Are you a galanthophile? It’s not someone from another world but the posh name for a fan of snowdrops! If that’s you, you’ll be excited at this time of year when this lovely white flower starts to bloom.

“Snowdrop” - our popular name for the galanthus - is apt, as they are often the first plants to show themselves during winter, often peeking through snow. They can bloom from January to March.

While they look delicate, snowdrops are tough little plants. They need to be robust, not only to be among the earliest flowers to bloom, but to stand up to icy weather and strong winds. They have a natural anti-freeze which helps prevent ice crystals forming. Even if they collapse during frosty spells, the plants soon recover once the temperature rises.

Although nowadays we’re likely to see snowdrops growing wild in woodlands, meadows and road verges, it’s thought snowdrops aren’t a natural plant in the UK as they weren’t recorded as growing wild here until the late 18th century.

It’s likely all our wild snowdrops are escapees from the parklands of wealthy landowners, whose gardeners sourced bulbs from Eastern Europe and Western Asia. These were planted to provide swathes of snowdrops as the first blooms of the year.

There are about known 20 species and many hybrid snowdrops have arisen from these, so there are now hundreds of named snowdrop cultivars. The common species galanthus nivalis has narrow, grey-green leaves and a solitary, nodding, fragrant white flower.

However, parks and gardens may have planted several species and cultivars, so you may spot a huge variety of flowers, plant sizes, and even two-headed types.

Gatton Park, a private country estate of 500 acres near Reigate, is well-known for the displays of snowdrops within its rock garden. Half of the estate is owned by a boarding school (The Royal Alexandra and Albert School), the other half by the National Trust.

The park and gardens are open to the public only on the first Sunday of each month from February to December, from 12 noon to 5pm. However, the gardens are open for special Snowdrop Days both next Sunday, 2 February, and on the following Sunday, 9 February, the latter under the National Gardens Scheme which raises millions of pounds for nursing and health charities each year.

Admission with online booking on both dates is £6 for adults (£8 on the day). Children go free. Gatton Hall will be open for cake and refreshments and there will be a plant sale. To book visit gattonpark.co.uk

Although Gatton Park is famed as one the best gardens designed by Lancelot “Capability” Brown during the 18th century, the rock garden was constructed in 1912 by James Pulham & Sons, who had created an artificial rock called pulhamite.

At Gatton the pulhamite is a decorative inner wall within the main lily pond. The rocks which make up the face of the rock garden and surrounding ponds are Kentish ragstone and sandstone.

The rock garden was lost in the 1950s when regular maintenance ceased, but was restored from June 1996 by the Gatton Trust, an independent charity founded by people from the local community, which is committed to conserving Gatton Park.

The snowdrops in this area before the restoration were unaffected by the work and still flower in abundance every February.

Gatton Park is close to junction 8 of the M25. For more details visit gattonpark.co.uk.