A winter walk at West Dean Gardens - snowdrops, aconites and a sea of crocuses
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| West Dean sits at the heart of the Sussex Downs amid acres of rolling countryside |
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| Best seen in winter - the bare bones of the pergola |
February is not an easy month to find gardens to visit and although many National Trust properties remain open throughout the winter months, offering wonderful opportunities to stride out across open countryside, it was a real joy to visit West Dean Gardens in Sussex this week, to see the structure of this stunning garden so early in the season. Of course the weather helped and I was lucky enough to have clear blue skies (with an ice-cold wind), but the early signs of spring warmed my heart and there were magnificent displays of snowdrops, aconites and best of all - an ocean of crocuses in the walled garden.
West Dean opened its doors again at the beginning of the month and is open daily in February from 10.30-16.00. Longer hours later in the season.
Snowdrop lovers won't be disappointed if they stride out here, and there are many other gardens with white gold currently in bloom - click here for details.
Other notable winter gardens in England can be found through this link. The daffodils are also beginning to show their heads in Southern England and the birds are beginning to sing in the mornings, so perhaps spring is not so far away.
Snowdrop lovers won't be disappointed if they stride out here, and there are many other gardens with white gold currently in bloom - click here for details.
Other notable winter gardens in England can be found through this link. The daffodils are also beginning to show their heads in Southern England and the birds are beginning to sing in the mornings, so perhaps spring is not so far away.
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| February is a good month to see structural details at West Dean Gardens |
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| West Dean's famed walled garden is immaculate and ready for spring |
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| Don't miss the sea of crocuses on display in West Dean's walled garden ... |
Looks like a lovely place for a walk and fresh air! I've been meaning to visit west dean and do a short course in something creative so it's nice to know the grounds are worth visiting too! Katie
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful place. Next time I'm in England, I really need to figure out how to get to these lovely gardens without renting a car!
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe how green it is there in February! Usually in winters here, the main color is either snow white or dead brown :) Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm kicking myself for not visiting West Dean when I lived quite close to it some years ago. Definitely one on the list for my next visit south. And lovely to see the crocuses, I haven't seen many this year.
ReplyDeleteJude xx