Visitors to Arundel Castle can expect to be wowed by all things bright and beautiful from mid-April to early May as Arundel Castle welcomes back its unique Annual Tulip Festival. 

More than 36,000 tulips will adorn the enchanting gardens of the West Sussex Castle which is celebrating the 950th anniversary of its initial construction this year. 

As visitors approach the Castle they will be met with classic red tulips which complement the backdrop of the medieval building. Purple, pink and white are also prominent colours in this year’s display which will have 70 different types of tulips - some of which visitors may never have seen before.

Although an annual event, different varieties of tulips are introduced every year to ensure visitors are always faced with fresh and exciting flower mixes. New for 2017 is the beautiful White Dream tulip which sits among striking black flowers known as Queen of Nights within the English Herbaceous Borders.

As visitors wander round the blossoming grounds they’ll also be met with a selection of unusual tulip varieties such as Yoko Parrot and Candy Club as well as an amazing array of vibrant mixed tulips. 

Head Gardener Martin Duncan, who has worked in horticulture and landscape design roles around the world, has been tending to Arundel Castle’s gardens for seven years. He said: “This is always a hugely popular event that draws in international crowds. Months of planning go into organising the Annual Tulip Festival. In fact, I’ve already started planning for next year!

“Visitors can expect to see a breath-taking display of tulips which are as unique and colourful as their names suggest - Purple Dream, Purple Prince, Pink Impression and White Triumphator. I hope visitors will enjoy browsing the gardens as much as myself and the rest of the Castle gardening team do.”

Green-fingered enthusiasts should also take time to visit during May and June when eruptions of brightly-coloured, pom-pom headed Alliums explode into flower and tower above neighbouring plants as part of the Allium Extravaganza.  

Aside from the gardens, Arundel Castle’s bumper calendar of events also includes the hugely popular International Jousting and Medieval Tournament which sees knights battle it out on horseback during 25-30 July and the brand-new Warriors of Arundel Castle. The event, which takes place on 8 April, will bring key moments of the Castle’s fascinating 950-year history to life through costume, crafts and combat displays. 

The Castle gardens, the design of which was conceived by the Duchess of Norfolk, will reopen on 1 April from 10am until 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, Mondays in August and Bank Holiday Mondays. Tickets start from £11. For more information about all the events taking place, visit: www.arundelcastle.org.