Thousands and thousands of snowdrops at Welford Park. The grounds and woodlands surrounding the house are open to the public for a few weeks each year at snowdrop time.
There was once a monastery here and the monks planted snowdrops in the monastery grounds for flowers to decorate the church for the Feast of Candlemas on February 2nd and also to use the plant to produce a medicinal essence to treat headaches.
The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII took place in 1536 so the original snowdrop bulbs must have been planted over 500 years ago.
This week the flowers were just perfect, in some places growing so densely they looked like a drift of snow.
It is amazing to think that these delicate flowers have been growing in this spot every spring for hundreds of years. These are just a few of my photographs, it is a very special place at this time of year.
6 comments:
sooo beautiful, near my parents were were bluebell woods and looked pretty much the same as this only in blue! do snowdrops have a perfume I've forgotten!
These snowdrops didn't really have a scent, certainly nothing like the perfume that you get in a bluebell wood. We are lucky to have bluebell woods near home and I look forward to bluebell time each year but this was the first time I have seen snowdrops in such numbers.
Such gorgeous pictures! And what wonderful history! I "envy" you the privilege of living so close to that kind of history. I always loved snowdrops as a child because I was amazed at how they bloomed so early in the season
So beautiful and what history to have involved with it too. I can't even imagine the feeling one might have while walking through those woods. Beautiful!
As a kid, I was a big fan of Enid Blyton, mostly because she used to describe spring so beautifully. And now I have you, with your lovely words and pictures! I specially loved the snow drops, They look like a soft fluffy carpet. Thanks for this lovely post. :)
Thank you Saumya. Spring is progressing very slowly over here but there are plenty of daffodils and a few wild primroses. Its such a lovely time of year.
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