Constable Burton Hall Gardens
Still time to catch the spectacular tulips, including the annual Tulip Festival (2-4 May) but the magnolias are the statuesque stars of this show. The terraced woodland areas shelter a mass of unfurling frondy growth from ferns, hostas and magnolias.
Open 21 Mar-27 Sep, daily 9-6
Entry £4, constableburton.com, Nr Leyburn, North Yorks DL8 5LJ
Branklyn Garden
Discover a little piece of Asia in this tranquil 2-acre garden within walking distance of the city centre. Rhododendrons from China and blue poppies from the Himalayas splash the borders with a kaleidoscope of colour, but don’t overlook other rare and unusual treasures in the rock and scree gardens. You’ll also find planting inspiration for even the shadiest garden here, under the cool canopy of trees.
Open 28 Mar-31 Oct, daily 10-5
Entry £6.50, http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/Branklyn-Garden/Gardens, 116 Dundee Road, Perth PH2 7BB
Caerhays Castle Gardens
This should be on everyone’s top 10 to see for its historic camellia and magnolia collections, gathered in the Far East by Victorian plant hunters, many of which found their first European home right here in this magnificent seashore setting. Primroses and woodland favourites keep the mood informal.
Open 16 Feb-21 Jun, daily 10-5
Entry £8, caerhays.co.uk, Gorran, St Austell PL26 6LY
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
There’s never a dull day in this 300-acre World Heritage Site, but bulb time is a special highlight. Go for the impact of one million bulbs and you’ll stay for the orchids, alpines and rockeries, woodland spaces and chamption trees. Don’t miss a sneak preview of the world’s longest herbaceous border in development.
Open all year, daily, from 9.30am
Entry £15, kew.org, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB
Batsford Arboretum
Blossom time at Batsford is the gift that keeps giving, with the UK’s national collection of Japanese cherries stealing the limelight, but magnolias, acers and a ripple of bulbs in a colourful supporting role. This 56-acre hillside garden offers pretty views across Cotswold valleys, and wraps around a historic house (not open) that was once home to the infamous Mitford sisters and is now a familiar film and TV backdrop.
Open all year, daily 9-5
Entry £7.95, batsarb.co.uk, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9AB
Fast Rabbit Farm Garden
One of Dartmouth’s best kept secrets, this gem of a 43-acre garden is work in progress but May brings a mass of bluebells and scented rhododendrons clothing the hillside location ranged over two valleys. Camellias and magnolias add to the spring interest while the lake and streamside walks make a great family space.
Open all year, daily 11-5
Entry £5, fastrabbitfarm.co.uk, Strawberry Valley, Dartmouth TQ6 0NB
Hever Castle & Gardens
Tulips and Tudors mix in perfect company here, with thousands of bulbs stealing the spring show here at the historic home of the Boleyns. More recent owners have created 110m-long borders and added structural interest with a yew maze, classical statuary and a lakeside loggia.
Open 14 Feb-3 Jan, times vary
Entry £16, hevercastle.co.uk, Hever, Edenbridge, TN8 7NG
Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden
Set on the Norfolk waterways, these 130 acres of peaceful ancient woodland shield a vibrant massed planting of bluebells, primulas and wildflowers. The streams and woods make thriving wildlife habitats so keep your eyes peeled for fledgling birds in and out of the water.
Open all year, daily 10-5
Entry £6.20, fairhavengarden.co.uk, School Road, South Walsham, nr Norwich NR13 6DZ
Easton Walled Garden
This ‘lost’ garden of Lincolnshire has been thriving since its restoration over the past decade has breathed new life into it from early spring to the end of autumn. Spring bulb combinations are the star of the moment, while the woodland walk offers a changing cast of flowers daily, and its meadows are home to emerging natives and wildflowers that support a host of bees.
Open 1 Mar-30 Oct, Wed-Fri, Sun & BH Mon 11-4
Entry £6.95, eastonwalledgardens.co.uk, Easton, nr Grantham NG33 5AP
The Alnwick Garden
One of the UK’s most creative gardens, everything is done with scale – so if you’ve ever wondered what 50,000 drumheaded allium might look like planted en masse, you’ll find the answer here. Or if Japan is too far to go for cherry blossom, the orchard’s 300 ‘Tai Haku’ trees should satisfy your wanderlust. Not to mention the UK’s largest water feature in its spectacular Grand Cascade, nor the eye-popping treehouse, Harry Potter-esque backdrop…
Open all year, times vary
Entry £12.10, alnwickgarden.com, Denwick Lane, Alnwick NE66 1YU
BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine May issue, featuring the 2 for 1 Entry guide and card, is on sale now priced £4.25
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