Arundel Tulip Festival: A spectacular spring display at Arundel Castle
Each spring, the historic town of Arundel bursts into colour as the Arundel Tulip Festival transforms the gardens of Arundel Castle into one of the most striking floral displays in England.
Picture sweeping beds of bright tulips, carefully curated colour palettes, and thousands upon thousands of blooms set against the dramatic backdrop of a medieval castle. The Arundel Tulip Festival 2026 is expected to once again showcase more than 120,000 tulips, making it one of the largest and most beautiful tulip displays in the UK.
For garden lovers, photographers, and anyone looking for a memorable spring day out, it’s a highlight of the Sussex calendar. This is your ultimate guide to the Arundel Tulip Festival, with exclusive insider tips and behind-the-scenes access with Arundel Castle’s Head Gardener, Martin Duncan.
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
When is the Arundel Tulip Festival?
The Arundel Tulip Festival usually runs throughout April and into early May, when the gardens at Arundel Castle come alive with colour.
Tulips are famously sensitive to weather conditions, so exact bloom times vary each year. In most years, the display reaches its peak in late April, when the majority of the tulips are fully open.
Best time to visit Arundel Tulip Festival
For the best experience:
- Visit late April for peak blooms
- Choose a weekday morning if you want quieter gardens
- Arrive mid-morning when the flowers have opened and the light is softer
Because the display evolves throughout the festival, every visit looks slightly different. Early in the season you’ll see fresh blooms beginning to open, while later weeks bring dramatic carpets of colour across the gardens.
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
What to see at Arundel Tulip Festival
One of the things that makes the Arundel Tulip Festival so special is the way the tulips are integrated into the historic gardens rather than planted in rows or fields.
“Often I’ll just throw the bulbs and wherever they land, that’s where they get planted. It’s very naturalistic and all done by hand.” - Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle
The Earl’s Garden
This formal garden becomes one of the most striking spaces during the festival. Tulips are planted in precise geometric patterns, creating bold blocks of colour that echo the symmetry of the garden’s design. Against the backdrop of the castle walls, the effect is dramatic.
“I added tropical borders to the Earl’s garden, and I redesigned all of the herbaceous borders.” - Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
The White Garden
For something softer, the White Garden offers a calmer palette. Expect delicate shades of cream, pale pink and soft yellow, with tulips weaving through elegant planting schemes. It’s easily one of the most romantic corners of the gardens.
The Rose Garden
While the tulips are the main attraction at Arundel Tulip Festival, there is so much more to explore. The Rose Garden feels like a secret garden, with beautiful roses, archways, and paths which just want to be explored.
“I dug out the rose garden and replaced all the roses with Austin roses and added gothic gates to go with the gothic windows of the castle.” - Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
Dipping Ponds
Arundel Castle won Small Conservation Area of the Year in 2024 and 2025 for its thoughtful and beautiful ponds. This is the perfect place for children to explore and encounter wildlife, or for visitors to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.
“There’s lots of wildlife in that area, we have kingfishers, moorhens, coots, brown tufted ducks, and swans.” - Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle
More flowers across the castle grounds
Beyond the formal gardens, tulips appear throughout the wider grounds of Arundel Castle. Winding paths, lawns and historic walls create beautiful backdrops for vibrant beds of colour. For photographers, the combination of bright tulips and medieval architecture makes the Arundel Tulip Festival particularly photogenic.
Beyond the tulips, there are alliums, camassias, and muscari around the trees. Once the bulbs start to finish, the wildflowers start to bloom. As April turns to May, the grounds transform into a wildflower haven for butterflies, bees, and small mammals.
“The camassias are extraordinary and we have an allium extravaganza.” - Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
Why the tulips at Arundel Castle are so famous
The tulips at Arundel Castle have become famous thanks to the scale, creativity, and setting of the display. “I spend a lot of time planning,” says Head Gardener Martin Duncan. “The tulip festival is in April, and by May I’ve decided what we’re going to have next year. We have over 140 different types of tulip.”
Several things make the Arundel Tulip Festival stand out:
The scale
Few historic gardens in Britain plant tulips on this scale. Each year, the castle’s award-winning gardening team plants more than 120,000 tulip bulbs, transforming the historic gardens into one of the largest tulip showcases in the UK. “This year we’ve planted 122,175 bulbs,” says Dunacan. “We’ve planted more than 1.5 million over the past 5 years.”
The design
Tulips are arranged in carefully planned colour palettes and layered borders rather than simple mass planting. “In the herbaceous borders we go for softer colours like White Triumphator and Mata Hari,” says Duncan, “in the tropical borders we use Helmar, Perestroyka, and Black Parrot which are more vibrant and different.”
The setting
The medieval architecture of the castle creates a dramatic backdrop you simply don’t find at most flower festivals. It’s the combination of these elements that has made the Arundel Tulip Festival one of the most talked-about spring garden events in southern England.
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
Tips for visiting the Arundel Tulip Festival
If you’re planning a visit to the Arundel Tulip Festival, these are our top tips for making the most of your trip.
Book tickets in advance
Spring weekends can be busy, particularly when the tulips reach peak bloom. If you’re travelling to Arundel by train and you know when you’ll be visiting, you can save money with an advance fare.
Arrive early
Morning visits tend to be quieter and offer better light for photography.
Allow time to explore the town
Beyond the castle, Arundel is one of the most beautiful towns in Sussex and well worth taking time to explore. The streets are full of antique shops, cosy pubs, and independent cafés, making it well worth staying after visiting the tulip festival.
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
How to get to Arundel Castle
The Arundel Tulip Festival takes place at Arundel Castle in the historic town of Arundel.
By train: Arundel railway station is around a 10-minute walk from the castle, making it an easy day trip from London and from across the South East.
Ready to go? Plan your visit to Arundel Tulip Festival
Opening times
Gardens 10.00am - 5.00pm
Fitzalan Chapel 10.00am - 5.00pm
Keep 10.00am - 4.30pm
Castle rooms 12.00 noon - 5.00pm
Last admission 4:00pm
The season will begin on Wednesday 1 April 2026. Closed Mondays (except August Bank Holiday).
Prices
Gardens only - Adults: £17, Children: £8
Castle & Gardens - Adults: £29, Children £13
Castle, Gardens & Bedrooms - Adults: £31, Children £13
Image copyright Arundel Castle / Martin Duncan
More beautiful spring gardens to visit in Sussex
If the Arundel Tulip Festival leaves you in the mood for more spring flowers, Sussex has plenty of spectacular gardens that come alive at this time of year.
Wakehurst
Known for its dramatic landscapes, Wakehurst is Kew’s botanic garden, with spring magnolias and woodland walks.
Sheffield Park and Garden
This National Trust garden is famous for its lakes and seasonal planting. Spring brings vibrant displays of tulips, rhododendrons, and blossoms.
Nymans
A romantic garden surrounding the ruins of a historic house, Nymans is filled with flowering trees, early perennials and colourful spring borders.
Together with the Arundel Tulip Festival, these gardens make Sussex one of the best places in England to enjoy the arrival of spring.