Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in bloom with first ever ‘Spring Spectacular’

Gurus of gardening and curious horticulturalists alike can enjoy three months of seasonal blooms at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens this year, with a programme of events and activities that will celebrate the half a million new bulbs that have been planted for 2023.

From early March, visitors can get their first taste of the Castle’s new ‘Spring Spectacular’ with a dander throughout the snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils which will sprawl across 100 acres, before handing over to tulips, camassia and bluebells later in the spring. The Castle’s gardeners have planted over half a million bulbs, including a large selection of Northern Irish daffodils, and have curated exclusive walks and tours throughout the gardens that will bring their history to life, while also imparting some horticultural wisdom.

Garden walks and tours include Bulbs, Buds and Blooms in March, Wander Lonely as a Cloud Daffodil Walk in April and Planting a Productive Veg Garden in the Walled Garden in May, all of which are guided by Gardens Manager Claire Woods, who has been cultivating the estate with her team for the past four years. A series of workshops will also be held throughout the programme, from St. Patrick’s Day gardening and Mother’s Day Bouquet making in March, to seed sowing in April and a helping hand with spring planting in May.

At the end of March, Hillsborough Castle will also play host to the Northern Ireland Daffodil Group’s annual Hillsborough Castle Daffodil Show where over 600 different exhibits are expected to be displayed by daffodil breeders from all over Northern Ireland. Visitors will be able to experience the beauty of the various varieties up close, while the breeders themselves will be on hand to answer questions and explain the heritage of their gorgeous blooms.

Hillsborough Castle will then reopen its doors on 17 March, just in time for visitors to enjoy the annual Great Rabbit Runaround as part of its Easter events roster on 01 -02 and 05 – 11 April. Hosted on the grounds of Hillsborough Castle, families can complete a variety of challenges around the majestic gardens and discover fun facts along the way, before finishing their visit with a chocolate treat.

Claire Woods, Gardens Manager, said: “We have planted over half a million bulbs throughout the grounds of the Castle for our first ever ‘Spring Spectacular’, which will bring an extraordinary burst of colour across the estate. The iconic Yew Tree Walk will be lined with daffodils, while the South Terrance of the Castle will be adorned with pots of colourful tulips. Our stunning Walled Garden will continue to change with the seasons and will be home to many different tulips and daffodils during the Spring Spectacular, many of which will be Northern Ireland bred varieties not seen before within our gardens.

“Of course, the wilder areas of the estate will once again home our magnificent carpet of bluebells and our Magnolia Trees will wow once more. Our walks, tours and workshops will be equally as exciting for gardening gurus as for those who have an interest but just don’t know where to start, while those who simply enjoy the beauty of a walk to admire the blooms will have so much to feast their eyes upon this spring.”

The Hillsborough Castle and Gardens’ ‘Spring Spectacular’ will begin on 04 March and run until 08 May, with seasonal events beginning from 15 March until 17 May.

To learn more and to book an event, visit hrp.org.uk/Hillsborough-castle.