Two West Norfolk historic properties open their gardens to visitors for a Snowdrop Festival

Next month sees two West Norfolk gardens open to the public in support of the National Garden Scheme’s Snowdrop Festival.Lexham Hall near Litcham and Bagthorpe Hall at Bagthorpe are taking part in the scheme – which raises money for a number of charities.Lexham Hall gardens will open on Sundays February 9 and 16 from 11am to 4pm. Admission will be £6 with free entry for children. There will be light refreshments to purchase and pet owners can bring their dogs on leads.

Parkland with lake and river walks surround the centuries old hall – which will not be open – with February being an opportunity for visitors to ramble through the woods and borders carpeted with snowdrops, winter shrubs and walk back through the walled-garden.The Bagthorpe gardens will be open for one Sunday, February 23, from 11am to 4pm. Admission will be £5 and free for children. There will be light refreshments and dogs are welcome on leads.There is a circular walk which meanders through a splendid display of snowdrops naturally carpeting a woodland floor with the walk returning through a walled garden. The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to more than 3,500 private gardens and raises money for nursing and health charities through admissions and refreshments.Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors the scheme has donated more than £70 million to charities and last year made donations of more than £3.4 million. A spokesperson said: “Founded in 1927 to support district nurses, the scheme is now the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK and beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.”Find out more at www.ngs.org.uk-