As winter loosens its grip and the first snowdrops emerge, join us at Chelsea Physic Garden in exploring these beloved harbingers of spring. Known botanically as Galanthus—meaning ‘milk-white flowers’—snowdrops have been cultivated at the Garden for over 200 years and are a key part of our Heralding Spring celebrations.

These delicate blooms carry a wealth of symbolic and folkloric meaning. Often seen as a sign of hope and renewal, snowdrops also hold a more mysterious association with death and the afterlife, appearing in funeral traditions and grown around graves. Their links to both life and death make them a fascinating subject for this season of transition.

Leading the talk is Roy Vickery, author of Vickery’s Folk Flora, and an expert from Brompton Cemetery—a place steeped in its own history and stories. Over the course of an hour, Roy will delve into the rich folklore of snowdrops, their symbolic meanings, and their medicinal uses, including their connection to treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and ongoing scientific research.

Following the talk, enjoy time outdoors exploring the snowdrops in bloom. A self-guided trail will help you discover the fascinating varieties in our collection, as well as the seasonal beauty of London’s oldest botanical garden, home to a wealth of winter plants. To complete the experience, you’ll also enjoy a cup of tea as part of this special event.

Celebrate the changing season with us and uncover the secrets of one of nature’s most intriguing springtime flowers.

Speaker Bio:

Roy Vickery

Roy Vickery, born in rural Dorset, worked as a botanist at the Natural History Museum, London, from 1965 to 2007 and remains a Scientific Associate, focusing on lichen collections. He served as Chairman and later President of the South London Botanical Institute, retiring in 2022 after 10 years in leadership. From 2011 to 2014, he was Vice-President of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and is the botanical recorder for Tooting Common.

For over 40 years, Roy has collected and written about plant folklore, producing more than 140 publications on the subject. He also gives lectures and leads plant folklore walks.