WHILE much of the south of the country continues to suffer from the effects of the floods, visitors to Batsford Arboretum are being treated to the magnificent display of snowdrops.

The 56-acre arboretum near Moreton escaped the worst of the recent storms and the snowdrops mark the start of a spring-flowering bulb extravaganza.

Every autumn Head Gardener Matthew Hall, his assistant Steve Sherwood and apprentice Bradley Rogers plant up to 10,000 daffodils and aconites, with many thousands more snowdrops planted in the green during February.

It means visitors can now enjoy swathes of spring flowering beauties covering the gently sloping arboretum – an optimistic sight and reminder of warmer and drier days to come.

Batsford Arboretum and Garden Centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For details call 01386 701441.