Four spring highlights bursting with colour
Across April and May, Furzey changes week by week. Blossom gives way to bold rhododendrons, azaleas begin to glow through the garden, and fresh growth rises through the borders. It is one of the most rewarding times to visit, because no two walks through the garden feel quite the same.
Here are four highlights to look out for this spring.
1. Rhododendrons in full colour
If there is one display that defines Furzey in late spring, it is the rhododendrons, offering a vibrant tapestry of colour that lifts the whole garden.
As April moves into May, these much-loved shrubs begin to take over with bigger, bolder displays. Among the stars of the season is Rhododendron ‘Cynthia’, an original planting dating back to the 1930s, with rosy crimson flowers that drape beautifully above the paths.
Rhododendron thomsonii brings another striking note, with deep red bell-shaped flowers in April and May, while Rhododendron ‘Sappho’ offers a completely different mood, opening white flowers marked with dramatic dark blotches.
A little later, Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’ helps carry the display into early summer with vivid orange-scarlet blooms.
There are rhododendrons throughout the garden, including older specimens that have been part of Furzey’s story for decades and bring just as much character in their shape and structure as in their colour.
What makes this part of the season so special is the scale of it. These are not just shrubs to admire from a distance. They lean over the paths, frame the views and surround visitors in colour.
Rhododendron Sappho
Rhododendron ‘Tally-Ho’
Rhododendron ‘Cynthia’
2. Azaleas full of contrast and colour
Alongside the rhododendrons, the azaleas bring a different kind of beauty.
Some are bright and full of energy, while others are softer and more delicate in character.
One especially interesting specimen to look out for is Rhododendron stenopetalum (spider azalea), whose unusual narrow pink petals give it a lighter, more delicate appearance. Furzey also highlights Japanese evergreen azaleas in shades of pink, red and purple, alongside the beautifully scented Rhododendron luteum (yellow azalea), whose bright flowers bring a fresh note to the spring palette.
Together, they soften the larger rhododendron displays and bring another layer of colour and texture to the garden.
Rhododendron luteum
Pink azalea by boardwalk
Rhododendron stenopetalum
3. Spring flowering trees and shrubs full of character
There is plenty more to notice if you slow down and look around. Particular trees to look out for:
Cercis siliquastrum (Judas tree) has deep pink flowers appearing on bare branches before the leaves emerge.
Paulownia tomentosa (empress tree or foxglove tree) produces large panicles of purple flowers.
Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’ (wedding cake tree) notice its distinctive, horizontal, tiered branches adding shape and structure to the garden.
Among the shrubs, there are quieter treasures too. Crinodendron hookerianum (Chilean lantern tree) stands out with vivid red lantern-like flowers, while the small bell-shaped flowers of Enkianthus campanulatus (redvein enkianthus) are a favourite with bees.
Our collection of cornus also starts to shine later in spring, look out for the delightful pink flowers of Cornus Kousa ‘Miss Satomi’.
Some plants dazzle from across the garden, while others reveal themselves only as you round a corner or pause along the path.
Crinodendron hookeranium
Enkianthus campanulatus
Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’
4. Beds and borders as the season changes
As spring develops, the beds and borders at Furzey begin to shift in character, with new layers of colour and texture appearing week by week.
Earlier in the season, bluebells bring soft drifts of colour and help brighten the woodland setting. Fresh fern growth begins to unfurl, adding a vivid green softness that makes spring planting feel full of life. Hosta soon follow, their broad leaves bringing contrast and structure to the borders as the garden moves towards early summer.
Then come the candelabra primulas, rising through the planting with their distinctive tiers of flowers. These later spring highlights bring a stronger vertical accent to the borders and help carry colour through the transition from spring into summer.
Bluebells
Hosta and Candelabra primula
Candelabra primula
Book your visit to Furzey Gardens this spring
If you are choosing one time to visit Furzey, spring offers some of the garden’s most memorable and distinctive sights. From glowing rhododendrons and azaleas to flowering trees, fresh growth and layered late spring borders, it is a season that feels especially vibrant and rewarding to explore.