Six daffodil fields to visit this Spring

With the weather slowly warming up, it’s the perfect time to get outside into the sunshine and enjoy the beautiful British countryside this Spring.

From February you can spot glorious flowers starting to bloom and it’s the quintessential English daffodil which is a favourite for so many.

Daffodils have been seen in England since the 17th century when bunches of wild blooms were sold by flower girls on the streets of London. Today, Britain produces 90% of the world's daffodils.

According to JZ Flowers, daffodil suppliers for community retailer SPAR, the earliest daffodil buds can be spotted in Cornwall as the climate is warmer at the beginning of the year due to the warm Gulf stream. As the season goes on flowers are picked from various growing hotspots including Kent, Lincolnshire, Wales, Jersey and finally Scotland.

1. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent

One of the National Trust’s most popular properties, Sissinghurst Castle Garden was created by poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson in the 1930s. It’s known for its huge range of flowers and plants, from herbs to tulips and roses and from March you can see daffodils in the orchard.

2. Isles of Scilly

One of the original growing locations for daffodils in the UK where they would be picked and transported to London by train, the Isles of Scilly has some of the best daffodil scenes. You can see the beautiful yellow blooms bobbing against the blue of the Cornish sea, most notably at the small islands of St Martin’s and Tresco.

3. The Golden Triangle, Herefordshire/Gloucestershire

To find native daffodils in the wild take a trip to the golden triangle, between the villages of Dymock, Oxenhall and Kempley on the Gloucestershire, Herefordshire border. The famous fields are known for a huge amount of wild daffodils that bloom every Spring and there is even a steam train that takes lucky passengers past the flowers on the Talyllyn Railway.

4. Blickling Estate, Norfolk

This breathtaking Jacobean mansion is surrounded by a formal garden that sees more than 100,000 daffodils bloom over the 55 acre estate. Enjoy the fields of flowers lighting up the landscape and enjoy spectacular views of the house where Anne Boyeln was born.

5. Bodnant Garden, Wales

You can find daffodils at this world famous National Trust garden from as early as January, with a stunning backdrop of Snowdonia. Daffodils have long been an emblem of Wales and you’ll find lots of visitors on St David’s Day.

6. Brodie Castle, Scotland

Brodie Castle became synonymous with daffodils in 1889 when Ian Brodie inherited the perfect setting for his favourite flower. As an eminent breeder of daffodils in the late 19th and early 20th century, he gained global recognition for his work. Today, visitors can still see great swathes of daffodils around the grounds with 100 blooms planted in the walled garden.

How to support Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal at SPAR

Freshly cut daffodils are now on sale in SPAR stores across the UK supporting the UK’s leading end of life charity Marie Curie and its 2024 Great Daffodil Appeal. Ten pence from the sale of each bouquet will be donated to Marie Curie which provides essential support for people with a terminal illness and their families.