Few things highlight the beauty of the natural world better than blossoming flowers. You can build an entire travel itinerary around viewing colorful blooms at their peak.
Whether you’re taking in flowering cherry trees in Tokyo, lavender fields in France, or poppies in the high California desert, timing is essential. You need to know which country is best for flower gardens and when the blooms reach their most spectacular colors.
If you visit these eight places during the correct time of year, you are guaranteed an unforgettable, colorful experience.
Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
For several weeks in late March, the world’s largest and busiest city transforms into a fairytale-like place. Tokyo’s cherry trees (sakura, in Japanese) produce bright white blossoms that entice locals and international visitors alike.
In Tokyo, you can step right out of a subway station and into a park or garden filled with cherry blossoms. Ueno and Sumida Parks are excellent viewing spots, and you will also see picture-worthy blooms in the Midtown and Meguro districts.
Lavender Blossoms in Provence
Provence, in southeasternmost France, draws travelers with historic sites and landscapes that inspired Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. Between mid-June and August, lavender flowers are in full bloom in the inland agricultural regions.
The blossoms are at their most purple in mid-July, with the best viewing spots in the Valensole Plateau and Luberon Valley.
Poppy Blossoms in the Antelope Valley, California
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a day-trip distance from Los Angeles on the far side of the San Gabriel Mountains. Technically part of the Mojave Desert, this area teems with wildflowers, including America’s most consistently colorful poppy fields.
The protected parkland is open year-round, but the poppies and other wildflowers bloom from mid-February through May, with the colors peaking in late March or early April, depending on the weather.
Jacarandas and Azaleas in Sydney
Some of the Southern Hemisphere’s most impressive blossoms sit next to the Sydney Opera House. Australia’s centrally-located Royal Botanic Gardens boasts 75 acres of exotic plants, with flowers blooming in springtime.
From October through mid-December, the garden’s jacaranda trees turn a deep purple, and the azaleas turn red and yellow. The garden's location, a short stroll from the Circular Quay train station, makes a short visit possible. However, you can easily spend a day here with a guided tour delving into Down Under plant species.
Tulips in Keukenhof
The extended spring season in Holland is ideal for tulips. Dutch flower farmers are famous for producing these unique flowers with diversely-colored petals. Though tulips thrive throughout the country, even in urban Amsterdam, the best place to see them is Keukenhof.
The 80-acre grounds of this historic estate contain seven million tulips. The flowers make their first appearance in mid-March and hit their colorful peak in April or early May. The nearby town of Lisse features more gardens and fields, providing the ideal setting for flower-themed bicycle cruises.
Desert Blooms in Namaqualand
Namaqualand is a sparsely-populated 600-mile stretch of coastline to the northwest of Cape Town, South Africa. Each spring, this arid region turns into a sea of color when millions of wildflowers bloom.
Blossom season, from August through September, is popular with locals, who head to places like Namaqua and Richtersveld National Parks for the best views. There are well-traveled routes from Cape Town through the Northern Cape passing the most picture-worthy wildflower fields.
Kaas Plateau, India
The Kaas Plateau in Maharashtra, in western India, is part of a biosphere reserve. In August and September, 850 flower species bloom after torrential monsoon rains. The area is popular during this time but can feel a little remote, since the nearest city, Pune, is just outside of day-trip distance.
A weekend-long visit is worthwhile because of the unique blooming cycle on the plateau. The flowers here thrive next to one another and open at different times of the day. You can take the same trail in the morning and afternoon and see completely different colors.
Almond Blossoms in Tafraoute
Tafroute is best known for its ancient Roman-era ruins and rock-climbing scene. However, this desert town in southern Morocco gets colorful in February and March when its almond trees blossom. The Atlas Mountain valley turns white and pink. The area has well-mapped hiking trails for those who want a more adventurous spin on flower viewing.
The town puts on an almond blossom festival to celebrate the start of the growing season so in addition to taking in the views you can experience Berber culture. It typically occurs in the second week in February, at the start of the blossom season.
During the blossom season, these destinations deliver spectacular scents and colors. Start gathering information now to ensure your clients and customers reach their chosen bloom-viewing destination in time for the peak color experience.