Top of the 'drops

[loes]

I like her also

[GoodGrief]

Another newbie with this dreadful affliction…

I’ve been enjoying your photos, descriptions and top 10 lists. If you were asked to draw up a top 5 or top 10 of gardens to visit what would be on it?

Down in Sussex, in the hinterland at least, snowdrops are thin on the ground. Over the last couple of years, I’ve only got around 5 or 6 gardens. The favourites were

- Colesbourne Park for its swathes of snowdrops, romantic setting and an interesting selection of rarer drops , if rather tiddly clumps.
- Beeches (?) at the latest CGS Snowdrop Day – very restful garden with large number of specialist drops

Regards, Malcolm.
Sussex, High Weald.

[Maggi Young]

My sympathies to you on your 'drop affliction, Malcom.....or should we just call it Dropsey? You'll likely find this place soothing and ennervating in equal measure and you are most welcome to join us.
I am personally liable to exclaim "Good Grief" quite frequently, so please do not take it amiss 

[mark smyth]

WElcome to the forum, Malcolm.

[Brian Ellis]

should we just call it Dropsey?

 

Welcome to the forum Malcolm.

[Maggi Young]

Another newbie with this dreadful affliction…

I’ve been enjoying your photos, descriptions and top 10 lists. If you were asked to draw up a top 5 or top 10 of gardens to visit what would be on it?

Down in Sussex, in the hinterland at least, snowdrops are thin on the ground. Over the last couple of years, I’ve only got around 5 or 6 gardens. The favourites were

- Colesbourne Park for its swathes of snowdrops, romantic setting and an interesting selection of rarer drops , if rather tiddly clumps.
- Beeches (?) at the latest CGS Snowdrop Day – very restful garden with large number of specialist drops

Regards, Malcolm.
Sussex, High Weald.

I see you're still waiting for a response to your question about good snowdrop gardens, Malcolm. Since I'm miles away in Aberdeen, I'm not in a great position to help yoiu.... but the Snnowdrop festival websites must be a good starting place  every year... and the gardens which were open this year, for instance, will still be listed so you can make a note for next season.

[GoodGrief]

I see you're still waiting for a response to your question about good snowdrop gardens, Malcolm. Since I'm miles away in Aberdeen, I'm not in a great position to help yoiu.... but the Snnowdrop festival websites must be a good starting place  every year... and the gardens which were open this year, for instance, will still be listed so you can make a note for next season.

I've been contemplating Cambo Estates tour/lunch. I do have west coast connections, so Scottish gardens are not out of the question.

Thanks, Malcolm.

[Alan_b]

Some of the best snowdrop gardens I have visited have been small suburban gardens that open one day a year for charity.  A seasoned snowdrop collector will have many rare and unusual varieties and, if you're lucky, the time to talk to you about them.  Unfortunately I have never visited Sussex at snowdrop time but a good place to look for open gardens is the garden finder at http://www.ngs.org.uk/ . 

[vivienr]

I've been contemplating Cambo Estates tour/lunch. I do have west coast connections, so Scottish gardens are not out of the question.

Thanks, Malcolm.

I went to Cambo two years ago and had a lovely day. It has a big collection, lovely wood with drifts, the most charming tea room and good plant sales at reasonable prices. You can even get to the beach through the wood and my (admittedly limited) experience of the East Neuk is that the sun is always shining
There are other places in the area to see drifts of snowdrops and a good place to visit while you are up there is the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. They do free guided snowdrop walks around their collection all through the season. If you have time you can visit one of the big houses in the Borders or Howick Hall in Northumberland on the way up or down.

We could do with an English version of the Visitscotland Snowdrop Festival to gather all the snowdrop garden information into one place.

[Maggi Young]

We could do with an English version of the Visitscotland Snowdrop Festival to gather all the snowdrop garden information into one place.

Ooops! I never imagined for a moment that there was NOT an English version
In that case the National Gardens Scheme listings is likely the next best starting place, as Alan auggests.

[steve owen]

Back from Old Trafford and feeling suitably spaced-out for an entry to the Top Ten stakes. In no special order
1. Flore pleno in quantity in woodland, eg at Waterperry Gardens
2. St Annes
3. Bill Bishop
4. Margaret Biddulph
5. Savills Gold (partly because my no.1 challenge is to try to grow a good healthy clump)
6. Esther Merton
7. Marlie Raphael
8. woronowii Cider with Rosie
9. Reverend Hailstone (the best early I grow with a wonderful scent)
10. Alan's Treat.
It turned out to be quite a tough task.

[mark smyth]

6. Esther Merton
7. Marlie Raphael

Never heard of them. Do you have photos?

[Anthony Darby]

I only have no. 1

[Alan_b]

I don't even have no. 1 as described; just a few unhappy clumps in some of the less-hospitable parts of my garden.  If Steve has the time I would be very interested to hear about the particular merits of snowdrops 2 to 10 in his list. 

[Anthony Darby]

No. 1 is a bit of a weed in my garden in the sense it pops up everywhere and usually where it's not supposed to!