Members-Only Tulip Bulb Planting

Get stuck in with our Gardens team in an exclusive opportunity to help plant tulip bulbs in the historic gardens of Hampton Court Palace and be interviewed for the Spring 2024 issue of our members’ magazine, Inside Story!

This members-only volunteer day is your chance to play a part in the preparation for the Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival. Taking place in April, the event sees hundreds of thousands of bulbs bloom in beautiful displays across the palace.

On the day, the Gardens team will share the history of the tulip, the different types and the various methods of cultivation. Participants will also get to know how the team prepares the designs and colour schemes, as well as where and how the bulbs are stored.

The group will take part in the planting of several hundred bulbs that will go on to flower in the festival next year – a unique and wonderful opportunity. Next April, you’ll be able to return (for free with your membership) to see the tulips that you planted, blooming for all to enjoy.

Participating members should be willing to get their hands dirty! Due to the nature of this session, participants must be able to bend down to ground level and work repeatedly on the same task for 2-3 hours. Each member will plant at least 100-200 bulbs.

Participants will also have the chance to be featured in the Spring 2024 issue of Inside Story so must be comfortable with being photographed and interviewed about their experience on the day and what appealed to them about taking part.

Spaces are extremely limited for this special session so please book early to avoid disappointment. Due to the nature of the day, the session is not suitable for child members.