Spring Flowers in London

Today I want to share my guide to spring flowers in London with you. This season brings out the bulbs all across the city, from crocuses to tulips and beyond. If you want to know when and where to see the best spring blooms in the UK capital, read on.

Whenever people ask me when the best time to visit London is, I always say spring.

Starting in February or March, London slowly sheds the cold yoke of winter, its short days and frigid gray weather giving way to hopeful bursts of color and brighter, sunnier skies.

The mood in the city lifts, and a refreshing feeling of optimism brings people outdoors. I’m one of those people, and I’ve been witnessing spring all over London lately.

Snowdrops in London

Spring flowers in London start to emerge before winter even ends. In January the snowdrops burst forth, heralding the start of the annual transition into warmer days.

My favorite places to see snowdrops in London are St James’s Park and Peckham Rye Park. Both have clusters of the little white peals dotted throughout their grounds. They’re fun to spot on walks.

Spring Crocuses in London

After the snowdrops, the next spring flowers in London are crocuses. As early as February, their little stalks shoot out of the ground and bright purple and yellow petals blanket the city’s parks and gardens with a welcome burst color.

My favorite place to see crocuses in London is Golders Hill Park. They’re always out in droves in this north London green space, and it’s worth a special spring trip to see them.

Spring Daffodils in London

Next come the daffodils, which are some of my favorite spring flowers in London. They make London one of the best places to visit in the UK in spring.

Green Park is the best place to admire them, as the annual display of thousands of yellow crowns next to Buckingham Palace heralds the arrival of spring. St James’s Park has beautiful daffodils, too.

Spring Gardens in London

Even Buckingham Palace itself is surrounded by flowers. Red and yellow tulips are in full bloom in April, and they compliment the coats of the famous Changing the Guard ceremony perfectly.

But the best place to see spring flowers in central London is right in front of Buckingham Palace. St James’s Park has beautiful gardens, and they’re bursting with flowers of every color in the warmer months.

And speaking of parks, the tulip gardens in Holland Park are stunning in spring. Along with wisteria and roses, they bring the green space alive with color every year. They’re some of the best spring gardens in Britain.

In south London, there’s an amazing wisteria pergola in the Sexby Garden in Peckham Rye Park. It’s worth a special trip in May when it’s in full bloom.

Not far away, the American Garden in Dulwich Park has some of the most colorful rhododendrons and azaleas in the city in April and May.

Spring Flowers on London Streets

It’s not just the famous parks and landmarks that show off the best of spring in London, though. Seemingly every street has trees and flowers in bloom.

Whenever I take spring walks in London, pink blossoms fill the sky. Even the most mundane roads are made pretty by fallen petals.

This phenomenon extends to all the neighborhoods in London. The white facades of South Kensington and mews houses of Kensington are accented by purple wisteria in April and May.

In Angel, brown brick buildings are surrounded by candy pink spheres of blossoming trees.

Over in Earls Court, the classic pastel houses are complimented by pink magnolias. And the bright facades in Notting Hill are no match for the spring flowers in front of them.

Elsewhere, secret gardens in London like the Pergola Garden in Hampstead and the Chelsea Physic Garden are some of my favorite spots to experience the colors of spring.

Chelsea Flower Show & Floral Festivals

And speaking of Chelsea, the annual Chelsea Flower Show is one of the most famous events in the world to see spring flowers in London.

The Chelsea in Bloom and Belgravia in Bloom festivals, which run concurrently, are other fun places to see seasonal blooms in the UK capital. Local shops decorate their facades with fresh spring flowers and compete for prizes.