Discover where and when to see blossoms in Winchester
Nature is bursting back to life this spring in Winchester. Brighten your visit with the breath-taking flora flourishing around the city.
April-September
Winchester College Garden Tours
Led by members of the Winchester College gardening team throughout the spring and summer, Garden Tours explore the vast biodiversity and horticultural history of the beautiful hidden gardens at Winchester College. This includes a look at the traditional College 'quad', a quiet sitting garden for the old College sick house, the tranquil gardens of the College's war memorial, and the 'Warden's Garden' with its herbaceous borders, woodland, and private section of one of the most famous chalk streams in the world.
Hidden treasures: while at Winchester College, stop by the Treasury Museum to discover artefacts from Egypt, Greece and Rome, medieval art and early English silver, and Chinese ceramics from the Tang to Qing dynasties.
February/March
Daffodils
Head to Winchester city centre and you’ll find pockets of daffodils popping up to remind us that spring is on its way. One of our favourite spots to see them is in Winchester Cathedral’s inner and outer close. You can also take a visit to Abbey Gardens where the flowerbeds are always in delightful bloom and the river runs straight through, offering a charming spot to take the load off during a busy day of exploring.
Warm up: while in the city, be sure to grab a cup of tea and slice of cake from one of Winchester’s independent eateries or Winchester Cathedral Café.
February/March
Crocuses
One of the most popular areas for crocuses is the Winnall Moors Nature Reserve. As you approach from the city centre, you’ll pass two bridges between Eastgate Street and Water Lane. Enjoy the crocuses have sprung up beside the river and make your way to Winnall Moors. The River Itchen flows through the length of the reserve providing water for wet grassland, reedbeds, wet woodland and streams. This wetland haven is a wonderful place to escape city life and with its many paths, boardwalks and bridges there’s no need to wear wellies!
Pub walk: enjoy a circular walk around the reserve and finish with a pint or dinner at The Willow Tree, a pub with a riverside garden and fantastic local food.
March/April
Bluebells
Meander through magnificent trees and leafy foliage, in April and May as the ancient woodland of Micheldever Woods is turned into a carpet of bluebells. One of the best places to see bluebells not just in Hampshire but in the whole of the UK, these woods are also home to a diverse range of birds, insects, and wildlife including Muntjac deer. You can choose between two waymarked trails through the beech woodland, the Archaeological Trail and the Family Trail (suitable for buggies).
Make a day of it: stop at Alresford for lunch – try out one of the many delicacies using the famous local leaf of watercress. Find out more about this scenic market town.
Winchester is also home to an abundance of trees, many of which will welcome beautiful blossoms in the spring and summer months. As you follow the Tree Trail, keep an eye out for the following trees in bloom.
June/July
Small Leaf Lime Tree (4)
Near the pedestrian entrance to Winchester Cathedral, you will see a tall Small Leaf Lime Tree. The native British lime is one of our most ancient plants, dating back to the end of the last ice age. Perhaps the best thing about limes is their intoxicating sweet-smelling blossom in June and July, which attracts crowds of bees. These yellow-green flowers can also be made into tea, which was used during the war as a mild sedative.
Culture stop: Winchester Cathedral boasts centuries of English heritage, magnificent architecture, priceless treasures and works of art. Stop by for a visit before continuing on the trail.
April/May
Foxglove Tree (5)
The foxglove tree is native to China and produces fragrant pink-blue foxglove like flowers. They bloom between April and May, during which time their entire crown is covered with 20cm-long flower panicles. After foxglove trees bloom, their massive green leaves emerge, providing ample shade throughout summer. You'll find this tree just behind the Mercure Wessex Hotel.
Room with a view: Start the summer season right with a stay in the heart of Winchester. It also offers Brasserie-style dining at the Wessex Restaurant and unbeatable views of the cathedral.
May/June
Handkerchief Tree (10)
As the trail takes you to Abbey Gardens, look out for the Handkerchief Tree. Also called the dove tree, the handkerchief tree is named after its beautiful white, flower-like bracts, which appear to flutter in the slightest breeze. According to Chinese legend, the handkerchief tree is the most romantic tree in China. It was introduced to the UK in the late 19th Century, by the famous plant collector named Ernest Wilson. He brought seeds back to the UK and his first tree flowered in 1906. You can see it bloom in late May and June.
Summer fun: While in Abbey Gardens, enjoy the formal flower beds, a rose garden, a scented garden and an enclosed children's play area for the kids. It is the perfect spot for a picnic.
April/May
Judas Tree (11)
Just beyond the gates of Abbey Garden, you’ll see the Judas Tree outside Winchester City Mill. It is one of the earliest trees to flower and keeps its spectacular bright pink blooms throughout May. It is also one of the few remarkable trees to grow flowers from its trunk! While the tree has folklore surrounding its connection with Judas, the more likely reason for its name is its prevalence in the region of Judea. It is also sometimes called the Love Tree due to its large, heart-shaped leaves.
Nature spotting: Pop into Winchester City Mill and explore the idyllic island garden. You'll find a wide variety of flowers blossom throughout the seasons and the clear chalk stream river is teeming with wildlife.
May/June
Swedish White Beam (12)
Alongside the River Itchen, you’ll find a Swedish White Beam. The creamy white flowers appear in clusters during May and are then followed by small orange-red fruit in the autumn. The autumn colour is decorative and contrasts attractively with the foliage turning to a golden brown. The strong-smelling flowers attract many insect pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
Roman roots: Along the river you might also spot a little grotto. Within this is a small section of Roman wall, dating from the 3rd century A.D. This is the only remaining visible section of the Winchester’s Roman walls,
July/August
Golden Rain Tree (21)
Opposite No. 8 College Street, the house where Jane Austen spent her final weeks, you’ll see a Golden rain tree, a deciduous tree known for its vibrant yellow flowers that bloom in summer. Naturalized in Korea and Japan since at least the 1200s, the tree was introduced in Europe in 1747, and to America in 1763. They grow up to 30 feet tall are popular in landscaping for their ornamental beauty and shade.
A truth universally acknowledged: Jane Austen references this garden in a letter written during her final weeks at No. 8: “We have a neat little drawing with a bow-window overlooking Dr Gabell's Garden”. Find out more about ticketed visits to No. 8 College Street or enjoy more of Winchester College’s tranquil gardens with a magical evening of Jane Austen theatre.
July/August
Indian Bean Tree (22)
Also in this garden you will find an Indian bean tree. They are native to southeastern United States and are known for their large, heart-shaped leaves and striking white flowers that bloom in July. Europeans first observed the tree growing in the fields of the Cherokee tribes. They flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies and caterpillars.
Independent shops: Along College Street you’ll find a selection of delightful independents, from P & G Wells, presumed to be Britain’s oldest bookshop, and Cornflowers, a boutique gift shop.
August/September
Bull Bay (23)
On the grassed area of the Cathedral Close is a bull bay tree, known for its distinctive creamy white flowers that bloom in August. It is also commonly known as the southern magnolia due to its prevalence in southern US states from Virginia to Texas. Until early 2018, an iconic southern magnolia planted by President Andrew Jackson grew near the South Portico of the White House, making it the oldest tree on the grounds.
Bookshop browsing: Nestled in the Inner Close of Winchester Cathedral, The Deanery Bookstall stocks a wide range of second-hand books of every genre. Be sure to pop in!
June/July
Tulip Tree (24)
Also in the Cathedral Close is a tulip tree. It is one of the largest of the native trees of eastern North America, known in an extraordinary case to reach the height of nearly 60m. The tree is named for its tulip-shaped yellow-green flowers, which blooms in June and July. Due to their size, light weight and straight grain, they were often used to make canoes by Indigenous Americans.
Hidden gem: Dean Garnier Garden is found next to Winchester Cathedral’s south transept and sits on the former site of a Benedictine Monastery. It is a slice of tranquillity in the heart of the city.
