The UK is home to an endless number of beautiful flower gardens, brimming with colour and life come spring.
If your idea of a perfect day out is being immersed in arrangements of bluebells, rhododendrons and magnolias, then you’re in luck. Britain boasts some of the finest flower gardens, so whether you’re drawn to striking landscapes or prefer a peaceful stroll through curated gardens, read on.
We’ve delved into online reviews of wildflower gardens around the UK to find the highest rated to visit in spring. Based on their score out of five, the number of five-star reviews and the frequency of spring keywords in reviews, including ‘spring’ and ‘wildflowers’, we reveal the top 10. We also looked at admission prices to find the most economical of bunch, where adult tickets start from just £4, and, in many cases, kids go free.
The best-rated wildflower gardens to visit in spring
We’ve compiled the top destinations in the country for a wildflower wander this spring.
It’s easy to see why Wisley is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society. Boasting one of the largest plant collections in the world, RHS Gardens Wisley is a beautiful destination, no matter the season. And it’s packed with activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Learn the tricks of the horticultural trade at RHS Hilltop – The Home of Agricultural Science, or explore the Wildlife Garden, Wellbeing Garden, Alpine Meadow and Glasshouse. There’s almost every flower imaginable; you won’t leave the 240-acre garden short of inspiration.
How to get there: Get the train to RHS Wisley and claim 25% off your admission ticket by arriving car-free. The closest train stations are Woking, Guildfordand West Byfleet. From Woking station there is a direct RHS shuttle bus service, and from Guildford station you can take the 715 bus which runs every hour from Monday to Saturday, and every 90 minutes on Sundays and public holidays.
Adult tickets from £15.95 or free with an RHS membership. Book a time slot for your visit on the RHS Garden Wisley website.
The world-renowned Bodnant Garden is home to a global collection of plants, shrubs, and trees. Spot rhododendrons, primroses and magnolias - to name some - in bloom during your visit this spring to the Grade 1 listed historic garden. Its horticultural experience stretches for 80 acres and the meadows date back to the Georgian era. With tearooms and playgrounds for children, it’s the perfect destination for the whole family.
Bodnant Garden is open year-round, and its varied collection means it’s in full bloom whenever you visit.
Adult tickets from £14 or free with a National Trust membership. Book tickets on the Bodnant Garden website.
The childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle, is threaded into British history. The gardens are set within the 125-acre grounds that is home to the 13th-century castle. Full of various groomed gardens and tranquil woodlands, don’t miss the 70,000 daffodils set to bloom this spring, not to mention the Rhododendron Walk that flowers from March to June. There are also nine wildflower meadows to explore teeming with colour and varieties of flowers.
Visit Hever Castle and Gardens anytime and enjoy guided tours through the magnificent scenery and wildlife.
Trentham Estate’s award-winning Italian Gardens have been admired for centuries. Over the last 10 years, the beautiful gardens have been revived within their original 19th-century framework to burst with colour and wildlife all year round. With water features, classical sculptures, and the mile-long Lake to enjoy, Trentham Gardens offers a diverse and spectacular day out. Take in the historic beauty or have family fun on the Fairy Trail.
Make sure to stroll through the trellis walk covered in fragrant wisteria that blooms in spring.
Adult tickets cost £12.50, with discounts available during winter and free admission for children under 3. Book your visit on the Trentham Gardens website.
From a Mediterranean Garden to an allotment, Rosemoor is one of the South West’s many horticultural gems. Blending manicured areas and wild woodlands, you’ll find a magical mix of gardens. The Cherry Garden is a must-see in spring where this area comes alive with blossom. Also head to the South West & Devon Orchards, where only protected, local varieties of apples are grown.
Enjoy the beautiful gardens and stop for delicious food made from seasonal produce in the café and tearoom. There are play areas and activities for families visiting the gardens, too.
Adult tickets from £12.95, with free admission for children under 5. Check all prices on the RHS Garden Rosemoor website.
The best-rated wildflower gardens in the South West
RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon
Image credit: Shutterstock
As well as making an appearance in the UK top 10, RHS Garden Rosemoor is the best-rated wildflower garden in the South West. With 687 5-star reviews on Google, and with nearly 800 comments around the garden’s ‘roses’, it’s no surprise this gorgeous garden has come out on top.
How to get there: Get the train to Exeter St David’s to pick up the 315 bus which can be found in front of the station (Stop A). It’s a scenic 85-minute journey to Rosemoor, where the bus stops right at the entrance, and you’ll get a 30% discount on your admission ticket to RHS Garden Rosemoor by arriving car-free.
The cheapest wildflower gardens to visit in spring
There are plenty of spots across the UK where you can enjoy beautiful, groomed gardens all under £20 per adult, and many where kids go free.
1. Hever Castle and Gardens, Kent
Image credit: Shutterstock
As well as securing 3rd place in the best wildflowers in the UK, Hever Castles comes out on top when it comes to value. With a variety of gardens to explore, from Tudor Gardens to Rose gardens, the grounds of Hever offer a peaceful and scenic backdrop to castle visitors.
Adult tickets for the garden are from £12, with free admission for children 4 and under. Book your visit on the Hever Castle website.
2. Clarke Abbey & Gardens, Derbyshire
Image credit: Shutterstock
Although largely unrestored, Calke Abbey is still full of charm. Roam the enchanting walled gardens, and delve into the orangery, auricula theatre, and kitchen gardens. You can even spot the Old Man of Calke, a 1,200-year-old oak tree, whilst exploring the ancient and delicate ecosystems of Calke Park.
Whether discovering the hidden treasures of the families of the Abbey, or spotting deer in the national nature park, Calrke Abbey is full of natural beauty and 20th century wonder.
Calke Abbey Gardens are open from 9:30 daily, with adult tickets from £7, and children's tickets from £3.50. To check opening times and prices you can visit the Calke Abbey website.
3. Cotswolds Lavender, Worcestershire
Image credit: Shutterstock
With almost 70 acres of lavender, Hill Barn Farm have been growing lavender at the site for nearly 25 years. During the colder season, barley, wheat, and beans are also grown before the lavender fields reopen in the summer months.
As well as the lavender fields, the wildflower field provide the perfect picture opportunity. From the rich red of the poppy to the delicate blue of the cornflower, these fields explode in a rainbow of colour.
Adult tickets cost £5, with £2 .50 admission for children. Check the Cotswold Lavender website for more details.
4. Threave Garden & Estate, Kirkcudbrightshire
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
With breath-taking views over the Galloway Hills, Threave Garden is a spectacular example of Scotland’s rich horticultural history. Each of its stunning individual gardens showcase a different gardening and planting technique for a unique design like no other.
Wildlife lovers can catch glimpses of peregrine falcons, red kites and ospreys overhead, or visit Scotland’s only bat reserve. Packed with family-friendly events, there’s fun for all ages at Threave Garden & Estate.
Adult tickets cost £4, or free with National Trust for Scotland membership. Visit the Threave Garden & Estate website to see what’s on.
Nestled in the Vale of Strathmore, Langley Park Gardens’ views of Montrose Basin are just as stunning as the grounds’ wildflowers and ancient trees. Twenty acres of wildflowers, natural sculptures and wildlife ponds are open to the public from the beginning of May until the end of September.
Feel free to bring along your four-legged friend as dogs are also welcome, as long as they are on a lead and on their best behaviour.
Adult tickets cost £5 each, with free admission for under 16s. For all prices, visit the Langley Park Gardens website.
The cheapest gardens in the South West
1. Highnam Court Gardens, Gloucestershire
Highnam Court may have been built in 1658, but it wasn’t until 1994 that the surrounding gardens were lovingly restored. The gardens are a perfect mix of the old and the new, with the original design still intact. Discover the stunning wisteria arch, obelisk collection and 17th-century sculptures.
Open to the public on Sundays between April and September, don’t miss your chance to visit Highnam Court Gardens this spring. Pick up refreshments at the Orangery or take your own picnic to enjoy.
Getting there: Highnam Court Gardens is a 16-minute taxi journey from Gloucester Station. Alternatively, the 22,23 or 33 bus from the transport hub at Gloucester Station to Highnam roundabout, which is then an 11 minute stroll through country lanes to reach the venue.
Adult tickets cost £5, with free admission for children under 16. Check all prices on the Highnam Court Gardens website.
On your next journey with us, look out for wildflowers, wild plants and local species at the stations. Here at SWR, we’re on our own journey to a better future. Sustainability is at the heart of the network, and as part of our mission to do better for our planet, we’re dedicated to supporting wildlife and biodiversity. We’re creating 50 wild gardens across our stations and only cutting the grass three times a year to let pollinators and plants thrive. Find which of our stations closest to you are already home to wild gardens, living walls, bee friendly trust projects and protected species.
To find the best gardens to visit in spring, SWR generated a score out of 100, the ‘Wildflower Experience Score’, for each garden based on Google Review metrics:
Number of five-star reviews – 33.3%
The frequency of wildflower keywords in reviews – 33.3%
Score/5 – 33.3%
The keywords included the terms:
Tulip/s
Bluebell/s
Wildflower/s
Spring
Springtime
To find the best gardens that were the best value for money, SWR generated a ‘Best Value Score’ created based on an equal weight (50/50 split) of:
Price rating - (Relative scoring based on adult & child ticket pricing)
Whether you want to visit real TV and movie sets, take a studio tour or plan an action-packed day walking in the steps of your favourite characters, we have you covered.
Image credit: Shutterstock
