Hampton Court Palace, Molesey Road,
East Molesey,
Surrey,
KT8 9AU,
United Kingdom
Key Facts
Scale: Over 100,000 tulip bulbs planted across the 60 acres of palace gardens — the UK's biggest tulip display
Season: April each year, with peak tulip bloom typically in the middle weeks of the festival
Planting operation: Planning begins 12 months ahead","the entire team of 42 palace gardeners takes part, planting before Christmas
Organiser: Historic Royal Palaces
Tickets: Included in palace admission — adult tickets from £29, members go free
Historical Significance
The festival has genuine royal roots: when William III began his reign in 1689 and moved to Hampton Court Palace, he expanded the gardens and plant collection, including a large collection of tulips. In this early period of William's reign, the majority of tulips were used for cut-flower displays — Mary II insisted that her apartments were full of fresh flowers every day, so the demand in spring for tulips must have been considerable. The modern festival revives this Dutch royal connection, turning Henry VIII's majestic palace on the River Thames into a spring sea of blooms each April.
