Tulips in many of the UK’s most well-known gardens are already in full bloom after the particularly wet and mild start to spring.
The country is home to hundreds of varieties of the perennial bulb, in vivid shades of crimson, yellow and purple. Whether you’re planning a romantic day out or a family-friendly activity, these are some of the best places to see them.
Farmer Copleys Tulip Festival, West Yorkshire
This festival at Ravensknowle Farm near Pontefract is “one of the biggest celebrations of the spring flower in the north”, said Lauren Hughes in Country Living.
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Home to “over 100 varieties and a million flowers”, Farmer Copleys offers “many photo opportunities” to its visitors. There is a giant Ferris wheel on site, with “panoramic views” over the “vast tulip fields”, and you can make your own bouquet to take home. As tulip season starts a bit later in the north of England, this festival lasts slightly longer than others.
Until 3 May, farmercopleys.co.uk
RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
RHS Garden Wisley is a "sea of vibrant colour" at this time of year, said Laura Nightingale in the Daily Express. More than 100,000 tulips have been planted, carefully chosen for their “fabulous shapes and staggered flowering times”. Visitors can take in the “most iconic views” of the Old Laboratory building and Jellicoe Canal when the flowers are in full bloom. Wisley has some “lovely cafes and coffee shops dotted along its tulip route” if you’re looking to refuel during your stroll.
rhs.org.uk
Ham House, Richmond
If you find yourself in or around London, this “17th-century kitchen garden” featured in the latest season of Netflix’s “Bridgerton” is not to be missed, said Lily-Rose Morris-Zumin in The Times. The grounds are filled with both “formal, historic varieties” of tulip as well as “thousands of naturalised, wild-style” flowers. Alongside the “500,000 spring bulbs”, there is also a cherry garden and fruit trees. History lovers can explore the “beer cellar, the duchess’s bathroom and the historic kitchen” in the house.
nationaltrust.org.uk
Tulleys Tulip Festival, West Sussex
This farm in West Sussex has more than 130 varieties of tulips that are “planted in long, ordered rows”, said Morris-Zumin. You can “walk directly through” them or choose to explore the place using an “observation wheel” that’s about 100ft high; from here, you will get views out across a “lake with floating tulip beds”. In addition to the “impressive” floral landscape, there is a “theatre and live music” programme as well as a bar, food stalls and “Dutch-inspired offerings”.
tulipfarm.co.uk
