Spring and summer in bloom at Blenheim Palace for groups

Group visitors to Blenheim Palace in 2026 can look forward to a spring and summer full of horticultural highlights, as extensive planting schemes and new garden features bring fresh colour, texture, and experience across the Park and Gardens.

This spring, the Secret Garden will be one of the first areas to burst into life, with visitors able to enjoy hellebores in flower, alongside a rich tapestry of seasonal planting including epimediums, bergenias, rhododendrons and drumstick primulas. A newly created stump garden walk introduces a bold and textural ‘spiky’ aesthetic, with birch trees, ferns, and sculptural stumps forming the foundations of an evolving woodland garden.

Across the wider gardens, there are newly planted areas filled with spring bulbs, including drifts of daffodils that bloomed early in the season, while the Arboretum is being enriched with new tree planting. Highlights include red-stemmed willows along the riverbanks and a striking new avenue of ornamental crab apples leading from the Rose Garden – which will be blooming with new alliums – to the Temple of Flora.

The new crab apple avenue will offer group visitors a memorable experience this spring, creating a blossom walkway that connects two key floral destinations and leads towards the Temple of Flora – dedicated to the goddess of spring and flowers.

Within the Walled Garden, 40 new fruit trees have been introduced, featuring heritage and characterful varieties such as ‘Bloody Ploughman’, ‘Belle de Boskoop’, and ‘Belle de Louvain’, adding both historical interest and seasonal appeal.

A significant occasion for 2026 is the opening of all three garden temples – Diana, Health, and Flora – allowing visitors to step inside, sit, and take in the panoramic views from each vantage point. Work will also begin this spring on a new ‘Temple Garden’ at the Temple of Flora.

Andy Mills, Head Gardener at Blenheim Palace, said: “Across the gardens, we’re focused on creating spaces that evolve beautifully through the seasons whilst offering something new and memorable for our visitors each year. From the early spring planting in the Secret Garden to the bold structural changes, this year is about building layers of interest, biodiversity, and experience. We want group visitors to feel like there is always something fresh to discover, whether they are returning year after year, or visiting for the first time.”

Prices for group visits in 2026 start from £39 for a Palace, Park and Gardens adult ticket and must be booked in advance. Blenheim Palace offers discounts for group bookings of 15+ and free admission for one group leader. There is also free all-day coach parking, a free admission voucher for commercial coach drivers, plus a £5 voucher for them to use in the onsite cafés.

The Blenheim Palace Group Partnerships team are on hand to help with all group bookings and pricing agreements. To make visits more enjoyable and efficient, it operates a cashless system in all areas across the site. This includes, but is not limited to, ticket desks, The Palace Shop and catering outlets.

For more information on booking, contact the Groups team directly on 01993 815600 or email groups@blenheimpalace.com. The Partnerships team are available at partnerships@blenheimpalace.com. 

For more information and to book tickets, visit https://blenheimpalace.com/.