When it comes to spring here in the UK, the whole countryside comes alive. It is as though it has been waiting the whole winter long and as soon as the temperatures begin to improve, it goes into over drive to remind us what we have been missing. The hedgerows are laden with cow parsley and the trees are teaming with birdsong, it truly is a joy. It is one of my favourite times of the year. I thought I would share some of the wonderful places that I look forward to visiting each year when spring rolls on round. From snowdrop gardens, to camellia houses to walls of wisteria, here are some of the prettiest places to visit in spring in the UK.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is set in the beautiful 18th century grounds of Bretton Hall. This Palladian style former country home is now being transformed into a luxury hotel, however the grounds are home to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park which is an international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture art, featuring the works of some of the world finest artists such as Damien Hirst. My favourite part of the grounds isn’t the sculptures or even the wonderful views but a camellia house that houses some of the most beautiful specimens I’ve seen. From late January to early February the camellia house is adorned with an abundance of pink flowers that look magical against the glass where they are housed.
Click here for opening times and prices.
Benington Lordship Gardens
This garden is set around the remains of an historic Norman keep and its surrounding moat and the 17th century manor house. Its crowning glory is its spectacular snowdrop display each February when the grounds are carpeted in thousands of beautiful snowdrops. I’ve seen quite a few wonderful snowdrop gardens but this is the cream of the crop!
Click here for opening times and prices.
Scotney Castle
Tucked away in the Kent countryside, Scotney Castle is one of my absolute favourite places to visit no matter the season. It always looks magnificent. I am rather fond of it in April though when the rhododendron are in bloom look down towards the remains of the old manor house which was purposely ruined and turned into a garden feature. The gardens are also dotted with bluebells and daffodils at this time of year as well which adds plenty of colour to enjoy. If you are going to pay a visit then take a look at some other gardens I recommend in the area so you can make the most out of your trip to Kent. You can read my post on 5 of the most beautiful gardens in Kent here.
Pashley Manor
Pashley Manor was the former childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the renowned second wife of Henry VIII, who’s family used the property as a hunting lodge. Today it is a wonderful place to wander around in the spring time with blankets of bluebells, a magnificent kitchen gardens, a Monet style bridge in the garden, an annual tulip festival and the manor house laden with wisteria. The beauty of this place knows no bounds and it is an absolute dream to visit in late April. I’ve never seen wisteria like it, you can smell it hundreds of metres away! You may already have seen my Instagram reel from this gem of a place but if not you can view it here to get a better idea of just how magical this garden is.
Click here for opening times.
Hidcote Manor Gardens
This garden is a famous arts and crafts garden located in the north of the Cotswolds. It was created at the turn of the 20th century by the passionate horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston, who filled the gardens with colour for every season and intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ that make each corner of the garden different from the next. It is widely considered to be one of the best gardens in the whole of the country. My favourite time to visit this gem of a garden is in April when the tulips are in bloom, of which it has plenty. It also looks marvellous in early June when its multitude of roses are in bloom. I think everyone needs to visit this garden at least once.
Iford Manor
The family owned Iford Manor is a highly romantic, award-winning Italianate garden designed by the revered Edwardian architect and Arts and Crafts designer Harold Peto when Iford Manor was his home between 1899 and 1933. Tucked away at the bottom of a tranquil valley, The Peto gardens show off Harold Peto’s love of Italy. It has a cloister garden, terraces, columns of cypress and paths that twist and turn around ancient statues, columns, urns, fountains, sarcophagi and architecture. The gardens really are a delight! If you visit in April you will be treated to an abundance of spring flowers. The woods are awash with wild garlic which smells utterly incredible but I adore the beautiful wisteria lining the front of the house and dotted around the gardens.
Click here for opening times.
Condicote
A tiny little village tucked away in the northern Cotswolds, not far from Snowshill, Condicote is surrounded by fields which burst into bloom with mile upon mile of poppies. It’s glorious! If you don’t spot any here then continue to drive around the area as there are plenty to be found in this part of the Cotswolds.
As you can image, there are dozens more places that fall into the category of prettiest places to visit in spring, but I shall do some more posts focusing on specific gardens and places to visit for each type of flower you might be looking to see – cherry blossom, snowdrops, tulips, wisteria, daffodils, crocus, camellia, magnolia and all the other wonderful spring flowers we get excited to see each year. For now though, this is my list of a good mix of places to visit for spring.
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