My favourite Springtime picnic spots in Hampshire

A large Magnolia bursts into life at Exbury.

I was thinking of the idea of Sakura and what makes it so special to me and I came to the conclusion that I would share a little bit about it and then share my favourite places where I like to enjoy the springtime blossom in case someone reading this is looking for inspiration of where to go and enjoy something similar.

Sakura is a Japanese festival dedicated to cherry blossom. One of the suggested origins* is that "Sa" comes from the spirit of rice and "Kura" meaning the place from which the spirit of rice descends. Another is that it's linked to a time of sowing in Japan and that the Cherry Blossom is a sign of renewal. It's been closely associated with the impermanence and transient nature of life ever since.

Sakura cherries don't produce fruit. They instead flower for 10 days and then they are over. Such beauty going over so quickly is a timely reminder to all of us that (to quote the Stereophonics) there will always be something. If you're feeling that Spring has arrived even quicker this year then there's probably even more need for Hanami.

Hanami is a Japanese custom associated with Sakura where folks picnic and gaze at the blossom. I have used flowers in meditations for years for this reason. Just imagine that tree has been spending the last few months regenerating it's roots and nurturing itself for this briefest of moments when their flowers appear. All that winter energy manifested in each bloom before it's carried by the wind to leave the ground carpeted in whites and pinks.

So rather than a "best" or "top 10", here are my favourite places to picnic and gaze at the flowers at Spring.

West Green House Garden

This garden is near Hook, North Hampshire and well worth a visit. It's not on the same scale as Exbury but it packs a lot into the space and it has a great little cafe too. It's not a garden for your pooch sadly but they've got a number of music events throughout the year and it's got buckets of character that still make it a really good place to go and admire the blooms. They also offer free entry to National Trust members but it's not a National Garden itself.

Furzey Gardens, New Forest

Some of my earliest childhood memories are at Furzey so it'll forever have a place close to my heart. Furzey is reknowned for it's rhodendrons so we're coming into their peak season at the moment. It's like walking into a picture, such is the vibrancy and intensity of the displays.

They don't allow dogs in the summer months, presumably because a lot of the paths are very narrow and wibbly-wobbly. It's a great garden for small children and they've always had somewhere for the little ones to play. Again, it's a great place for a piece of cake!

Exbury, New Forest

We love Exbury. Our dog loves Exbury. I went there yesterday and it's completely awash with cherry blossom, magnolias and rhodendrons at the moment. In truth, there is colour all year round at Exbury, but it's in the Spring when the colour kicks in from the swathes of daffodils in March, through to the Magnolias, cherry blossom & bluebells of April and the rhodendrons that start in March and go all the way well into June.

There are a few picnic tables dotted around in the extensive gardens and a couple of places to grab a decent piece of cake and hot drink too.

There's also (in my opinion) the best small railway in the UK. The little station is modelled on Aviemore's and the 15-20 minute ride takes you around 2 ponds, a tunnel, a bridge, 2 rockeries and plethora of flowers along the route.

Exbury is awash with colour for most of the year, but in Spring and Autumn it really goes for it.

Hilliers Arboretum

This is a really great spot for a picnic amongst the flowers. But I would save space for cake because they do that pretty well too. The garden is always changing. There is always something different but right now, Brentry, which is their part of the garden on the other side of the main road accessible from near Jermyn's House that is really going to hit it's peak. It's just a wall of colour and is as close to perfection on a spring day as is possible without your four-legged friend. That's the only negative, because it is a big garden and they have space for dogs; it just takes a while to get round and is too long to leave a dog at home.

Hamble Valley Country Park

This has to be one of the best and well kept secrets to see bluebells in Hampshire. The best place to see them has to be walking from Kings Copse Avenue into the park, because you really can't miss them. Or from the park itself, you can find them from the main parking area by The Barn and walking a short way back towards the entrance and then taking a right and the little paths meander up and down through the bluebells. There are also some really good woodland walks along the River Hamble.

Again, my other two favourite pastimes of walking the dog and eating cake are well catered for here. The chocolate cake in The Barn is amazing!

The Bluebells at River Hamble are easily missed but they're well worth checking out, especially given their proximity to a cafe for tea and cake. :)

Hinton Ampner

Firstly; they allow dogs and serve some lovely cake. :)

Secondly, they have have some really beautiful tulip displays among the topiary and lots of spring bulbs and blossom at this time of year. The house is really photogenic alongst the flowers and if you come back at Christmas, you'll find they usually do a pretty amazing job at decorating it too. You can also walk from here out to the wider estate before coming back for tea and cake.

*For more information about Sakura, try this website which explains it in more detail