Wimpole Estate one of best places to see blossom in Cambs

Running for a fifth year, #BlossomWatch is inspired by the Japanese tradition of 'Hanami', which literally translates to 'flower viewing'.

Crab apple blossom at Wimpole (Image: National Trust Images/Catherine Hayburn)

The orchard at Wimpole is full of blossom during the spring, as the buds of more than 300 apple, medlar, quince, pear and plum trees burst into bloom between April and May.

Beginning with apricot, plum and greengage, the blossom then appears on the apple and pear trees and is finally rounded off by the medlar and quince in late spring.

Within the walled garden, espaliered fruit trees (those growing flat against a wall) will also be in blossom, and ornamental cherry trees with delicate pink flowers can be found across the pleasure grounds.

The blossom in spring can help the gardeners predict the apple harvest to come in autumn, which is used to produce Wimpole apple juice.

There are 56 varieties of apple tree at the estate, which can provide 4.5 tonnes of fruit for pressing, producing around 6,000 litres of juice per year.

The National Trust is inviting visitors to join in with the spring celebrations by sharing their images on social media with the hashtag #BlossomWatch.

A bench under the apple trees at Wimpole (Image: National Trust Images/Justin Minns)

To help tackle the climate crisis and nature depletion, the National Trust plans to plant 20 million trees across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030, with around four million of these being blossoming trees.

Fruit trees and new traditional orchards are being planted at National Trust locations, while native and historic varieties such as blackthorn and hawthorn will be chosen for other outdoor spaces.

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Wimpole Estate has been lived on and farmed for more than 2,000 years, from Iron Age roundhouses to the present-day house.

The house was the vision of Elsie Bambridge, daughter of author Rudyard Kipling, who filled the property with pictures and furniture in the 1930s.

Set around the house are the pleasured grounds and walled garden, as well as a traditional farmyard with a piggery and cattle sheds, including rare-breed cattle.