A Valentine’s Day flower count in some of the West’s most beautiful gardens has revealed an astonishing number of plants in bloom despite the cold snap.

Gardeners at more than 50 National Trust properties across the country have taken part in the annual count. It saw Kingston Lacey top the league in the West with 44 flowering species and varieties on show.

Barrington Court in Somerset was second with 45, Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire was third with 40 species, Tintinhull in Somerset mustered 29, while Montactute House and Tyntesfield in Somerset both boasted 22 species.

Many properties in the West experienced an ever earlier burst of blooms, which were destroyed by the Siberian weather at the end of last month.

Lanhydrock in Cornwall recorded an amazing 248 plants in bloom, showing that the far West is a paradise for gardeners.

Ian Wright, National Trust South West gardens advisor said: “Spring was a little too fast off the starting blocks, but nature is a great healer so we hope many plants and bulbs affected by the cold snap will go on to flower when the temperatures start to rise.”