Emulating Hanami the ancient Japanese tradition of viewing and celebrating blossom as the first sign of spring, the conservation charity is encouraging everyone to take a moment to enjoy the fleeting beauty of blossom.
See below for a list of the National Trust' s best places to witness the first-rate florescence of the fantastic fauna.
The National Trust is also asking people to share their blossom images using #BlossomWatch, with the hope that the joyful sight of blush-tinted blooms will lift spirits and enable everyone to celebrate nature together.
For more information visit nationaltrust.org.uk/sussex
1.
Petworth The pleasure garden was designed by ‘Capability’ Brown in the late 18th century. Today it is one of Petworth’s best kept secrets and well worth exploring. The serpentine paths, stone follies and spring blossom make this a beautiful place to walk. Crab apple and cherry blossom is interspersed with bluebells, rhododendrons and azaleas. A great place for a spring photo at Petworth is the Ionic Rotunda, which was constructed in 1766 and is reminiscent of the Temple of Vesta at Trivoli, Italy. The ground leading to it is filled with daffodils in early spring - and then bluebells. You can also see these flowers in the formal beds near the mansion, along with primroses and cyclamen in the garden.
2.
Monk’s House A beautiful English country garden designed by Leonard Woolf with incredible views of the Sussex Downs. Virginia Woolf was greatly influenced by the garden and her short story 'The Orchard' was inspired by the garden at Monk's House. In spring the garden is bursting with buds and flowers, including tulips, daffodils, hellebores and magnolias. While the orchard is a flurry of apple and pear blossom.
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Bateman’s Blossom can be found on the native varieties of pear, apple and crab apple trees at Bateman’s from mid-April to mid-May. Don’t forget to look out for blossom out on the estate with blackthorn, hawthorn and spindle trees flowering from early March to mid-April. Len Bernamont, Garden & Outdoors Manager at Bateman’s says: “Created by Rudyard Kipling, Bateman’s Pear Alley provides one of the best views towards the house. It is clothed in white pear blossom in April, which is good for pollinators, and it is under-planted with spring-flowering bulbs and perennials such as Scilla litardierei, Symphytum ibericum, bluebells and tulips. The metal structure is original, but the pears have been replaced since Kipling’s day, matching original cultivars including 'Beurre Hardy', 'William Bon Chretien', and 'Doyenne du Comice'. The espalier pear trees are trained along the metal structure to show off the fruits to their best advantage. These varieties produce good crops and were largely used for preserves. A
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Sheffield Park and Garden With shimmering sweeps of lakes, woodlands glowing with bluebells, bright bold rhododendrons and a vast parkland you can lose yourself in, Sheffield Park is the perfect spot to energise and feel the excitement of the land awakening. Bring the family and friends, or just treat yourself, as you dive into a blossom-filled Sheffield Park and find your sense of wellbeing within nature. The season begins with spring bulbs carpeting the ground in the dappled shade of the trees overhead. Look out for delicate, ornamental flowering trees such as amelanchier, magnolia and kalmia, around the garden. Traditional native blossom trees include recently planted crab apple, blackthorn and hawthorn, which are so crucial to native insects and wildlife at this time of year. Sheffield Park glows with bluebells in late spring and Walk Wood is particularly impressive. It makes for a tranquil walk and a perfect family photo opportunity. From May to early June, the garden is a blaze of colour with m