Dyrham Park is preparing for the return of its annual tulip season, with organisers promising a larger and more colourful celebration than ever before.
Photo © National Trust Images / James Beck
The National Trust property near Bath will host “Tulip Mania” from Monday 13th April to Monday 4th May, bringing thousands of blooms to its formal gardens, orchard and courtyards.
Displays will once again fill the long avenue beds, courtyard pots and parterre, while the orchard will be transformed with a spread of spring colour. This year, the team has planted more than 15,000 bulbs imported from Holland to create the spectacle.
Tulips hold a particular connection to Dyrham because of the estate’s historic ties to the Netherlands. William Blathwayt, who created the current house at Dyrham Park, began his career in The Hague in the 17th century and later became a key adviser to William of Orange. During that time he developed an interest in Dutch art and Delftware, much of which remains in the house.
For the first time, this year’s event will also include work by seven local artists, who have created pieces inspired by tulips for display in the Slop’t Parlour.
Visitors will be able to view and buy artwork including oil and watercolour paintings, cyanotype, printing, giclee and textiles.
The wider programme will include a watercolour workshop for aspiring artists, guided garden walks, talks on Delftware inside the house and a plant fayre.
More tulips will also be on display in Sphynx Court, while Fountain Court will feature a timeline tracing the flower’s journey from its origins in Asia to the present day, alongside information about growing tulips at Dyrham. Stable Court will host a “living library” of potted and labelled tulip varieties.
The parterre garden, linking the house and garden, will feature a black and white planting scheme designed to reflect the look of the parterre itself.
Inside the house, visitors will find hundreds of fresh and handmade fabric tulips arranged in blue and white vases, while paintings featuring 17th-century tulip varieties will also be on show.
A Delftware display in the Great Hall will be accompanied by volunteer talks on the house’s Dutch-themed collection, with tulip-related objects from the collection, including embroidery and giant paper tulips, also forming part of the exhibition.
Guided walks are planned on weekdays throughout the event and do not require booking. A plant fayre will run at visitor reception from 24th to 26th April.
Among this year’s tulip varieties are cultivars with names including Yellow Pomponette, Maureen, Purple Dream, Purissima, Madame Lefeber, Ronaldo and Queen of the Night.
Dyrham’s gardening team say the wider landscape is also part of an ongoing project to reshape the grounds in line with a 1712 engraving of the estate by Johannes Kip, while drawing on present-day inspiration from places such as Versailles in France and Het Loo in the Netherlands.
Senior Visitor Experience Officer Rachel Beaumont said: “Tulip mania will be better than ever this year, with the exciting addition of seven local artists showing their amazing creations.
“Turning into the Avenue or entering the orchard during tulip season is absolutely magical and literally takes your breath away.
“As well as the stunning displays and art, there will be walks and talks, a plant fayre and Delftware in the house, so you’ll definitely come away with a deeper knowledge of the tulip.
“Tulips have always been popular at Dyrham but this is the third year of running ‘tulip mania’ to help create a really thorough and enjoyable tulip experience for our spring visitors.”
Tulip-themed items including books, postcards, plants, prints and Dyrham Park tulip pin badges will also be available in the shop. Dyrham Park is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry one hour before closing.
