SNOWDROPS are in bloom up at Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne, this week thanks to a recent cold snap.

Head gardener Andrew Hunt says the dainty white flowers don’t normally appear on the National Trust estate until early February but had already started to pop up last month.

Snowdrop coverage through the woodland walk was initially still a bit patchy so he advised people to wait to see the full display from this weekend onwards.

“The flowers were a little bit early this year,” Andrew said.

“We’ve had a mild winter but the cold weather over the last couple of days has spurred them on.

“Traditionally they wait for a long period of cold weather, so the low temperatures have started them moving. They think the spring is here.”

Andrew added: “We recommend people come along for the big snowdrop showdown.”