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As we shrug off our heavy coats, gardens across the country are bursting into life.
With scenic walks, flowers that tower over you, and varied wildlife, these gardens are well worth a visit this spring. Plus, many are hosting Easter activities, from egg hunts to interactive trails based on much-loved books.
Daffodils, magnolias and cherry blossom are in bloom at Kew Gardens in Richmond, on the outskirts of London, with bluebells on the way.
Children can learn about fruit and vegetables in an interactive experience that brings heroic spud Supertato to life, based on the best-selling books by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet (until 21 April).
Meanwhile, a new exhibition has just opened in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, celebrating trees through illustration and a video installation (The Power of Trees, until 14 September).
Boasting a lake, classical temples, and a five-arch Palladian bridge within its landscaped gardens, Stourhead in Wiltshire is beautiful in the spring sunshine.
The 1,072 hectare estate was used as a filming location for the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley, and offers walks through ancient woods, chalk downs and farmland.
This month it is hosting an Easter trail (until 21 April) with each £3.50 ticket including bunny ears, an activity sheet, and a chocolate egg.
Chirk Castle a medieval fortress is set within a 480-acre estate, with wildflower meadows, clipped yews, and a model farm.
There’s a café in the castle kitchens, and an interactive Easter trail inspired by a Welsh legend.
To earn a chocolate egg, participants can complete ten fun activities throughout the gardens to safely guide a hare to the castle courtyard (until 27 April).
Home to an estimated two million plants, see flowers of every colour, shape and size at the Eden Project.
Their outdoor gardens promise striking displays of blues at this time of year (scilla, anemone, pulmonaria and iris), while the Damask rose and Persian buttercups are in flower elsewhere.
Their egg hunt invites participants to collect stamps in exchange for a ‘chocolatey surprise’ and the chance to win an Easter hamper (until 21 April).
This is a rare opportunity to visit the gardens of this 1653 country house, as part of the National Garden Scheme.
Normally only available to hire for private functions, the gardens are open to the public on 19 and 20 April.
They include a 3.5 acre wildflower meadow surrounded by nearly 400 metres of hedgerow, Victorian walled gardens, and unique features including a carved beech statue of Robin Hood, and a sundial as old as the house itself.
This garden in Harrogate spans 58 acres, with plenty to look out for this Easter. In the woodland, you’ll find cowslips, primroses and pulmonarias on the ground, while their oldest rhododendrons tower above head height, having been planted in the early 1960s.
In the kitchen garden, you can see potted tulips, climbing pea plants, and the first rhubarb of the season.
The heather beds look lovely in shades of pink, purple and white, and children can take part in a giant Easter egg hunt or an interactive trail based on the book Guess How Much I Love You (both until 21 April).
One of the largest tower houses in Scotland, the building dates back to 1450.
The traditional walled garden is home to specimen trees, herbaceous borders, and plenty of fruit and vegetables – some of the produce grown here is served in their recently refurbished tearoom.
Red squirrels, roe deer and buzzards lurk in the parkland surrounding the castle, while otters live in the pond. Inside the castle, you’ll find hidden trapdoors, secret staircases, and an impressive portrait collection, so there is much to explore on a rainy day too.
The grounds will host Easter egg trails until 21 April.
Considered one of the prettiest houses in Ulster, the building is home to one of the largest collections of historic dress in Northern Ireland.
The library houses rare 17th and 18th century books in their original bindings, and there’s a second-hand bookshop run by volunteers.
Outside, the magnolia trees are thriving. The walk up to the 18th century tower is lined with beech trees, which are currently vivid green, including one that is approximately 300 years old.
On a short walk around the perimeter path of the estate, you’ll see great oaks, a display of rhododendrons, and finish in an ancient yew tree grove.
Giants and fairies inspire their interactive Easter trail (18-22 April), where everything is either oversized or teeny-tiny.
The extensive grounds at Felbrigg Hall include a walled garden, home to one of the few octagonal working dovecotes in the country, from the 1750s.
Their Great Wood is made up of 380 acres, with tree-lined avenues and an 18th century ice house.
The West Garden, surrounded by a ha-ha, is at its best in the spring.
Their Easter trail promises 10 nature-themed activities such as seed planting, welly wanging (throwing boots as far as possible) and a music wall.
Felbrigg is home to hares, stoats, and weasels, as well as eight species of bat. On early mornings, lucky walkers might spot a deer (their four species shy away from crowds).
Visitors to Dyffryn’s 55 acres of Edwardian gardens can admire a much-photographed bank full of crocuses, late snowdrops and daffodils.
Blossom is big here. With pear, apricot, apple and cherry varieties in abundance, they offer free blossom tours with their head arborist, or you can take yourself on a self-led walk, following their Blossom Watch map.
Children can don cardboard bunny ears for their Easter trail (until 22 April), involving hands-on activities such as animal dress-up stations.
Most of the trail is handmade using natural or recycled materials, and they’ll get a chocolate egg upon completion.
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