From flower-filled arboretums to fields of sunny yellow daffodils, Gloucestershire is home to many spots where spring colours are blooming everywhere!
Whether you fancy a slow-paced stroll through an English country garden, or more of a trek through striking woodland, SoGlos has you covered with 11 of the best places to see pinks, purples, blues and more this spring.
Spring colours at Westonbirt Arboretum
It’s renowned for its glorious displays of autumn colour, but spring is just as impressive at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum – with staff going as far as to say the season is the Cotswold attraction’s best-kept secret!
Visit the Silk Wood to see a sea of primroses, bluebells and other wildflowers in bloom, before making for the Cherry Glade, where you can catch cherry blossoms in their prime during April and May.
Spring colours at Painswick Rococo Garden
Taking over from its famous snowdrops when springtime comes, Painswick Rococo Garden is home to tens of thousands of brilliant yellow daffodils, carpeting its grounds from the orchard to the Red House.
With all kinds of varieties blooming at slightly different times, visitors can soak up the spectacle throughout March; while spring also brings over 9,000 colourful bulbs into bloom in the Exedra Garden.
Spring colours at Batsford Arboretum
Bursting with spring blossom throughout March and April, visitors can experience sensational displays of pink, white and purple at Batsford Arboretum near Moreton-in-Marsh.
The 56-acre site is home to the National Collection of Prunus (Sato-zakura Group) – a diverse group of ornamental Japanese cherry trees, with over 120 flowering cherries found in clusters around the arboretum.
Spring colours at Berkeley Castle
Beautiful Berkeley Castle is a striking medieval fortress, softened by wisteria on the stone walls and splashes of colour on the garden terraces come spring.
After discovering 12th-century secrets inside the castle, head into the landscaped grounds to admire the pristine gardens, fragrant florals and fresh lily pads floating on the pond.
Spring colours at Snowshill Manor and Garden
Nestled in a small village near Broadway, Snowshill Manor and Garden is home to an Insta-worthy orchard with delightful daffodils and blooming blossom during spring.
The manor also houses an eclectic collection of extraordinary objects, handpicked by architect Charles Paget Wade for their unique design. Step inside to marvel at all things colourful, even on a rainy day.
Spring colours at Sezincote House and Garden
Wander into another world at Sezincote House and Garden, an Indian-inspired paradise in Moreton-in-Marsh – open Wednesday to Friday, as well as on bank holiday Mondays.
With exquisite ornamental features and a vibrant water garden, where many rare plants grow, visitors can enjoy the arrival of spring with a stroll along the shimmering canals and take in the spectacular landscape.
Spring colours at Kiftsgate Court Gardens
Thanks to three generations of female gardeners, Kiftsgate Court Gardens in Mickleton is blooming beautiful every spring; and all set to welcome visitors back when it reopens on Sunday 2 April 2023.
See bluebells in early May; apple blossom in the orchard; and catch daffodils dancing beneath the old lime trees all the way up the drive to the house throughout the season.
Spring colours at Hidcote Manor Garden
Get lost in Hidcote’s Arts and Crafts-inspired grounds, a magnificent maze of connected garden rooms, as they burst into colour this spring.
Find a quiet spot to relax by the bathing pool or seek out exotic and unusual plants, with the garden's creator Lawrence Johnston having brought back only the most spectacular varieties from his global plant-hunting expeditions in the early 1900s.
Spring colours at Cerney House Gardens
Escape to this ‘secret garden’ near Cirencester, where dahlias and alliums can be seen in the spring. An on-site self-service tearoom, The Bothy, is open to all visitors in the mood for some cake and a cuppa after exploring the walled garden and admiring its stunning Victorian features.
Green-fingered guests can also take a piece of Cerney Gardens home with them, with spring plants, seasonal veg and fresh-cut flowers available to buy from the Potting Shed Shop.
Spring colours at Highgrove Gardens
Enjoy a royally wonderful day out at Highgrove near Tetbury, where you can explore the private gardens of HRH King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla in bloom.
Led by an experienced guide, join a tour around the grounds as they burst into life. Spring highlights include elegant displays of tulips, blossom and swathes of daffodils in the wildflower meadow.
Spring colours in the Forest of Dean
From blankets of bluebells to spring flowers like violets and primroses appearing all over the ancient woodland floor, the Forest of Dean is full of colours that spark so much joy in the springtime.
The area is famous for its incredible display of native daffodils around Dymock and Kempley, with ramblers pulling on their walking boots and challenging themselves to The Daffodil Way – a nine-mile circular route that really shows off Gloucestershire’s glorious Golden Triangle.
