The 5 Best Tulip Festivals in the UK
Watching the seasons make their mark on the countryside is one of the real joys of living here. Each of us at Humphreys has our favourite season and mine is definitely spring. I love the feeling of rebirth and the emergence of colour – and I love the spring flowers!
Daffodils and then tulips always brighten our office from February onwards.
However, there is nothing like seeing them growing in abundance in beautiful English country gardens, so we have chosen our 5 favourite tulip destinations:
1. Royal Botanic Garden, Kew – This tulip festival is one of the largest and most well-known in England, and is set within the stunning surroundings of the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew. With over 100,000 tulips in bloom, visitors can enjoy a breath-taking display of colour and fragrance. Kew’s tulip festival also features a variety of workshops, talks, and guided walks, allowing visitors to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of these beautiful flowers.
2. Hampton Court Palace, Surrey – Celebrate the start of spring in 60 acres of colourful royal gardens as you immerse yourself in Henry VIII’s famous grounds. There are over 110,000 tulips in the biggest display in the country. Wander through the gardens to see the floating tulip vases and see the rare and historic varieties inspired by Mary II’s famous 17th century collection.
3. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent – This tulip festival takes place within the famous Sissinghurst Castle Garden and is renowned for its stunning displays of tulips and other spring flowers. With over 30,000 tulips in bloom, visitors can enjoy a riot of colour and fragrance, while taking in the beauty of this historic garden and castle.
4. Wisley Garden, Surrey – The stunning Wisley Garden is worth visiting for so many reasons, but springtime gives you the chance to enjoy a display of over 50,000 tulips in bloom. With a variety of workshops, talks, and guided walks, Wisley Garden is also the perfect place to deepen your knowledge and appreciation of tulips and other spring flowers.
5. Morton Hall, Worcestershire – There is no doubting the influence of Shakespeare and the RSC in this wonderfully creative display of every shape and colour of tulip. They use tulips in their own style, creating a tapestry in the borders, with carefully chosen colours and patterns. There is a joyful, limitless party of colour and shapes. Experimentation is everywhere and you’ll see the boldest and most outrageous combinations and wild pageants of pattern.
We love our tulips in the UK, so there are many more smaller tulip displays in gardens across the country. These five that we’ve chosen are fantastic because of the scale and variety of tulips that you will see, but it’s lovely to experience the displays that can be created in a smaller setting.
Whether you are looking to deepen your knowledge and appreciation of these beautiful flowers, or simply enjoy a beautiful spring day out, these tulip festivals are not to be missed. So why not make plans to visit one (or all!) of these festivals this year and experience the beauty of tulips for yourself!