As soon as I heard about this place, I was desperate to see it.
I visited one of UK’s best gardens and it’s never looked more spectacular(Image: Laura Nightingale)
As soon as I heard about Wisley’s tulips, I was desperate to see them. The family attraction is renowned for being a pretty spot but its spring display this year has to be among its best so far. More than 100,000 tulips have been planted at RHS Garden Wisley, just outside Woking, and they are looking their best right now.
Flowering through April, the new displays have transformed one of the attraction’s most iconic views, the historic Old Laboratory building and Jellicoe Canal.
As I entered the garden and walked through its cherry blossom avenue (also sensational by the way), I turned left to find a sea of vibrant colour. Vivid red, deep orange, bright yellow and royal purple blooms lined the strip of still water, and it was absolutely stunning.
With the sun bouncing off the stream and the glorious blue skies sitting above the striking Old Laboratory, it really looked like an idyllic postcard setting.
Celebrating the joyous spring beauty of tulips, the vibrant mass plantings and pot displays across the grounds feature 58 gorgeous different tulip cultivars combined in mesmerising colour effects.
As I walked through the gardens I spotted thousands more tulips, specifically chosen for their bold colours, fabulous shapes and staggered flowering times.
The Royal Horticultural Society was given Wisley in 1903, although at that time only a small part of the 60-acre estate was cultivated as a garden, the remainder being wooded farmland. The original garden was the creation of George Fergusson Wilson, a businessman, scientist, inventor and keen gardener. He had purchased the site in 1878 with the idea of making “difficult plants grow successfully” and the garden acquired a reputation for its collections of lilies, gentians, Japanese irises, primulas and water plants.
Eating and drinking at Wisley
While Wisley does have some lovely cafes and coffee shops dotted along its tulip route, I decided to bring a picnic with me as the sun was shining.
There are lots of places to unpack your lunch. The lawns were still a bit damp for rolling out a blanket when I went, so I tucked into my alfresco sandwich at one of the tables on the patio outside the food hall.
Other places to eat include the World Food Cafe, Glasshouse Kitchen, Wisley Cafe and Terrace Restaurant, all serving different menus , from hearty breakfasts to pizzas.