News.
Harewood in Bloom: Inside the House Breathtaking Floral Installations and Outside 40,000 Bulbs Bloom with Workshops, Trails and Activities In-between
20th April 2026
Trevor Nicholson, Head Gardener at Harewood House Trust said: “Much of what visitors will see can’t be planned weeks in advance… for many flowers, the bank holiday weekend is a fleeting window.”
This May Bank Holiday, Harewood House will unveil Harewood in Bloom, a vibrant new event celebrating the beauty, diversity and seasonality of one of Yorkshire’s finest historic gardens.
From 2 to 4 May 2026, more than 140 acres of gardens and grounds will burst into life, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience fleeting seasonal highlights, a diverse range of plants and immersive creative activities. Featuring 40,000 spring bulbs, one of the largest single plantings for a century at Harewood, alongside talks, trails, workshops and family-friendly experiences, Harewood in Bloom promises a weekend of colour, creativity and discovery.
Delivered in partnership with award-winning florist Leafy Couture and supported by the ASAMAA Charitable Trust, the event brings together horticulture, art and hands-on experiences for garden enthusiasts and families alike.
Bringing spring indoors
Inside the house, floral installations transform the State Floor into a vibrant celebration of spring. Inspired by Harewood’s collections, these striking displays bring fresh colour and life indoors, creating immersive spaces for visitors to explore and capture memorable photographs.
Among the highlights are installations by Leafy Couture, which adorn some of Harewood’s most iconic areas, including the Entrance Hall. Here, Adam by Jacob Epstein is beautifully complemented by floral artistry, enhancing one of Harewood’s most admired features.
Harewood has also collaborated with local community groups and its own volunteers to create unique handcrafted paper flower installations. In the Gallery, visitors can admire seven breathtaking arrangements, each designed by a different award-winning florist.
A rare moment in the gardening calendar
Visitors will encounter a series of remarkable and time-sensitive displays, many of which appear for only a brief window each year. Among the highlights is the striking Davidia involucrata, the “pocket handkerchief tree”, whose delicate white bracts flutter in the breeze like, well, white handkerchiefs. Flowering for just a short time from early May, it draws botanical enthusiasts from across the country.
Across the park, the results of months of careful planning will be revealed in sweeping new bulb displays, including camassias and alliums, transforming the former playground into a dramatic spring landscape. Visitors will be among the first to experience these new blooms.
Seasonal highlights continue throughout the grounds, from carpets of bluebells and wild garlic beneath mature trees to the exquisite flower ‘candles’ of horse chestnut. In the Archery Border, the exotic honey spurge, a bronze-flowered plant from Madeira, adds an unexpected tropical scent.
Around the lakeside, our collection of rhododendrons offers a rich variety of colour and scale, while the orchard in the Walled Garden showcases heritage apples in blossom. Enjoy the magnificent setting of the Terrace, with its seasonal planting too.
A garden shaped by history and alive in the present
Trevor Nicholson, Head Gardener at Harewood House Trust, said:
“Our first ever Harewood in Bloom will amplify what makes the Gardens extraordinary. In early May, from the glory of the Terrace to the tranquility of the Lakeside and the Walled Garden, there are so many floral delights to discover. A combination of rare exotics with classic flowers of the English countryside is what makes Harewood so beautiful in early May, and all within easy reach of the North’s major cities.
What makes this event so special is its unpredictability. Much of what visitors will see can’t be planned weeks in advance. From the pocket handkerchief tree, to the bluebells, the cobra lilies and the wild garlic, they are all seasonal, making the bank holiday weekend an unmissable opportunity to discover what makes the Gardens so special.”
Young visitors in bloom
For younger Harewood fans, there is plenty to discover and enjoy throughout the weekend. Activities include paper flower crown making, the Harewood’s Top 10 Blooms Trail, and Little Gardeners. In this hands-on experience, Harewood’s own gardening team will help children plant their own seeds to take home as a special memento of the day.
Creativity in bloom
A programme of bespoke workshops led by Leafy Couture will run throughout the weekend, alongside sessions from artists including Nay Bellamy, Davinder Madaher and Lola Design. From floral arranging to botanical painting and paper crafts, each workshop offers a hands-on creative experience inspired by the surrounding landscape.
Renowned as one of Yorkshire’s leading contemporary florists and flower schools, Leafy Couture is celebrated for mentoring aspiring and professional florists, as well as producing striking installations for weddings and events.
Zoë Hughes, Head of Public Programme at Harewood House Trust, said:
“We are delighted to be launching Harewood in Bloom this May bank holiday. Shaped by influential figures such as Sir Charles Barry and Capability Brown, Harewood’s gardens reflect centuries of visionary design and continue to stand among the very best in Yorkshire.
May is one of the most exciting times to experience them, as the landscape bursts into colour and fragrance. Harewood in Bloom brings this to life through workshops, trails, interactive experiences and artistic displays, designed to inspire creativity and spark a sense of joy for all ages.”
What’s On: Harewood in Bloom
Across the first May Bank Holiday weekend, Harewood House, in partnership with Leafy Couture, invites visitors to celebrate all things, flowers and plants with a vibrant programme of tours, trails and hands-on activities. Set across more than 140 acres of spectacular gardens, woodlands and parkland, the event showcases the beauty and heritage of Harewood’s historic landscape. From the magnificent Terrace and productive Walled Garden to the tranquil Lakeside Woodland Gardens, Harewood is giving visitors the opportunity to experience these gardens from a fresh perspective.
Exclusively for Harewood in Bloom, Leafy Couture has elevated their existing installation with a series of striking new floral displays. Using fresh, real flowers and collaborating with award-winning florists, Harewood’s gallery spaces have been transformed by breathtaking arrangements inspired by the house’s architecture and its rich collections.
Charlotte Verity: The Season Following,
2 – 4 May,
State Floor,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
Experience the fleeting nature of the seasons through the work of Charlotte Verity, a British artist known for her meticulously observed paintings of plants and flowers. Often painted over many years, Verity’s work captures the quiet rhythms of the natural world with exquisite clarity and luminosity.
Set within the historic interiors of Harewood House and surrounded by its world-renowned landscape and gardens, this exhibition offers a meditative journey through the seasons, and invites you to linger, look closely, and celebrate the subtle fluctuating beauty of nature.
The Story Behind the Blue Poppy,
2 – 4 May, 2 – 2:15 pm,
At the Harewood Stupa near the Himalayan Garden,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
The Himalayan Blue Poppy flourishes beside the Harewood Stupa, but how did it come to be here? In this insightful talk, you’ll discover how they are cared for, the story of ‘Lingholm’, and Princess Mary’s connection to them.
Floral Demonstrations
2 – 4 May, 11am
The Old Kitchen,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
Across the weekend, award-winning florist and floral school, Leafy Couture, will host a series of inspiring demonstrations, each designed to help you create your own Harewood floral magic. The demonstrations cover topics from seasonal vase arrangements to tablescape creations and working with locally grown blooms.
Harewood’s ‘Top Ten’ Flower Trail,
2 – 4 May, all day
Collect from Visitor Information,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
Head on a colourful Garden adventure and discover Harewood’s Top 10 spring flowers on this fun family trail! From the famous Blue Poppy to bright Rhododendrons bursting with colour, this trail helps you spot some of the most beautiful, as well as some of the most unusual blooms around the Gardens.
Paper Flower Crowns,
2 – 4 May, drop in
South Garden,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
Get creative and colour in your own paper flower crown in this fun craft activity inspired by the beautiful Leafy Couture floral installations around the House. Once finished, your creation wear your flower crown with pride!
Little Gardeners,
2 – 4 May, 11am – 3pm,
Walled Garden,
Free, included in valid day ticket or membership
Have you ever fancied being a Gardener at Harewood? In our Little Gardeners workshop, you can! Join our Garden team for a hands-on gardening workshop for kids and families where you’ll decorate your own compostable plant pot, then sow a seed to take home and nurture.
Vibrant Vase Displays,
2 May, 1 – 3pm,
Stewards Room,
£85
Do you love flowers but wish you could make a better display with them? Come and join Sarah from Leafy Couture in this hands-on vase arrangement workshop! Aimed at boosting your creativity and an escape from modern stresses, join Sarah from Leafy Couture for this seasonal class and to learn some floristry basics and create a beautiful arrangement to take home.
Botanical Painting,
3 May, 10.30 – 1.30pm,
Harewood Suite,
£65
Led by artist Nay, this inspiring workshop invites you to explore the beauty of floral painting in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Through step-by-step guidance, Nay will introduce key painting techniques, from building delicate layers to capturing light, texture and natural form. Whether you’re picking up a brush for the first time or looking to develop your skills, this session is designed to build confidence and encourage creative expression.
Blossoming Bouquets,
3 May, 1 – 3pm,
Stewards Room,
£85
A beautiful bouquet of blooms always brings a smile to someone’s face! So come and learn about how to create bouquets with Leafy Couture. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the essential techniques of making hand-tied bouquets, from choosing the right blooms and colour palettes to mastering wrapping styles and composition tips.
Whether you have a special occasion coming up and want to surprise someone with flowers or you want to treat yourself to a calming, creative activity, this workshop is perfect for you.
A Garden Stroll with Harewood’s Head Gardener,
3 May, 12.30 – 1.20 pm,
Meet at the Membership Cabin.
£15 per person, must hold a valid day ticket or membership
Join Harewood’s Head Gardener, Trevor, for a tour of Harewood’s internationally famous gardens. This tour is designed to give you an insight into how Harewood’s gardens have developed over the years and how they are cared for today by our passionate Garden team.
Paper Poppies,
4 May, 1 – 3pm,
Harewood Suite,
£65
Join Lola Design for a relaxed and creative workshop where you’ll learn how to make your own beautiful crepe paper poppy from scratch. Guided step-by-step, you’ll explore techniques such as shaping petals, creating realistic parts, and assembling your flower using specialist crepe paper and florist materials.
The Joy of Painting,
4 May, 1.30 – 3pm,
Stewards Room,
£25
Calling all little artists! Join Davinder Madaher in a joyful painting workshop inspired by flowers, experiment with colours, patterns and learn new techniques. Through his short, inspiring workshops, each session is a playful, supportive space where young artists can experiment with colours, patterns, and new techniques, helping them build confidence and create their own unique artworks.