In and around Berkshire

Bluebells are not the easiest subject to photograph. Dappled light leads to contrast and colour issues and there's the practical aspect of trying not to damage the very thing you're celebrating. Photographer Hugh Mothersole has top tips for phone snappers and professionals alike.

A sea of bluebells in a dappled woodland is one of the most heart-lifting sights of spring in late April and early May. Here are some of the top spots to see them around Berkshire, including Cliveden, Greys Court and Basildon Park.

We're one of the most important organisations in the UK for bluebell conservation. A quarter of our woodland is ancient or semi-natural which is an ideal habitats for bluebells.

From patchwork bulb beds at Greys Court to the spectacular parterre at Cliveden, our gardens are bursting with colour this spring.

As nature wakes up after winter, why not head to the woodland at Cliveden, The Vyne or Maidenhead and Cookham Commons to see the trees coming into leaf. There are lots of places to see signs of spring on a walk around Berkshire and the Thames Valley.

Every Tuesday and Thursday in June, pre-booked guests can enjoy touring the garden followed by drinks and canapés on the Oval Lawn. Meet up with friends and family in Grey's Court's wonderful walled garden when it is at its most magical in the soft evening light with the scent of roses in the air.

Invite friends and family to join you for champagne and canapés after hours at Basildon Park for the first time. Every Thursday evening in June and July, house manager Sebastian Conway invites you to join him for a behind-the-scenes house tour followed by refreshments in the garden room.

Nuffield Place is open for spring. Lord and Lady Nuffield's arts and crafts house is open from 11am to wander around at your own pace and there are car club visits throughout the year. The restoration of the garden continues - watch it wake up in spring and don't miss the bluebells at the end of April.

Sandham Memorial Chapel is open from 1 March with a new programme of art workshops. You could start spring with new skills in jewellery, linocut or wreath-making. With poetry readings, chapel talks and Stanley Spencer's visionary murals lining the walls, Sandham Memorial Chapel is definitely worth a visit this spring.

Here's a reminder of all the wonderful places to visit along the Thames Valley.

The variety of Berkshire's country houses and gardens includes grand mansions and intimate homes with cottage gardens.

With dappled woodlands, wildflower meadows and wildlife-rich wetlands, there is some beautiful countryside to explore around Berkshire.