For Architectural Digest, by Lindsey Mather.
Fresh flowers instantly brighten up a home, so imagine being surrounded by millions of them. These nine fields of flowers around the world offer spectacular, mood-lifting views of narcissi, poppies, tulips, bluebonnets, sweet peas, wildflowers, and other stunning varieties, en masse and in every color imaginable. Winter doesn’t seem so bad when a trip to one of these beautiful gardens or farms is on the books for late spring, when most are in full bloom. Stay Stateside and venture to California or Texas, or head abroad to Japan, the Netherlands, or the U.K.
Walk the 40 miles of Ennis Bluebonnet Trails, 35 miles south of Dallas, to see swaths of Texas’s bright blue flower. In April, when the blooms are at their best, the Ennis Garden Club hosts a festival to celebrate, drawing 100,000 visitors. bluebonnettrail.org
In the town of Lisse, in the Dutch “bulb region,” the Keukenhof gardens boast seven million bulbs in springtime, with 800 varieties of tulips. The flowering typically peaks in the last two weeks of April through the first week of May. keukenhof.nl/en/
At Japan’s Hitachi Seaside Park, there is always something blooming. By April, expect to see one million narcissi, 4.5 million baby-blue nemophilas, and other popular flowers, such as tulips. Around October, 30,000 spiky green kochia herbs turn a brilliant red hue. en.hitachikaihin.jp
Located on 50 acres of coastal farmland in Carlsbad, California, the Flower Fields are known for their ranunculus in every color under the sun. The fields are open for ten weeks each spring, from March 1 through May 14. theflowerfields.com
Depending on the year, a trip to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the Western Mojave Desert could grant you this view of brilliant orange blossoms mixed with a kaleidoscope of wildflowers. Typically, the blooming begins in mid-March. parks.ca.gov
It’s not just the gorgeous lavender fields in shades of amethyst, indigo, and white that make Yorkshire Lavender a huge draw; it’s also the incredible, soothing scent. Plan a trip to Terrington, England, in July or August to see—and smell—hundreds of varieties. yorkshirelavender.com
Along Central Avenue and Union Sugar Avenue in Lompoc, California, travelers will come across sprawling fields of stock flowers, larkspur, delphinium, and bells of Ireland. Bring your camera and stop by from June through early September. explorelompoc.com
Each spring the fields of Skagit Valley, Washington, are filled with colorful blooms, including rows of daffodils, tulips, and irises. The Skagit Tulip Festival is held every year from April 1 to 30. tulipfestival.org
The end of cherry blossom season isn’t the end of the floral spectacle on South Korea’s Jeju Island. Fields of yellow canola flowers bloom from late March to early April, and the town of Seogwipo hosts an annual festival. jejuflowerfestival.com
More from Architectural Digest:
