Shepton Snowdrops

Home
United Kingdom
Shepton Mallet
Shepton Snowdrops

A snowdrop project & festival in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, UK to commemorate James Allen (1830 - 1906)

Shepton Mallet, in the heart of Somerset, was home to James Allen, an amateur horticulturist and the first person ever to breed new varieties of snowdrop from wild plants - a feat which earned him the nickname of the 'Snowdrop King'

The Snowdrop Festival is a vibrant not-for-profit community project to plant Shepton Mallet with hundreds of thousands of snowdrop bulbs, and to restore the Allen family memorial in the town's cemetery, in order to celebrate James Allen's and town's place in gardening history

23/10/2026

What people say 📣

We were thrilled to see the Shepton Snowdrop Festival featured in the Financial Times.

Writing in the weekend edition in February, garden writer Robin Lane Fox highlighted the growing popularity of snowdrop festivals, and picked Shepton Mallet as one of his two favourites.

High praise indeed for our little corner of Somerset 🌱🤍

21/10/2026

“I often source from small makers.” 🤍

For plantsman, presenter and publisher Dan Cooper Garden - Where Gardens Grow supporting small independent suppliers is part of what makes gardening special.

From his acclaimed blog Dan Cooper to Dan Cooper Garden, Dan champions great plants, products and the people behind them.

We’re delighted to have him as part of the conversation around supporting independent nurseries at the Shepton Snowdrop Festival 🌱

19/10/2026

“We are lucky in this country to be blessed with a culture of small nurseries.” - Dan Pearson OBE

🌱 Supporting small nurseries is at the heart of the Shepton Snowdrop Festival.

Our Patron, , understands just how important these independent, specialist nurseries are to Britain’s gardening culture and the diversity of plants we grow.

17/10/2026

Meet Charlie Waite - Official Page, our Photography Competition Judge 📸

We’re delighted to welcome one of Britain’s leading landscape photographers, as the judge for this year’s competition.

Renowned for his beautifully considered landscapes, Charlie is known for capturing a serene, almost spiritual sense of calm, with masterful use of light and shade.

His work is exhibited around the world, and he is the founder of Light & Land Ltd Europe’s leading photographic workshop and tour company. For decades, Charlie has dedicated himself to teaching and inspiring both amateur and professional photographers around the globe.

🌳 This year’s theme: Trees in the Landscape

So, what will Charlie be looking for? And how can you make your image stand out?

📷 Find Charlie’s tips, thoughts and details of how to enter through the link in bio!

14/10/2026

Do you have a beautiful display of snowdrops in your garden?

Would you consider opening your garden as part of the Snowdrop Festival?

Two private gardens in Shepton Mallet and two in Wells are already opening their gates — and we’d love to welcome more!

If you have a special snowdrop display and would enjoy sharing it with fellow snowdrop lovers, why not join them? 🌼

To find out more, email Amanda at [email protected]

13/10/2026

Volunteers make it happen come rain, hail, wind or shine! ☀️

A massive thank you to all our hardy volunteers who have braved the elements over the last two weeks to help plant hundreds of snowdrop bulbs.

Your time, energy and enthusiasm are what make the Snowdrop Festival possible, and we couldn’t do it without you.

We can’t wait to see these little bulbs burst into flower and brighten the town next spring 🤍

10/10/2026

Talks to inspire your garden 🌱

From no-dig gardening and growing organically to designing with winter flowers and adapting our gardens to changing weather, our Festival talks bring together some brilliant voices from the gardening world.

Join us in February for conversations, expert advice, demonstrations and plenty of inspiration.

Swipe through to discover the talks happening at the Shepton Snowdrop Festival. 🌼

08/10/2026

As part of the Festival, two privately owned gardens in nearby Wells will open their gates, offering visitors the chance to enjoy beautiful displays of snowdrops.

One of the gardens is Stoberry Park Garden here’s 3 reasons to visit…

🤍Snowdrop Displays
Discover beautiful groupings of snowdrops in the Sunken Garden and imaginative borders, accompanied by early-spring hellebores and cheerful yellow primroses.

🤍 Landscape Features
Explore the impressive 1.5-acre walled garden, wildlife ponds and sculptures, including works by Ian Marlow.

🤍Stunning Views
Enjoy sweeping vistas across the historic city of Wells and the Vale of Avalon.

📍 Stoberry Park Gardens
📅 Friday 12, Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 February

Address

Shepton Mallet

Website

http://www.sheptonsnowdrops.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Shepton Snowdrops posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.