North East Blossom
As the days grow longer and the trees burst into beautiful bloom, explore a variety of blossom-inspired events across the North East, at National Trust places and beyond. From hands-on art sessions where you can create your own blossom-themed masterpiece, to wellbeing walks and inspiring garden talks, there’s plenty to enjoy right on your doorstep. Supported by Postcode Lottery players.
Durham
Blossom History Walk
Take a walk through time from Crook Hall, Durham City, to the Oriental Museum. This is a guided tour with historian Charlotte Spink (with an introductory talk from Peter Thompson, Botanic Garden manager), and includes lunch at the Botanic Gardens.
- Dates and times: Friday 17 and Sunday 19 April, 10.30am-4pm
- Location: Crook Hall Gardens, Durham DH1 5SZ
Go blossom spotting in Durham
This year, we’re joining up with partners across Durham City to celebrate the joy of Blossom and have created a Durham City blossom map features blossom hotspots that you can follow throughout the city.
Whether you’re commuting through the city, enjoying lunch in the park, or spending quality time exploring with the family, there’s a wide range of activities for you to join and experience blossom in different locations around the city.
You can use this map to see which places are taking part and find North East blossom hotspots. And from early April you can pick up a free map at Crook Hall Gardens, the Oriental Museum and other venues across Durham, showing blossom hotspots, with routes to take you from city streets and visitor attractions to Durham’s green spaces.
Gateshead
Art Diamonds: Play with blossom with Sofia Barton
Celebrate the joy and 'wow' factor of spring blossom in this session with artist Sofia Barton. You will be using inks, pastels and pencils to celebrate the colour and vibrancy of nature and this season of new life.
- Dates and times: Tuesday 28 April, 10am-12.30pm
- Location: Saltwell Park, Gateshead NE9 5AX
- To book go to Art Diamonds: Play with Blossom with Sofia Barton - Gateshead Council
Blossom @ The Late Shows
Join us for some Blossom origami and papercraft as part of the North East Museum’s Late Shows.
- Dates and times: Saturday 9 May, 5.30-10pm
- Location: Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead NE8 4JB Shipley Art Gallery - The North East's leading gallery for craft and design
Blooming June at the Tyne Derwent Way
Join us for a month of Blossom-themed activities to inspire you! Please keep yourself posted as to what is on offer: whether you like crafting, planting or walking and wheeling there is something for you!
Gateshead's green getaway - Tyne Derwent Way
Gibside
Festival of Blossom: Our Story Isn’t Over art exhibition. An exhibition of women, recovery and renewal at Gibside.
- Dates: Monday 30 March – Monday 15 June, 10am – 4.30pm
- Location: Gibside, Free, admission applies.
Blossom and Bloom Trail 2026
- Dates: Monday 13 April – Sunday 10 May
- Location: Gibside, Free, admission applies.
Origami Blossom crafts: create tiny petals or full spring blossoms.
- Dates: Monday 13 April and Thursday 16 April, 10.30am-12.30am
- Location: Gibside, Free, admission applies.
Festival of Blossom: City Nature Challenge pop-up stall. Join the City Nature team for friendly introduction to the City Nature Challenge and discover how simple technology can help you notice more of the wildlife around you.
- Dates: Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April, 10.30am -12.30pm
- Location: Gibside, Free, admission applies.
Festival of Blossom: Meet the beekeepers. Drop in to meet our resident beekeepers and learn about the role of honeybees as pollinators during the Festival of Blossom.
- Dates: Saturday 2 May, Monday 4 May and Saturday 9 May, 11am – 2pm
- Location: Gibside, Free, admission applies.
Newcastle
Celebrate the arrival of spring with free blossom‑themed events across Newcastle, working alongside Newcastle City Council. Enjoy creative workshops, nature activities and family‑friendly experiences as the city comes into bloom.
- Date: Thursday 9 April
Celebrate Blossom with Artist Sofia Barton, 12pm - 2pm
Wildflower Seedball Making with Wild Intrigue (Drop In), 12pm - 4pm
Blossom & Bird Safari with Wild Intrigue, 3pm - 4pm
- Location: Springbank Pavilion (Leazes Park, Newcastle)
- Date: Thursday 16 April
Blossom Kites with Pallas Family Flyers and Artist Sofia Barton, 12pm - 2pm
Wildflower Seedball Making with Wild Intrigue (Drop In), 12pm - 4pm
Blossom & Bird Safari with Wild Intrigue, 1pm - 2pm
Create & Bloom with Artist Pui Lee, 2pm - 4pm
- Location: Paddy Freeman’s Pavilion (Paddy Freemans Park, Newcastle)
Northumberland
Celebrate cherry blossom season at The Alnwick Garden, home to the world’s largest collection of Tai‑haku cherry trees. From April to May, the Cherry Orchard bursts into bloom, inspired by the Japanese tradition of Hanami. Wander beneath 329 blossom‑filled trees, enjoy haiku poetry, family crafts and gentle moments of reflection, with evening tickets offering a quieter way to experience spring’s beauty.
Sunderland
Bloom Boom!
An open call for knitted, crochet or stitched flowers and bees. Do you love knitting, crochet and crafting? Or are you looking to be inspired to learn new skills?
Join us to celebrate the National Trust’s Festival of Blossom by making beautiful white and pink flowers to decorate community gardens across the city including Mowbray Park Community Garden and Just Let Your Soul Grow Community Garden. The call out for blooms closes on Wednesday 20 May, ready for a yarn bombing garden takeover during May half term.
The project has been inspired by the botanical drawings of Sunderland artist Charles Muir from our Museum collections.
- Date: the deadline for blooms is Wednesday 20 May
- Location: Drop them off at a collection point (or pop them in the post) - Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, SR1 1PP or Just Let your Grow Community Garden, SR5 1PW
For further information visit: Bloom Boom! | Sunderland Culture
Community Garden Week
Community Garden Week will take place from 5 to 11 April and will include the launch of the Blossom Project. Also look out for the Charles Muir floral artwork collection touring from Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens to Houghton and Washington libraries.
- Dates: 5 – 11 April
- Location: Mowbray Park Community Garden, South Shields NE33 3NP
- For further information visit Community Garden Week - MySunderland
Sunderland City Council
The first local Blossom programme, as part of the National Trust’s much‑loved national initiative celebrating spring and encouraging people to get outside and enjoy nature is being launched by Sunderland City Council.
Blossom officially launches in Sunderland on Monday 6 April, offering a programme of family‑friendly activities and opportunities to discover more about the city’s parks and green spaces.
Residents are invited to take part in a Blossom photography competition, opening on 6 April, by sharing photos of their favourite blossom trees. Winning images will be displayed at Washington Old Hall, a National Trust site.
Community groups, schools and residents can also get involved creatively by crocheting, knitting or embroidering wool and felt blossoms, which will be used to yarn‑bomb community gardens across the city. To mark Earth Day on 22 April, free blossom‑making sessions will take place in Mowbray Park Community Garden, where participants can learn new crafting skills.
The programme also includes storytelling and craft sessions for children, outdoor yoga and meditation, and guided walks at locations including Hetton Lyons Country Park and Elemore Country Park — offering something for everyone to enjoy nature at their own pace.
For more information, click here.