Find pretty parks, gardens and walks for spotting early spring blooms
When snowdrops start popping up their pearly heads, it's a true sign that spring is on the way. February is prime snowdrop season (you're likely to see the white flowers and green leaves of snowdrops between January and early March), and we are lucky to have plenty of beautiful places around the city and across Winchester district where you can spot the early spring flower. Parks, gardens, forests, winter walking trails and even Winchester Cathedral's grounds are dotted with the hopeful white flowers this time of year.
Please help us to look after our natural beauty spots by sticking to the pathways when visiting and leaving these pretty blooms where you find them for others to enjoy.
Keep reading to discover places to see snowdrops in Winchester and the surrounding rural areas.
Curated by the Visit Winchester team. Updated 29 January 2026.
Central Winchester
Do the City Walk for a good chance of seeing the early spring flowers in Winchester city centre. You can often spot snowdrops in Abbey Gardens, bobbing in the wind beside the river Itchen along the Weirs, and in the Winchester Cathedral's inner and outer close and grounds.
Hinton Ampner, near Alresford
Hinton Ampner is an elegant National Trust country manor surrounded by tranquil gardens, with avenues of topiary which blend harmoniously into the surrounding countryside. Hinton Ampner’s glorious parkland is a joy to explore at any time of year, with spectacular views across the South Downs. In February you’ll find beautiful scatterings of snowdrops around the gardens and estate.
Chawton House, Chawton
The gardens surrounding Chawton House are carpeted with delicate snowdrops during early spring. You can see the snowdrops throughout February on their ‘Snowdrop Sundays’ where you can meet the gardening team for a guided snowdrop walk, or kids can follow the Spring Flowers garden trail and enjoy arts and crafts in the house. Chawton House is over 400 years old and is most famous for its association with Jane Austen, whose brother Edward inherited the house. Jane referred to it in her letters as the ‘Great House’.
Gilbert White's House, Selborne
Enjoy the signs of spring than in the gardens surrounding the home of the naturalist Gilbert White. Stroll through White’s 18th century landscape garden and see the snowdrops in bloom on Baker’s Hill and the orchards.
Warnford Park, Warnford
See a wonderful display of snowdrops in a secret garden spot on a private estate usually not open to the public. You can book ahead and wander around Warnford Park’s beautiful snowdrops on four Saturday afternoons in February 2026 (7, 14, 21 and 28 Feb 2026, 2pm – 5pm). Nestling in the valley, Warnford Park is a magnificent late 18th Century landscape park and pleasure grounds designed by Capability Brown as the setting for a country house and is the home of the Snowdrop Walk.
Snowdrop events in Winchester district
Snowdrop Sunday
Chawton House
DATE: 15 Feb 2026 - 15 Feb 2026
Snowdrop Weekend
Gilbert White's House
DATE: 14 Feb 2026 - 15 Feb 2026
Snowdrop Sunday
Chawton House
DATE: 8 Feb 2026 - 8 Feb 2026
Snowdrop Sunday
Chawton House
DATE: 1 Feb 2026 - 1 Feb 2026
Gilbert’s Garden: Snowdrops
Gilbert White's House
DATE: 11 Feb 2025 - 11 Feb 2026
DATE: 14 Feb 2026 - 14 Feb 2026
DATE: 21 Feb 2026 - 21 Feb 2026
DATE: 7 Feb 2026 - 7 Feb 2026
DATE: 28 Feb 2026 - 28 Feb 2026
Timothy’s Tots - Snowdrops and first shoots
Gilbert White's House
DATE: 10 Feb 2026 - 10 Feb 2026
