Primrose Hill Snowdrops

You may recall that two of the Primrose Hill snowdrop cultivars were illustrated in “Irish Heritage Plants” – Galanthus ‘Cicely Hall’ and Galanthus ‘Ruby Baker’. The gardens at Primrose Hill are open every afternoon in February , 2p.m. until dusk, with an admission charge of €6, so here is an opportunity to see these beautiful […]

Snowdrop Week at Altamont Gardens: 12 – 18 Feb.

Snowdrop Week in Altamont Gardens. 12th February 2018 – 18th February 2018. The very popular Snowdrop Week at Altamont Gardens runs from February 12th – 18th and is a great opportunity to view this unique collection, first started by Corona North, former owner of the gardens, and now amongst the largest in Ireland.

Snowdrops with Assumpta Broomfield

There was a good turn out for our talk on Irish Snowdrops on Saturday, 20th January with Assumpta Broomfield. Our next talk ‘The Story of Blarney Castle Gardens’ with headgardener Adam Whitbourn is on Feb 15th at 8pm. Photos and report from Ali Rochford

Snowdrop House and Castle

Monday was a pet day in an otherwise generally miserable February. We had blue skies and bright sunshine, a crisp spring day, and we were quickly into the car and off up the M9 to visit snowdrop gardens.  Burtown House, near Ballintore, Co. Kildare, is furthest away from us and was our first stop while, […]

Just Give Them Away!

I have been taught a lesson, a hard and harsh gardening lesson, but I have survived it and all will be well. Some years back a friend from Yorkshire, Alan Briggs, was staying with friends of his in Co. Wexford for the New Year and was intrigued to see snowdrops included in various posies around […]

Snowdrop Time is with us again!

The major event of the snowdrop season is the open week at Altamont Gardens in Co. Carlow. The gardens are open to the public completely free of charge and Paul Cutler, the head gardener, gives a guided walk of  the garden twice each day pointing out the various cultivars grown in the garden and telling […]

Burtown House is Opening Early – Special Events This Year!

The gardens at Burtown House will open earlier than usual this year as more and more people have expressed a wish to see the gardens at this time of year and especially to see the collection of snowdrops and wonderful display of winter aconites. Snowdrops and Early Bulbs There are many varieties of snowdrops and […]

More Than Just a Pretty Flower

Growing snowdrops has become a particular interest of mine over the past twenty years and while I would not wish to be labelled a “galanthophile” I do enjoy them very much. The term “Galanthophile” when originally introduced by E.A. Bowles meant, very simply, “a lover of snowdrops” while nowadays the term has come to signify […]