Sykes’ Guide to Spring Flowers

The UK is home to a number of native and foreign flowers that bloom during the spring months and awaken our gardens from their wintry slumber.

Here at Sykes, we love the bright colours and heavenly scents commonly associated with spring flowers and to celebrate this colourful array of plants, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite flowers along with a guide on where to find them this spring.

Keep reading to discover an eye catching display of the UK’s best spring flowers…

Paeonia (Peony)

Paeonia are a springtime favourite here in Britain; easy to grow and very adaptable, these flowers are ideal for green-fingered beginners. For your chance to view a 100 meter peony border head to Penshurst Palace and Gardens in west Kent during May or June when their peonies are in full bloom.

Crocus

The crocus is one of the first flowers to bloom after the New Year. Covering the ground in a rich purple, these flowers are hard to miss on a bright spring morning. We would suggest a visit to Kew Royal Botanic Gardens this April to view their gorgeous crocuses as they carpet the ground between Victoria Gate and King William’s Temple.

Daffodils

The daffodil is a much-loved flower, especially in Wales, where it takes pride of place as one of their national symbols. For a chance to view hundreds of daffodils all at once take a trip to The Glorious Gardens of Argyll and Bute in Scotland where the daffodils take shelter in the 50 acres of woodland.

You can also enjoy daffodils in the Lake District. For more information, read our springrime daffodils in the Lake District guide.

Bluebells

Found in ancient woodlands throughout the UK, a field of bluebells is almost magical when viewed on a spring evening. These dainty flowers can be found in almost all wooded areas but for a truly enchanting experience we propose a visit to the private wood at Cotton Manor, the perfect spot for a picnic amongst the flowers.

Magnolia

Growing on tress or on shrubs the beautiful Magnolia is wondrous to behold and my personal favourite of all the spring flowers. The Great Gardens of Cornwall currently have seven charming Magnolia Campbellii Champion trees which shouldn’t be missed this spring – make sure to squeeze in a visit before the flowers begin to fade.

Aquilegia (Columbine)

The alluring Aquiline can be found hiding in meadows and woodlands just like the ones found at Bodnant Gardens. Not so easily spotted these colourful flowers can sometimes be passed by, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the brilliant white petals standing out against the fresh green spring grass as these pretty flowers will not disappoint.

If you’re thinking of escaping the city and exploring the British countryside in search of spring flowers this year, then discover our guide to UK flower shows and don’t forget to visit our spring cottages page for a great selection of properties still available to book.

Image credits: Richard Woffenden – CC BY 2.0; Col Ford – CC BY 2.0; Andrew Wilkinson – CC BY-SA 2.0; Orangeaurochs – CC BY 2.0; Col Ford – CC BY 2.0; Ruth Hartnup – CC BY 2.0