When it comes to cherry blossoms, the first thing that comes to mind is Japan but in fact, you can also see in the UK. In article, i will give you a list of good places to see cherry blossom season in the UK, choose one close to home, and then pick a good weather, go together to unlock the breath and vitality of the British spring!
Although the UK’s cherry blossom is not famous enough for Japan, but in the value of the absolute no less than Japan Oh, and in many places in the UK can see a large forest of cherry blossoms, and so on all the flowers are blooming, that is called a spectacular ah, just a shot are full of blockbusters!
Cherry blossom viewing time in the UK
More than a hundred years ago, the cherry blossoms of East Asia were first introduced from Japan by the Royal Botanic Gardens and travelled across the ocean to the UK, where they were known as Cherry blossoms by the British.
London’s cherry blossoms are actually quite diverse, with 5 to 8 petals known as “Single Flowered”, 10 to 20 petals as “Semi-Double”, and 50 petals or more called “Yaezakura”. Chrysanthemum-Flowered” is the name given to those with more than 50 petals.
Compared to the Japanese cherry blossom, the British cherry blossom is more colourful and romantic in pink. Most of the British cherry blossoms have multiple petals, and the flowers are more profuse, and these varieties bloom for a longer period of time.
So in the UK, when to go to see the cherry blossoms good? In fact, we all know that to go to enjoy the flowers always bring a little bit of luck, plus the British weather likes to “free play”, so every year the cherry blossom opening time is not the same. Generally speaking, the best time to see the cherry blossoms in London is between mid-March and mid-April.
Where to see cherry blossom season in the UK?
St James’s Park
- Address: London SW1A 2BJ
- Opening: 05:00 – 24:00
- Cherry Blossom Viewing Time: Late March – Late April
London’s cherry blossoms start to bloom as early as St James’s Park, so if you like to see the pink and white Yoshino cherry blossoms, you’ll want to visit this park.
Not only are there beautiful cherry blossoms here, but there is also a peaceful lake, not to mention the cherry blossoms “smartly” bloomed in the peaceful lake, the breeze, the cherry blossoms will float down on the surface of the lake, the picture is not to mention how beautiful it is!
The cherry blossom viewing route can be taken from Storey’s Gate, where there is a large cluster of cherry blossoms, all the way to the south side of the lake, where there are many more cherry blossom trees.
Regent’s Park
- Address: Chester Rd, London NW1 4NR
- Opening: 5am – 9pm, vehicle gates 7am – midnight
- Cherry blossom viewing time: Early April – Late April
Regent’s Park is the place to be if you want to see all the different kinds of cherry blossoms!
Regent’s Park in London can be accessed from the south-east corner, where some of the cherry blossom in English Garden are usually still in bud, while the single-petalled cherry blossoms along the roadside are already in full bloom. Pink multiple cherry blossoms can be seen around Avenue Garden, while white cherry blossoms can be seen at Community Wildlife Garden, where the colours usually start to appear after the English Garden cherry blossoms have opened. Queen Mary’s Garden and Jubilee Gate are also good choices.
The best path in the park is called the White Sunset Boulevard, where cherry trees line the bike path, so it’s recommended to rent a bike and ride through the cherry trees. At the end of the avenue are pink cherry trees.
Kensington Gardens
- Address: GR4C Q8 Kensington, London
- Opening: 6am – 8pm
- Cherry blossom viewing time: Early April – late April
Kensington Gardens has more varieties of cherry blossom, which are clustered amongst the colourful little houses of Notting Hill.
Enter the park through Lancaster Gate, and if you time it right you can see different shades of pink cherry blossom opening at the same time.
And near Albert Memorial, there are six huge pink cherry blossom trees, which are supposed to be among the oldest trees in Kensington Park.
Kew Gardens
- Address: Royal Botanic Gardens, Richmond, London
- Opening: 10am – 6pm
- Cherry blossom viewing time: Late March – Late April
Kew Gardens has one of the longest histories of cherry blossom viewing in the UK, boasting the original crop of cherry blossoms imported from Japan, dating back to 1909.
It also has the largest variety of cherry blossoms in London, bar none! A walk through the grounds in spring is like being in a sea of flowers.
Greenwich Park
- Address: Greenwich Park, London SE10 8QY
- Opening: 6am – 8pm
- Cherry blossom viewing time: Early April – Mid-April
There is a cherry blossom avenue in Greenwich Park. Strolling along the cherry blossom road with your boyfriend or girlfriend hand in hand, you will feel romantic just thinking about it. Walking along the cherry blossom avenue, you can get to Ranger’s House in Rose Garden, which has a British style both in the courtyard and cherry blossom varieties.
The cherry trees here are multiple cherry blossoms, which bloom a little later than usual.
Birmingham Botanical Garden
- Address: Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TR
- Opening: 7 am – 6 pm
- Cherry Blossom Viewing Time: Cherry blossoms bloom in February and are at their peak in April and May.
The Birmingham Botanical Garden holds a cherry blossom festival every year. In addition to seeing cherry blossoms in full bloom, the Botanical Garden is decorated like a Japanese garden, and you can see red shrines and enjoy Japanese tea and sake, making you feel like you are in a Japanese garden.
Windsor Great Park
- Address: Windsor, Virginia Water GU25 4QF
- Cherry Blossom Viewing: Mid-April – Early May
Valley Garden in Windsor Great Park has a Flowering Forest!
It is called “forest” because besides cherry blossoms, there are also rhododendrons, maples, oaks and other plants, which is full of the classic and elegant English garden. It is recommended that you start from Savil Building and walk all the way to Valley Garden to enjoy the beauty of the whole park.
If you are lucky enough, you will also run into police officers and tall patrol horses riding through the cherry blossom forest! It’s a great way to get a feel for the Royal Garden!
The Meadows, Edinburgh
- Address: Melville Drive, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Cherry blossom viewing time: Mid to late April
Edinburgh The Meadows is known as one of the top 8 cherry blossom viewing spots in Europe, and it offers the most natural state of an English park.
The Meadows itself is the water supply of the old city of Edinburgh, in 1722 when Thomas Hope opened up this Walkway, and later planted on both sides of the cherry blossom, only to have a spring pink and white pink look. Meadow in the cherry blossom boulevard than England’s gardens are a little more handsome, less delicate breath.
Edinburgh, because of its cold location, the flowering season usually comes a little late compared to the cities in the south of the UK, and the flowering period is very short! The cherry blossoms bloom and fade in a week or two, so if you want to go to Edinburgh to enjoy the cherry blossoms, you should plan ahead.
Alnwick Garden
- Address: Denwick Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland
- Cherry blossom viewing time: April – May
Alnwick Garden is “the garden with the most white cherry blossom (Tai Haku) in the UK”.
More than 300 Tai Haku cherry trees are planted here, and every year when they bloom, the whole place is covered in pink and white. Most Japanese cherry blossoms are of this variety, so if you’re looking for a Japanese cherry blossom photo shoot, don’t miss out on this season.
Brogdale Farm
- Address: Brogdale Farm House, Brogdale Road, Faversham
- Cherry blossom viewing: throughout April
There’s more to Brogdale Farm than just cherry blossom. As the cherry blossom blooms, it also marks the beginning of the orchard’s fruit harvest season. Brogdale Farm also organises cherry blossom viewing events from time to time throughout the year.
Not only cherry blossom viewing, there is also a large cherry blossom forest for visitors to enjoy picnics and many traditional Japanese cultural performances. The farm provides a better environment for picnics.
The best way to enjoy the cherry blossoms is to go to the park and see the sea of cherry blossoms on the side of the road. In fact, London’s cherry blossoms are also scattered in the streets and alleys. For example, East Finchley’s Deans Way Road, this area seems to be “cherry blossom-addicted”, and even the attractions and road names also have the flavour of cherry blossom, called Cherry Tree Road, Cherry Tree Wood, and Cherry Tree Recreation Ground.