3: Winter Aconite (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

Photo 4: Crocuses (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

Photo 5: Rabbit's eye view of crocuses (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

Photo 6: Cyclamen (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

It was a cold day with a biting wind, mollified somewhat by being in a wood. We were grateful the cafe (aka Uncle Geordie's Shed) was open for cakes and warming drinks (chocolate, spiced apple juice)

Photo 7: Uncle Geordie's Shed

But, of course, we were there for the snowdrops ...

Photo 8: Snowdrop Walk (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

Photo 9: Evenley Wood Garden (25/2/23)

Photo 10: Evenley Wood Garden (25/2/23)

Photo 11: Snowdrop 'Xmas' Tree (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)

Photo 12: Snowdrops (Evenley Wood Garden, 25/2/23)