CASTLE Drogo, which has one of the National Trust's highest gardens, has fallen victim to the recent arctic weather, with mature trees and rhododendrons collapsed under the sheer weight of the snow.
Head gardener Andrew Midgley described the damage as 'akin to a herd of elephants sitting on the trees and shrubs'.
Some of the Holm oaks along the drive, planted in the 1920s, were flattened and the formal garden also suffered losses, in particular several magnolias, eucryphias, flowering cherry trees and a witch hazel.
In the Rhododendron Valley, a third of the rhododendron collection, established in the 1940s, was also crushed. However, Andrew is confident that the rhododendrons will recover successfully after the damage has been pruned away to encourage new growth.
'The majority of the rhododendrons are native to the Himalayas where heavy snow is part of their natural environment,' he said.
Robbie Robinson, the longest serving member of staff at Drogo, said: 'I haven't seen snow like this since I first started working here 20 years ago.'
The conservation team in the castle is working hard to get the house ready for the new season.
Roof tours will also be on offer on this weekend, to give visitors the chance to see parts of the castle that are not usually open to the public.
There is also a Myths and Legends Trail around the house and gardens to keep the children occupied during half term.