Over the last few years an increasing number of gardens have opened in January and February for people to see the snowdrops. I rather like the idea of going to visit a certain flower, it’s a bit like the Japanese going to see the cherry blossom (though no where near as spectacular!). This year my Women’s Institute arranged a visit to Goldsborough Hall to see the snowdrops.

Goldsborough Hall is a stately home which is now open to guests, it was originally built in the early 1600’s, it was passed down through the generations until 1756 when it was bought by Daniel Lascelles and became part of the Harewood Estate. It’s most famous resident was Princess Mary, daughter of King George V, she married Viscount Lascelles and lived there for their early married life. During the war it became a school and later a nursing home. After closing it laid empty for a couple of years before being sold in 2005, it’s been restored by it’s current owners to a family home, but they do weddings and guest accommodation etc.

The 12 acre gardens are mainly woodland and parkland, under the trees is just a mass of snowdrops.

I have to confess, I’m not a great connoisseur of snowdrops, I can appreciate there are different heights, size of flowers and very slight colour variations, but they are all just very pretty to me!

There were lots of named varieties…

…but I mainly enjoyed just seeing them en masse.

Last week my walking buddy and I changed our plans for the day and instead of walking up Pen-y-ghent we went to the seaside (via plant nursery and fabric shop!!) and came home via Kirby Lonsdale as we had been told the crocuses in the churchyard were worth a visit.

We were not disappointed! The churchyard is just covered with crocuses and daffodils, it looked beautiful. We spent a very peaceful few minutes just wandering round looking at the blooms.

Some of the houses and buildings in Kirby Lonsdale looked really interesting, we will have to return when we have a little more time and maybe slightly warmer weather!.