Where Snowdrops Grow Naturally

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You can make a visit to some fine snowdrop displays in Oxfordshire during February. The nearest are probably Kingston Bagpuize House, where the gardens open on selected days, and Waterperry Gardens, with more than sixty different varieties spread through the gardens and along the riverside walk.

But you don’t have to go far to find masses of snowdrops. Walking across the Ock bridge on Drayton Road, it’s worth looking over the side. Below, along the riverbank, is a spread of snowdrops that don’t appear to have been planted or tended. They have grown where conditions suit them.

Bury Street Precinct Changes Approved

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Plans for changes to part of Bury Street Precinct were approved on 28 January 2026.

The application (P25/V0236/FUL) includes the demolition of existing kiosks and the erection of two new kiosks, a café seating area, a larger business, new benches and planters, a sculpture, and public art.

Planning officers concluded that the proposals would improve the appearance of the area. While the scheme involves the removal of a tree, officers judged that the overall benefits would outweigh this harm.

Since the planning application was submitted, there have been further changes within the area affected. Jhoots Pharmacy closed in August 2025, and the company subsequently went into administration nationally. Allied Pharmacies has since acquired many former Jhoots sites and plans to bring them back into operation.

Opposite the redevelopment area, 24 Bury Street, formerly the H. Samuel jewellery shop, is being subdivided into three separate units (24A, 24B and 24C) with individual entrances.

River levels remain high on the River Thames around Abingdon

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River levels on the Thames around Abingdon remain high this week, with flooding of low-lying land.

In places, flooding appears to be coming up from below, with a high water table leaving the ground saturated even where the river has not visibly spilled over.

While levels are beginning to fall, the ground is now saturated, and levels could rise again if further heavy rainfall arrives upstream.

The weir gates now appear to be fully open. This may explain why the weir walk was closed in advance as a safety precaution. The closure removes a well-used circular route.

A Double Life for the Post Box

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The post box outside the Ock Street sorting office used to be a familiar Elizabeth II pillar box — part of a classic cylindrical design stretching back to Victorian times.

Currently, however, it is wrapped in black plastic.

The same thing happened to the Waitrose post box in Abingdon, before Christmas. When it emerged from its wrapping it had gained a solar panel, barcode scanner, and drop-down compartment for parcels, along with a slot for letters.

The change shows how postal trade has moved from letters to parcels as a result of online shopping and returns. Now the Great British post box has a double-purpose. It can take letters, but can also process parcels. This is an entry to City Daily Photo’s February Theme Day – DOUBLE.