We’re now into March, and spring is beginning to bloom.
There’s blossom on the trees, daffodils peeping up and even a spot of sunshine.
So where better to enjoy this lovely season than some of the UK’s most beautiful gardens.
From historic medicinal gardens in Scotland to the vast tropical greenhouses at Kew, here are some the best to visit.
Plus we tell you how to make a trip of it, with recommendations on nearby hotels and apartments to turn your day out into a springtime getaway.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, here you’ll find over 13,300 plant species, while the herbarium contains more than three million preserved specimens.
It lays claim to being the first place in the UK to grow rhubarb, after Turkish seeds were introduced in the late 18th century. It subsequently became a popular destination for botanists and supplied plants to other gardens such as Kew.
Spring is a great time to visit. Start at the Alpine House, as the first flowers of the year will burst into life here, while the Japanese magnolia blooms throughout, and the related Michelia figo in the Temperate Palm House fills the air with exotic perfume.
The rhododendron collection is also spectacular at this time of year, from the dwarf alpine species in the Rock Garden to the larger species growing in the Woodland Garden and Copse.
Free admission.
Where to stay
Eden Locke, in the nearby New Town, has double studios from £127pn.
The Savill Garden Windsor
Just a 15-minute drive from royal residency Windsor Castle, these beautiful 35 acres of interconnected gardens were created in the 1930s by Sir Eric Savill, who worked as a forestry ranger on the Crown Estate.
You can stroll through the Hidden Gardens, Summer Gardens, New Zealand Garden, the Glades, Autumn Wood and more, and what you see will change with each season.
Spring brings daffodils so don’t miss Daffodil Valley in the Valley Gardens, while you might also see young deer taking their first wobbly steps in the Deer Park. Easter activities include a wildlife trail and spring fair.
Tickets from £13.95.
Where to stay
The country house-style hotel Royal Berkshire in nearby Ascot has rooms from £139pn.
Kew Gardens London
One of the capital’s top tourist attractions and a Unesco World Heritage Centre, Kew’s botanic garden houses the largest and most diverse plant collections in
the world – it even has its own police force to protect it.
Dating from the late 18th century, today it features 300 acres of woodland, a Bamboo Garden, tranquil Japanese gardens, an indoor rainforest at the Palm House, the Great Pagoda and more.
A big focus is on scientific research and there are more than 68,000 plant specimens for horticulturalists to examine.
See if you can spot some of the more exotic ones, from avocado and turmeric to cinnamon and pomegranates. Also explore the Treetop Walkway, 18 metres above ground, to get closer to the woodland and forests.
Tickets from £16.50.
Where to stay
Georgian coaching inn the Coach and Horses is outside the gates and has rooms from £115pn.
Lost Gardens of Heligan Cornwall
For more than 400 years, these beautiful gardens belonged to the Tremayne family as part of their vast estate.
Over 200 acres were looked after by a team of gardeners but many left to fight in World War I and never returned.
Over time, the gardens became severely neglected, overrun by weeds and brambles, and eventually lost to sight. It wasn’t until the 1990s that a group of conservationists rediscovered them and worked to restore them to their former glory.
Heligan is now one of the most popular public gardens in the UK.
It includes a kitchen garden, ornamental gardens and magnificent magnolia trees, among many other plants, flowers and wildlife. Events are also held here regularly, from floral trails to tasting menus in the grounds.
Tickets from £18.50.
Where to stay
Nearby hotel The Headland is offering a special two-night spring stay including complimentary tickets to the Heligan gardens, dinner and a spring flower afternoon tea from £562.
RHS Garden Bridgewater Manchester
This is the fifth garden acquired by the Royal Horticultural Society, and one of the largest gardening projects undertaken in Europe in recent years.
Originally the landscaped grounds of a spectacular 19th-century gothic mansion house, Worsley New Hall, which was once visited by Queen Victoria, the structure sadly no longer remains after surviving a fire and two world wars.
Today the gardens have been restored and redesigned and now boast a walled garden, kitchen garden, paradise garden and more.
The acreage contains a wood and a lake, and there is a learning garden for children and adults alike.
Tickets for non-RHS members cost £12.65.
The grand Worsley Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club has rooms from £96pn.
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