Spring is just around the corner, and we can all look forward to longer days, lighter nights and warmer weather.
Exactly when spring starts depends on which of the two calendars you follow. The meteorological calendar, which is the same every year and is based on the annual temperature cycle, states that spring always begins on March 1. This year that means that spring will begin on Friday 1 March. It ends on May 31, which is Friday May 31 in 2024.
The astronomical calendar, which changes year-on-year and refers to the Earth’s orbit in relation to the sun, dictates that spring 2024 will begin on Wednesday 20 March and last until Thursday 20 June.
Spring, of course, is typically a time when we can look forward to milder weather, ditch our winter coats in favour of a light jacket and enjoy longer hours of sunlight. Many of us like to get outdoors too, after spending the winter months hibernating inside, and one of the most beautiful things we see outdoors during springtime are blossoms.
Blossoms are the flowers of stone fruit trees, usually pink in colour though sometimes white. There are a variety of types; cherry blossom, apple blossom, plum blossom, orange blossom and almond blossom. There are a number of places you can visit across the UK to see these impressive trees and stunning flowers, as noted by the National Trust. Click through our gallery below to find out where to visit near you.
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1. Blossom and house at Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill, Cambridgeshire
The gardens at this visitor attraction have long been full of blossom, and in 2021 additional cherry blossom trees, called the prunus accolade, were planted to add even more pretty pink flowers to see along Olympian Way. As you explore even further you’ll see both ornamental and wild cherry blossoms in the Rose Garden and woodland area. By April, the plum, apple and gage blossom trees, which were planted in the heritage orchard in 2018, will also come into flower. Photo by National Trust Images/Mike Selby.
2. Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate, Norfolk
Head to the walled garden at this 17th-century English country house to see a variety of blossoms in all of their beauty. There’s also plenty more blossom trees to be found in the woodland too. Photo by National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor.
3. Chartwell, Kent
The former home of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Chartwell is a grand country house in Kent that is now open to the public. The collection of dainty blossoms are best viewed on the top terrace, and the blossom trees will also guide your way from the visitor centre to the house. Cherry trees planted by the Sakura Cherry Tree Project, which symbolise the friendship between the UK and Japan, will also be a welcome view when you arrive in the car park. Photo by National Trust Images/Sarah Haile.
4. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Cranbrook
There are thousands of blossom trees in Sissinghurst Castle Garden, one of the most famous gardens across the whole of England. There are more than 1,100 fruit and blossom trees in the main orchard near the entrance, so you’ll be greeted by a gorgeous sea of blooms the moment you arrive. There’s also a second orchard with many fruit trees. Depending on the timing of your visit, you’ll notice the apple blossom turns from pink to white as summer gets closer. Photo by National Trust Images/David Sellman.