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 2-4 May, 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.”

Click here to find out more.