The UK’s tradition and love of horticulture has endured throughout its history, from the medicinal gardens of the Medieval age to our colourful array of pick your own flower farms today. What could be a better way to celebrate the country's natural beauty and put our best foot forward towards sustainable agriculture than giving the public the chance to pick and take home their own beautiful flora? Join CrossCountry as we explore some of the best flower farms in the UK.
Amelia's Flower Farm, Newton Abbot
Amelia's Flower Farm offers a range of flowers, including, sunflowers and sweet peas. The farm is particularly well loved for its stunning displays of red, pink, and white dahlias, which bloom from late summer into autumn. Visitors to the farm have the freedom to pick their own flowers, making it a popular destination for those looking to create personalised bouquets and hold special events for birthdays or weddings.
The farm also hosts various workshops throughout the year, teaching visitors about sustainable gardening practices, flower arranging, and other horticultural skills. These workshops are perfect for both beginners and experienced gardeners who just love to be around nature.
Amelias Flower Farm is committed to its mission of biodiversity and supporting local wildlife in Newton Abbot. The farm's practices ensure that it remains a thriving, sustainable ecosystem, providing habitats for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. To get to Amelias, there are bus services from Newton Abbot station, however this will require a thirty minute walk to the farm itself, so be sure to come prepared.
Court House Farm, Portishead
Located in Portishead, Court House Farm is a historic estate with tons of character. Known for its breathtaking views and serene atmosphere, the farm is a favourite among both locals and tourists.
Court House Farm specialises in growing an impressive range of flowers, including peonies, roses, tulips, and wildflowers. In summer, when the flowers are flourishing at full bloom, the farm holds ticketed ‘Pick Your Own’ events paired with afternoon tea, an idyllic excursion for families, couples, and friends.
Court House Farm regularly hosts events to encourage community engagement, such as open garden days, where visitors can explore the grounds, learn about the different flowers, and enjoy the farm's peaceful atmosphere. Additionally, the farm has held several workshops in the past, where participants can learn the art of creating arrangements using their fresh, farm-grown flowers. Other workshops have included wild wreath making, garden-inspired embroidery, and Fair Isle knitting.
Reaching Court House Farm by train is no trouble with CrossCountry with connecting services from Bristol Temple Meads to Portishead.
Rowes at Priory Gardens, Guisborough
Rowes at Priory Gardens in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, offers lovers of history and horticulture a really special and unique experience. Situated on the grounds of the ruined Guisborough Priory, the flower farm is surrounded by centuries of Augustinian history and lush greenery. It’s truly a magical setting for a summer’s day out and a perfect atmospheric photo opportunity.
Rowes at Priory Gardens also offers a variety of educational workshops. These include guided tours of the gardens, flower arranging classes, and floral painting. These programmes give visitors a chance to learn about the heritage and horticulture that encapsulates the priory, as well as how they can take sustainable and traditional horticultural practises into their own lives.
The closest CrossCountry train station to Guisborough is Darlington station, from which visitors can grab connecting services to Rowes at Priory Gardens. Darlington is well connected to hubs all over the UK with CrossCountry, including Newcastle station and York station.
The Flower Field Shop, Laurencekirk
The Flower Field Shop in Aberdeenshire is well-loved for its vibrant fields of flowers, an oil painting of dancing peonies, daffodils, and other seasonal blooms. One of the of best parts about The Flower Field Shop is its focus on seasonal flowers. The farm carefully plans its planting schedule to ensure that there are always fresh, beautiful flowers available, no matter the time of year. In spring, visitors can enjoy fields of tulips, iris, and allium, while summer brings sunflowers, gladioli, and dahlias.
The Flower Field Shop operates an honesty policy in their pick your own flower fields, where visitors are free to pick their own flowers and provide payment according to the prices displayed on the ‘honesty box’.
To reach the Flower Field Shop, you can grab the number 9 bus from Montrose station to Kinnear Square and it’s a twenty-minute walk from there.
Buckingham Flower Farm, Buckingham
Buckingham Flower Farm holds “Pick Your Own Flowers” sessions throughout the summer and even into the evenings. According to the farm, the evening sunlight is especially beautiful in the flower field and perfect for a few photo opportunities. Visitors can pick up to thirty stems from the array of blooms, which will then be wrapped in paper to take home.
For an extra special experience, book a tea for two ticket which rewards an enjoyable, but possibly tiring, flower picking session with a nice cup of tea and a selection of cakes. The tables are located on the flower field so there’s a wonderful view as your sip your beverage.
Buckingham Flower Farm also holds accessible workshops, designed for all levels of flower enthusiasts. Popular sessions include their flower crown workshop, where participants can leave with an extravagant crown fit for a fairy queen, and their dahlia vase arrangement workshop, where visitors are able to pick their own dahlias and learn how to arrange then to their full potential.
If you’re planning to visit a pick your own flower farm or, perhaps, a wildflower meadow, don’t forget to book Advance rail tickets via our website or the CrossCountry app. Before you travel, make sure to check scheduled train times to find the best journey for you. If you need more information, you can contact us here.
Written by Julia