The Snowdrop Festival, Shepton Mallet
The Somerset town of Shepton Mallet enlivens the quiet, dark days of mid February with an annual Snowdrop Festival in honour of James Allen, "the snowdrop king".
James Allen was born in 1830 just outside Shepton Mallet in east Somerset, and lived his entire life in the town.
Although he worked from an early age in the family business he was passionate about snowdrops. In the late 19th century he was one of Britain’s most well regarded breeders and probably the very first person to deliberately cross and raise different snowdrop hybrids from seed.
Allen is credited with breeding at least 100 snowdrop varieties. Sadly only two of them, Magnet and Merlin, survive today but his legacy and his title of Snowdrop King still live on - celebrated by Shepton Mallet's Snowdrop Festival.
Around half a million snowdrop bulbs are planted every autumn on roadsides, roundabouts, in schools and in other public places around the town.
The festival draws an international crowd of snowdrop devotees and many dress up for the occasion.
Chalkboard signs, beautifully illustrated with snowdrops, draw visitors through the streets and direct them to the various venues that host the event.
Garden designer Dan Pearson is patron, and there are snowdrop-related tours, talks, activities and competitions, as well as open gardens, including nearby Yeo Valley Organic Garden and Kilver Court Garden, featuring swathes of white flowers.
Further reading
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