July-September is when usually sunflowers bloom in the UK — and plenty of farms and fields near London invite you to pick your own, or simply wander among the gorgeous yellow giants. If you're making a special journey to these sunflower fields, check ahead to ensure the flowers are out.
Pick your own sunflowers at Garsons Farm, Esher, Surrey
Consisting of a farm shop in Hampshire, and a huge PYO farm in Esher in Surrey, Garsons has most of the pick-your-own market covered. Among the myriad fields of fruit and veg — many over by the time the sunflowers are in bloom — you'll find a couple of patches dedicated to the yellow blooms.
There's a garden centre, farm shop and restaurant on-site.
Garsons PYO sunflowers, Winterdown Road, West End, Esher, Surrey, KT10 8LS. You must book a Farm Pass in advance of your visit or you won't be allowed in; they cost £5 per adult/£2 per child. 2024 opening dates to be confirmed.
Pick your own sunflowers at Hitchin Lavender, Hertfordshire
If you've seen photos of Hitchin Lavender, they've probably been of the eponymous purple crop. But in among those lavender hues, several acres of yellow sunflowers are grown (with sweeping countryside views to boot). You can pick your own sunflowers directly from the field for a fee.
There's also a tea room, lavender museum, wildflower meadow, shops, street food selection and play area on site, all of which are free to visit. A nifty little afternoon out, then.
Sunflowers at Hitchin Lavender, Cadwell Farm, Ickleford, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 3UA. Sunflower field is expected to open late July-mid August 2024, keep an eye on the website for updates.
Sunflower season at Four Winds Farm, near Tunbridge Wells
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A PYO sunflower area and a sunflower maze are part of the summer fun at Four Winds Farm in Bidborough.
Better known for its pumpkin patch in autumn, the farm opens in the summer for anyone who wants to pluck their own sunflowers (take your own secateurs), or have fun getting lost in the sunflower maze, a field of yellow high enough to go over even most adults' heads. With a picnic area, and refreshments available on site, that's a day of your summer hols sorted.
Photographers can also hire the fields for private photo shoots.
Sunflowers at Four Winds Farm, Penshurst Road, Bidborough, Kent, TN3 0LL. Open 5-11 August 2024. Tickets £8 adults/£4 child, and must be booked in advance. Each ticket includes a free sunflower — additional flowers are charged for.
Writtle Sunflowers, Chelmsford, Essex
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Located just outside Chelmsford, Writtle Sunflowers is a family-run farm that's been in the sunflower business for 21 years, with a hectare of sunflowers this year, and PYO available in certain patches. They're priced at £1 per stem, or six for £5, and you're advised to bring your own scissors or secateurs — they do have some available on site, but you might have to wait your turn in busy periods.
Yoga classes, photography, and sundown sessions are among the special events that have been held in the sunflower field in previous years — keep an eye on the website for 2024 details.
Writtle Sunflowers at Pooty Pools Farm, Radley Green Road, Roxwell, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 4NW. You'll need to book in advance — 2024 season is expected to open around 20 July for approximately four weeks, but keep an eye on the website for details.
PYO Sunflowers at Tulleys Farm, Crawley,West Sussex
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With year-round escape rooms, plus pumpkin and Halloween events in autumn, Christmas specials in winter, a tulip festival in spring, and drive-in cinema in the summer, Tulleys is worth knowing if you're into seasonal events in a rustic setting. But we're here to talk sunflowers.
12 acres of the West Sussex countryside just outside Crawley are given over to growing sunflowers, and taking photos is very much encouraged as you wander among them. Tulleys also offers special sunset sessions to capture the yellow-hued blooms at golden hour. Trucks selling drinks, ice creams and tacos park up on site for the season too.
Tulleys Sunflower Festival, Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4NA. Expected to open for the 2024 season in August — tickets for this one sell out fast, so sign up to be notified when the next batch goes on sale.
The Sunflower Patch at Foxes Farm Produce, Colchester, Essex
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Sunflower season coincides with the opening of a five-acre corn maze at Foxes Farm's Colchester location and one ticket gives you access to both in the same visit, as well as a field of fun with activities including a tug of war, hula hooping and sack races.
The sunflowers are available to pick (bring your own secateurs), priced at £1 per head. Refreshments are available to buy, or bring your own snacks to enjoy in the picnic area.
The Sunflower Patch, Foxes Farm, Aldham, Colchester, CO6 3PR. Tickets must be booked in advance (£7 per person/£25 for a family of four). Anticipated opening late July 2024.
Pick your own flowers at Blooming Green, Kent
If you love flowers of any description you need to know about Blooming Green. The flower farm, located near Maidstone in Kent, is open to the public one day a week, when you can fill a bucket from the acre of flowers for a set price. Here's a video from our 2018 visit — we went in June, so too early for sunflowers, but they are usually available later in the season.
