'Stop stealing our snowdrops' plea by Attingham Park
Visitors in a National Trust property near Shrewsbury were caught red handed with a shopping bag and trowel digging up snowdrop bulbs.
One of Attingham Park's managers was called to the Deer Park and in Lady Berwick's former winter garden as visitors had been spotted trying to steal the plants.
Claire Tafft, visitor experience manager, said: "On Friday one of our duty managers was called as some visitors had been seen around the Deer Park and in Lady Berwick’s former winter garden in the park with a shopping bag and trowel digging up the snowdrops.
"Our duty manager had a chat with the visitors to explain that the flowers are wild and it is an offence to dig up these delicate flowers.
"The flowers have been replanted by the garden team at Attingham without too much damage being caused.
"Wild flowers are there for everyone to enjoy and it is our role in the National Trust to help protect and care for nature – it’s a sad thing to have happened.
"Cultivated snowdrops are available to purchase in the shop at Attingham for those who would like to support the care of historic places and parkland and enjoy the flowers at home."
The woodland floor at Attingham becomes transformed from mid January onwards as the green and white flowers appear.
Snowdrops are traditionally seen as a symbol of hope at the end of the winter.
If you would like to know more about snowdrops and where to see them more generally at National Trust places, find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/snowdrops-in-the-midlands
