Crocuses naturalise well in grassy areas and February to March is usually the best time to see them.  Often planted in great swathes in community parks and church yards, they provide a sea of yellows, purples, creams and mauve to herald the arrival of spring.

Bitts Park Crocuses

Where to see Crocuses
Some of Britains’ stately homes and gardens have wonderful displays of crocus and are well worth the visit.

Here are a few open days or places to see Crocuses that we are aware of.

If we have missed any then please get in touch with the details via our contact us form.

Please send us your pictures of your crocus walk, as we are sure there must be many more out there.

If you are a member of the NGS (National Garden Scheme) and open your garden for displays of crocus and spring flowers, then please let us know.

Kew Gardens Crocus Carpet – creates a spectacular show of white and purple between Victoria Gate and King William’s Temple in March.

Sky Blue Pasture is lively, safe and vibrant place in the heart of Chelmsford.

University of Leicester Botanic Garden – Leicestershire

Lacock Abbey Gardens – Wiltshire

Temple Newsham Park and Gardens – Leeds

Great Dixter House – Snowdrop and Crocus weekend, East Sussex

The Garden House – Devon

Bitts Park – Carlisle

Many Old churches and graveyards are also the ideal place to see crocuses

Breakthrough Breast Cancer – Crocus Walks - help raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, meet up with friends and get some exercise – and all in a good cause.

Go in search of Montague Mouse and his woodland friends during a woodland walk at Wigton just outside of Carlisle.

30 Woodland Folk live in these tree stump houses

Montague Mouse and his friends, Sebastian Shrew, Maudie Mole and Willie Water Vole live, along with a host of other characters, amongst the trees and shrubs of High Hall Nurseryaround 12 miles south-west of Carlisle just off the A595.

In the car park,  a large noticeboard showed what you may expect to see and a map of the trail ahead.

This walk is great for children young and old!

Red squirrels can occasionally be seen scampering around and the sound of birdsong tells you that Chaffinches, Chiff Chaff, Blue and Great Tits are nearby.

The woodland has been carefully restored by the removal of pine trees and the re-introduction of native species.

Pathways are well maintained, but good walking footwear is recommended.

     

The nursery …

A small wooden bridge crosses a moat, designed to keep deer away from this area of the garden, where the plant nursery can be found.

WORTH A VISIT.

If you are looking for a simple, easy, non complicated way to spend a couple of hours then High Hall Nursery is ideal.  

It is slightly off the beaten track and you will not find toilets or a cafe but  you are assured of a friendly welcome and it offers something different and unique from the run of the mill gardening hypermarkets.

Entrance to the woodland walk and nursery is free (at time of posting).

The walk is just under ½ mile in length and takes you through woodland, which in Spring is full of bluebells, ramsons, and foxgloves, not to mention a variety of fungi.

Website A well written website with some great contents and many  links. You can also download audio files of birdsong and get details of membership of The Friends of the Woodland Folk.  http://www.highhallnursery.co.uk

The address is High Hall Nursery & Woodland Walk, Westward, nr Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 8NQ,

Telephone number 016973 44 308

Brochure available here

Opening Times (2009) available here

GPS data 

• Postcode: CA7 8NQ , 
• Grid Reference: NY269436 , 
• Latitude: 54:46:57N (54.7825)
• Longitude: 3:08:12W (-3.1367)