The best places to see spring flowers in Sydney and NSW

From the Sydney Cherry Blossom festival to a sunken rose garden and a delicate array of native and foreign blooms, this very special 9.2 hectares of lush greenery is like another world. Wander through vibrant colours, sniff the flowers and meet the geese, with this pocket of flora having something fabulous and flowery on at every stage during the year. 

In a city that’s far from shy about showing off its natural beauty, it’s a surprise that one of its prettiest corners may well be one of its best-kept secrets. Adjacent to Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park in Sydney’s North, there’s a whopping 123 hectares of wildflower gardens surrounded by Sydney sandstone bushland. Every plant found here is native, although not necessarily local – these colourful blooms have been sourced from across Australia, including 18 threatened species of flora.

In spring, daffodils are the main event at this botanic garden on the slopes of Mount Tomah. Less than 100km from the Sydney CBD, you’ll find 28 hectares of glorious gardens that not only boast a diverse range of native and imported plant life, but also a view of the surrounding mountains that really cements why this part of NSW has UNESCO World Heritage status. 

Thought to be one of the oldest public gardens in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden date back to 1810 when Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife had a vision for an "English parkland setting with a grand house". Now, you can wander through explosions of native, local and not-so-local blooms, with Sydney's green heart full of colour pretty much all year round.

When Wendy Whiteley lost her husband, Australian artist Brett Whiteley in 1992, she funnelled her love and grief into transforming a disused, derelict train yard space. Wendy’s Secret Garden – which is at the foothill of her private home in Lavender Bay – has been nurtured by Whiteley and two gardeners over the past 25 years. Whether it's giant florid bell-shaped blooms, lavender or fluffy hydrangeas, you can wander amongst the flowers and pretend you're in an inner city rainforest. 

The Hunter Valley Gardens contain eight kilometres of walking paths winding through 14 hectares of gardens filled with spectacular native and exotic plant varieties, waterfalls, murals, sculptures and more. In spring, these gardens come alive with rainbow blossoms, vibrant colours and hundreds of floral varieties that all deserve a good gander. 

Sunflowers are seasonal fellows, but come April you should head to Bloom Barn Farm for your chance to frolic in a field of gold (when they're open, of course). Family-owned and operated, this flower farm has been operating for 30 years. They grow their own flowers, work with the seasons and are occassionally open for flower picking days – that's where you come in. A 30 minute drive from Hornsby, this one's for everyone who likes a bit of sunshine in their life.