There’s no better time to take a break in the Cotswolds than spring: our gorgeous gardens are bursting with new life. With some of the world’s best known and beautiful gardens, it's time to spring into the Cotswolds.
Tucked away in the north Cotswolds just outside Moreton in Marsh, Batsford Arboretum comes alive in spring with impressive displays of flowering bulbs - swathes of snowdrops, aconites and hellebores followed by drifts of daffodils and the beautiful blossom of the magnolias. Then from mid-April, Batsford’s famous blossom display reaches its peak when the stars of the show – the Japanese flowering cherries – come into full bloom.
www.batsarb.co.uk
Explore spring colour at Blenheim Palace - a World Heritage Site with more than 2000 acres of parkland landscaped by one of the UK’s most famous landscape architects, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Take a stroll up to the Grand Cascades or around the lake to admire some of the finest views in England, looking out for the historical monuments in the grounds, including the Column of Victory and Grand Bridge. Discover the array of Formal Gardens, including the Rose Garden, Churchill Memorial Garden, Water Terraces and Secret Garden.
www.blenheimpalace.com
At world famous Hidcote, the Long Borders are the first area to start showing growth in early spring and the spring flowers look beautiful at this time of year. Highlights of blossom at Hidcote include the cherry and magnolia blossom that can be found delighting the different areas of the garden while the Cornus Mas in the Pine Circle and the Daphne also provide a fantastic scent to accompany your walk around the paths.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote
Early spring in the Garden at Miserden reveals flowering shrubs and lovely coloured barks and berries in the Arboretum. It is a great time of year to see the bare bones of the garden, such as the layout of the parterre and long mixed borders before the coverage of plants later in the year. Early spring also brings the start of the beautiful daylilies and narcissus, before the wonderful display of tulips, alliums and French irises arrive. The gardens re-open on Wednesday 9 April (until the end of September 2025) - open Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10am to 5pm
www.miserden.org/garden
With snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils blooming in the garden, orchard and in front of the 17th-century house, spring is clearly visible at Dyrham Park. Seasonal planting in the garden means it’s awash with colour all year round - with fiery red dogwood framing the historic pools and a sea of wild garlic filling the terraces in early April. The team of National Trust gardeners are on an ambitious project to create a vibrant 21st-century garden with echoes of the past so there's always something new to see.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park
Westonbirt Arboretum may be famed across the world for autumn colour but did you know that spring is just as spectacular!? Spring is a special time as new life starts to awaken and suddenly the arboretum is transformed into a riot of sensational colour. See extraordinary rhododendrons hailing from the Himalayas, stunning carpets of bluebells and fascinating wildflowers. Discover the best the season has to offer on a guided walk or follow a seasonal trail.
www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt
For an uplifting start to the year, soak up the beauty of the glorious spring flowers at the Royal Gardens at Highgrove and book a guided walk. The stunning gardens come alive in spring with magnificent pot displays, elegant tulips, azaleas, rhododendrons and, of course, the stunning camassias in the wildflower meadow and narcissi and daffodils in the Arboretum. The gardens are open from April to October on selected dates for a number of different garden tours led by one of the expert guides.
www.highgrovegardens.com
At Bourton House Garden, after weeks of hard work taking thousands of cuttings and putting the Garden ‘to bed’ to protect the plants from frosts over winter, it is a delight to watch it ‘hatching’ open again as the warmer days come in Spring. The topiary chickens enjoy the sunshine, cowslips, tulips and fritillaries bring colour back to the garden and cherry blossom frames the house. Open from Tuesday 8 April
www.bourtonhouse.com
Bring spring into your home by learning how to plant seasonal spring blooms and foliage in a basket at Daylesford’s floristry workshops. With expert tips and guidance from Daylesford’s floristry tutors, you’ll learn how to create a bespoke floral design that can be enjoyed for several weeks. Sustainability is at the heart of Daylesford, and for sustainable floristry that means working with seasonal blooms and foliage at our fingertips. Guests will learn about the varieties available at the time and techniques to tie different colours and textures together.
www.daylesford.com/shop/events/floristry-workshops