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Spring in NSW is pretty special: golden light spilling across the coastlines and streets laced with a sweet, musky layer of jasmine. As the weather warms up, our gardens burst into bloom, wildflowers pop up along seaside trails and vast stretches of countryside turn every conceivable shade of pink, purple and yellow. And while Sydney’s jacarandas tend to steal the seasonal spotlight, there’s a whole state’s worth of floral displays waiting beyond the ’burbs. From the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest crop of cherry blossoms to far-reaching fields of alpine wildflowers, these are six of the best places to get your springtime flower fix in NSW.
1. Auburn Botanic Garden
If you want to experience a little slice of Japan without leaving Sydney, point your GPS west. Every spring, the Auburn Botanic Garden transforms into a pink-hued wonderland during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, with eight delightful days of blossoms, Japanese food, cultural performances and entertainment.
If you miss the fest (this year it runs from August 22 until August 30), you can still explore the gardens at your own pace once the official party is over – the blooms are a little late this year, so you’re still likely to catch them if you head to Auburn in early Sept.
2. Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
About an hour from Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is the place to go if you prefer your spring flowers distinctly local. The sprawling garden is dedicated to Australian native plants, with something flowering throughout the year.
This year, the star attraction here is the brand-new Spring Paper Daisy Festival – a six-week celebration of flowers, food, live music and family-friendly fun. Running from September 4 to October 11, the free festival will also bring creative workshops, pop-up eats and a whole heap of flowery photo ops to the gorgeous sprawling garden.
3. Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah
Up for heading a little further afield? Set within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah is one of the world’s few botanic gardens located within a UNESCO World Heritage Area – and its spring display is seriously impressive.
The garden is blanketed in around 50,000 daffodils, and NSW’s floral emblem, the waratah, adds bursts of ruby-red to the landscape.
Making a weekend of it? If you’ve got cash to splash, we’d suggest booking a few nights at the recently reimagined Lilainfels – a gorgeous country house-style hotel (complete with tennis courts and swimming pools) steps from Echo Point Lookout. If you’re on a tighter budget but still keen to tick off the BM best-bits, book an Airbnb in Blackheath and spend your days between the trails, cafes and the town’s magical Japanese-style bathhouse. If you need more Blue Mountains inspo, our guides to where to stay, where to hike and where to warm up should help.
4. Corbett Gardens, Bowral
If you’re keen to go max floral, it’s hard to beat Bowral’s Tulip Time Festival. Every spring, Corbett Gardens explode into colour with more than 80,000 tulips and other spring blooms, bringing an extra dose of floral fantasy to the charming storybook town.
For locals and dedicated flower fans, the festival is a bona fide springtime institution, and the surrounding region makes an excellent weekend escape from Sydney. If you want to go full Bridgerton, book a stay at Ardour Milton Park Bowral or Ben Huon Manor in nearby Robertson.
5. Mayfield Garden, Oberon
For another next-level floral display, head west to Oberon and Mayfield Garden – one of the world’s largest privately owned cool-climate gardens. Inspired by the grand gardens of the English countryside, its sprawling grounds are filled with manicured gardens, ornamental water features and storybook-style themed groves.
This place is magical at any time of year, but spring really is the best time to visit, particularly during the annual Spring Festival when visitors can access parts of the garden that are normally off-limits. If you want to fully commit to the flower-filled escape, stay overnight in Mayfield’s luxury glamping tents – with glamping packages including garden entry and a three-course dinner delivered to your camp.
6. Kosciuszko National Park
Springtime looks a little different in the Snowy Mountains, where the winter season’s melting snow gives way to a riot of alpine wildflowers. In Kosciuszko National Park, you’ll find purple eyebrights, yellow billy buttons, everlasting daisies and lots of other tiny blooms scattered across the high country.
Take on the Main Range Track for a spectacular high-altitude adventure, or tackle Dead Horse Gap to spot snowy white gentians, anemone buttercups and alpine sunrays. For something a little more gentle, explore the Thredbo River Track and lower-altitude trails, which are dotted with alpine mint, billy buttons and native yam daisies.
After your hike, we'd suggest rewarding yourself with a spiked hot chocolate at Wildbrumby Distillery or a surreal swim at Yarrangobilly Caves Thermal Pool.
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