Snowdrops In Bloom

As winter starts loosening its grip, Scotland's snowdrop festival is transforming gardens and grand estates into seas of white

- BETH MCHUGH

IN the depths of winter, it can feel like there are no signs that spring will ever come. Then, suddenly, little shoots start poking their heads through the ground, one by one, until a carpet of bright white blooms signal the start of a new season.

This joyful moment is shared across the country by the Scottish Snowdrop Festival – an annual event, started in 2007, which has blossomed under the management of charity Discover Scottish Gardens.

“The Snowdrop Festival kicks off the garden-visiting year and celebrates the first promising signs of spring coming after the long, dreary winter days,” the chair of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, Dougal Philip, says.

“Discover Scottish Gardens and Scotland’s Garden Scheme work together to encourage the nation and visiting tourists to get outside and visit snowdrop displays across the country with their family and friends,” he adds.

With close to 100 gardens taking part in the festival, there are local gardens for everyone to explore, no matter where in the country you are based.

“In Scotland, we have incredible snowdrop displays across the country, right up to the Isle of Skye,” Discover Scottish Gardens’s business development manager Caroline Gould explains. “People are still learning about snowdrops. Covid ushered in this new crowd of garden enthusiasts and they pick it apart at their own pace.

“The best way to connect with nature”