Durham City in Blossom 2024

A close up of sunlit pink and white apple blossom, some in bud, some in full bloom, with young green leaves sprouting between the flowers. The branch they're growing from is covered in green-grey lichen. — Apple blossom at Crook Hall Gardens | © National Trust/Alison Elrick

Fall in love with blossom at Crook Hall Gardens and across the city of Durham this year. Pick up a blossom map, take part in a creative workshop, join a guided walk or mindful event, or simply savour the uplifting impact of blossom.

Durham City in Blossom 2024 – a city-wide programme

Durham-based organisations have come together in partnership to celebrate blossom across the city, thanks to a project supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Join us on the journey as the programme blooms.

Blossom at Crook Hall Gardens

Spring is a special time in the gardens, with blossom picking up pace week by week. In March, delicate white flowers appear on the damson tree in our orchard, followed in early April by frothy white clusters blooming on the gnarled 300 year-old pear tree in the walled garden.

Then it’s the apple trees’ turn to put on a show, with blossom usually peaking around early May. A path runs between traditional varieties of apple trees in the orchard, where visitors can surround themselves with clouds of delicately scented frothy white-pink flowers and hear the joyful sound of buzzing bees. This year, you can pull up a blossom-themed deckchair, lie back and soak it all up.

While you’re here, pick up a free blossom activity pack containing a guide to making an origami blossom flower, blossom facts and a honey and apple scone recipe. Available while stocks last.

And don’t forget to say hello to Blossom the sheep, our special visitor. Created by artist Dave Young, and on loan from Artichoke’s HERD, you might recognise her from her appearance in Durham Lumiere 2023.

Capture the moment

Be sure to bring your camera, or have your phone at the ready, to snap some beautiful blossom pics as you explore Crook Hall Gardens and the wider city. Follow our guide to mindful photography, which you’ll find in the gardens, then print out your best shots for free at a special photo station in the Garden Gate Café. We’d love to see them too – please share your favourite blossom photos on Facebook, adding #BlossomWatch, #NationalTrust and tagging us with @CrookHallGardensNT.

A visitor holds up her phone to photograph a cluster of pink blossom on the tree she stands under. — Blossom offers the perfect photo opportunity | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Durham City in Blossom map

A free map shows blossom hotspots, with routes to take you from city streets and visitor attractions to Durham’s green spaces. From early April, pick up a copy at Crook Hall Gardens, the Oriental Museum and other venues across the city, or click here to download the map as a pdf.

Events and activities

You’ll find a whole host of blossom-themed events across the city this spring:

Discover musical inspiration with a blossom songwriting walk and workshop
Bring a picnic and enjoy live music under the apple blossom at Crook Hall Gardens
Find inner peace through mindful blossom bathing at Durham's Botanic Garden
Create nature-inspired art in a blossom printmaking workshop
Join a guided blossom walk across the city or into Durham’s green spaces

Head to our what’s on page to find out more.

A Blossom Exhibition at Durham University Oriental Museum springs from a partnership with the National Museum of Japanese History and Professor Yoshi Miki. Outdoors, join a spring walk with the Woodland Trust at Low Burnhall Woods or enjoy the cherry blossom trail at the Durham University Botanic Gardens. For more information visit Durham University’s webpage or check out the venues in our Durham City in Blossom 2024 map.