Employees are being urged to step outside to take time to observe one of the wonders of the natural world: the fleeting but lovely spring blossom season.
Research commissioned by the National Trust, which operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, shows that while almost all those polled said they felt better if they took breaks in nature, only one in 10 did so.
The conservation charity believes this week’s rising temperatures in much of the UK, which coincide neatly with the spring equinox, will start this year’s blossom season and could lead to particularly impressive displays in some places.
This is the sixth iteration of the National Trust’s blossom campaign, when the charity asks people to emulate Japan’s hanami custom. The campaign first came to prominence during the first Covid lockdown five years ago
The blossom boosts many people’s spirits: a new YouGov poll for the trust found that almost all UK adults (94%) said the sight of blossom on trees and in hedgerows made them happy.
But while 80% of workers said they felt more positive after downing tools or getting away from screens and spending breaks outside, only 10% actually got out for walks or a brief sit among trees.
Annie Reilly, the blossom programme manager at the trust, said: “The sight of blossom after such a grey, cold and stormy start to the year is a real mood-lifter.
“With the season only lasting a few weeks, it’s really important to enjoy it while we can. Our simple ask is for people to take a break to explore their streets or nearest green space for signs of blossom, and if they have nearby green spaces or parks close to where they work, maybe try sitting under blossoming trees to get a lift from nature.”
The colder temperatures in many places last week slowed the blossom season down, but it is expected to speed up now.
Pam Smith, the national gardens consultant at the trust, said: “With blossom spreading across the country from the warmer south-west counties to the northernmost tips of Scotland at a walking pace, we need to get outside to enjoy this special annual show.”
Over the winter, ranger and countryside teams have planted new blossom trees to create habitats for wildlife – and people – including new traditional orchards at Killerton in Devon, a “lost” orchard at Lytes Cary Manor in Somerset and more than 4,000 blossoming trees to help create new hedgerows in the north and west lakes in Cumbria.
Smith said: “Orchards, particularly those that are ageing and less managed for fruit production, are important habitats for wildlife including pollinators, bats and moths.
National Trust gardeners enthused about the blossom as it broke through.
Jenny Woodcock, a gardener at Ham House in Richmond, south-west London, said: “Along the east wall of our kitchen garden, our apricots are showing their beautiful light-pink blossom. The peaches alongside them are also in bud, and likely to flower over the next couple of weeks together with the plum and cherry border on the west side of the kitchen garden.”
Ed Atkinson, the head gardener at the Blickling Estate in Norfolk, said: “We’ve just had the first of our almond blossom emerge in the orchard, a sure sign of spring. The magnolias in the west garden will be next to flower, followed by various fruit blossom from apples, pears, plums, cherries, medlars, gauges, peaches, and nectarines.”
Amy Ness, an area ranger at Brockhampton in Herefordshire, said: “The Shropshire prune damson trees that surround the house are starting to show signs of budding and we expect them to be in bloom towards the end of March and into early April. If the weather continues to be warm, dry and still in Herefordshire we could be in for a really good blossom season.”
