Top four beautiful flowers to see at Wakehurst this spring

Find out when and where to see your favourite spring blossoms on your visit to Wakehurst this April and May.

By Katie Farr

Spring has sprung at Wakehurst with blossoms bursting into colour throughout our wild botanic garden.

Learn more about your favourite spring flowers and find out the best places to spot them on your next visit to Wakehurst.

Magnolias
Rhododendrons
Bluebells
Fritillaries

1. Magnolias

A true spring highlight, magnolias are in flower from now until early summer. For the best view of these beautiful blossoms, wander down The Slips boardwalk to immerse yourself under an arch of pink magnolia.

Our large collection of magnolia includes the delicate Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and Campbell's Magnolia (Magnolia campbelli) which has stunning pink petals.

Wakehurst is also home to endangered Magnolia rostrata, which originates in China and the Himalayas. This plant is categorised as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and wild populations are in decline from habitat loss.

This striking plant has huge leaves, which can grow up to 50cm long.

The Slips with magnolia blooming overhead — Wakehurst Spring, Jim Holden © RBG Kew

Magnolia buds — Wakehurst Spring, Ollie Dixon © RBG Kew

2. Rhododendrons

The Asian Heath Garden, Westwood Valley and Iris Dell contain the main display of rhododendron, producing beautiful blossoms of red, white and pink. These spring flowers start blooming around April/May and will display well into the summer.

Wakehurst inherited a magnificent collection of rhododendrons from one of its previous owners Gerald Loder, which has been added to by RBG Kew over the years.

Our Rhododendron Collection is globally significant, containing over 1800 plants. Of these, 300 are threatened in the wild.

Our top picks include:

Rhododendron ‘Praecox’ grows by Mansion Pond and has dainty pink flowers.
Rhododendron arboretum has a lovely cinnamon-coloured underside to the leaves.
Rhododendron ‘Loderi King George’ was named for George Loder’s brother, Sir Edmund Loder, who owned the nearby Leonardslee Gardens where he bred these hybrids.

Two rhododendron plants, one with red flowers and one with pink — Wakehurst Spring,Ollie Dixon © RBG Kew

bee pollinating a rhododendron — Wakehurst rhododendrons, Jim Holden © RBG Kew

Iris Dell in spring with bright pink azaleas — Wakehurst Spring Iris Dell, Visual Air © RBG Kew

3. Bluebells

As the weather warms up in late April to early May, Wakehurst’s woodlands fill with bluebells in a dazzling display of blues and purples. Head down to Bethlehem Wood and Horsebridge Wood for the best display of these delicate spring flowers.

If you’re bringing a furry friend, Wakehurst’s dog walking route takes you through all the bluebell hotspots, making it the perfect spring dog walk.

spring dog walking — Dog walking spring, Visual Air © RBG Kew

Bluebells at Wakehurst — Wakehurst Spring bluebells, Jeff Eden © RBG Kew

4. Fritillaries

Flowering from March to May, snake's head fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris) are a plant in the lily family. They are known for their distinctive checked pattern in shades of purple, but they can also be white.

Fritallaries can be spotted popping up throughout Wakehurst, blooming outside the Visitor Centre, in the Millennium Seed Bank meadow, and in the Asian Heath Garden.