Eight amazing sunflower experiences to visit this summer in the East Midlands

Now that the warmer weather has arrived, farms across the country are starting to cheer up with sunflowers. The plants usually start to appear in late July and early August, with many places offering people the chance to walk through the sunflower meadows or even pick their own sunflowers.

This is a great family activity and for many people picking sunflowers is an annual tradition. With most schools now out for the summer, it’s also an affordable day out as many places charge you for the strains you choose rather than an entry fee.

To help you decide where to go, we’ve rounded up eight of the best places to experience sunflowers and maybe pick your own in the East Midlands this summer.

The Nottinghamshire Sunflower Experience – Oxton, Nottinghamshire

The Nottinghamshire Sunflower Experience on Oaks Lane, Oxton, near Southwell, is due to start on Friday July 28 and will remain open until the end of August, subject to product availability. The experience will generally be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In addition to the sunflowers, there is also a corn maze on site for people to enjoy. The entrance fee is prepaid for the harvested produce and includes access to The Sunflower Experience and Maize Maze. Tickets for adults are £8, children aged three to 15 are £7, students and OAPs are £7 and children under three are free. There is also a family of four deal which includes two adults and two children for £25. In addition to sunflowers, the site also has other produce options such as potatoes, pumpkins and wildflowers.

Sunflower Village – Barlow, Derbyshire

Six different varieties of sunflowers grow in this two-acre patch. There are plenty of photo opportunities in the wildflower meadow as well as refreshments. There is free parking on site, but tickets to visit the patch cost £3 per adult, £1 for children over five and children under five go free. They also cost £1 per stem or £5 for six sunflower stems. This is also a dog friendly event, but dogs must be kept on a lead at all times as the venue is part of a working farm with animals and machinery.

The Stourton Sunflower experience – Stourton, Lincolnshire

Stourton’s Sunflower Experience has a new location for 2024 and features a 1km walking trail through a field of sunflowers. There is also a tractor and trailer ride that can take you to and from the sunflower field. At the roundhouse, you can also buy honey and deer from the farm. Tickets must be booked in advance as this is for the arrival time and sunflower field trailer tour. You can stay as long as you want in the field, because the tractor will collect and drop off passengers all day. The experience costs £5 per person, under-twos go free if they kneel on the tractor and trailer, and that price includes parking and three sunflowers per person to take home.

Cattows Farm – Coalville, Leicestershire

From Saturday 27 July to Saturday 31 August you can visit Sunflower Land at Cattows Farm in Leicestershire. Tickets to Fantasy Farm cost £9.50 per person but this includes visiting the sunflower field as well as crazy golf, the corn maze, a train ride, the dinosaur experience and the chance to meet some friendly farm animals. Tickets must be purchased in advance of your arrival and you can stay all day until 5pm, with the site open from 10am to 5pm daily.

Overstone Grant Garm – Moulton, Northamptonshire

In August you can pick your own sunflowers at Overstone Grange Farm in Northamptonshire and they also have a summer holiday corn maze. An official opening date of 2024 has yet to be announced, but a Facebook update in July included a photo of sunflowers just beginning to bloom. As well as the sunflowers, there will be a bale tower, bale maze, sand pits and a range of drinks and snacks available for purchase. In October, the site also offers a pumpkin picking experience for visitors.

Sunflower Experience at School Farm – West Drayton, Nottinghamshire

The Sunflower Experience returns to School Farm Soft Fruit in West Drayton, near Retford. It’s only £1 per sunflower stem and there are still plenty of strawberries to pick too. Whether you want to pick a bouquet of flowers or just come for a stroll among the flowers, it’s a great family day out. The farm is also open every day of the week. However, if you wish to pick sunflowers, it is important to bring your own shears or shears as they are not provided.

Ashover Family Farm – Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Preparations for the 2024 sunflower field are currently underway at Ashover Family Farm. The site is open year-round and is known for its tulip, pumpkin and sunflower experiences. Sunflowers are expected to start blooming in early August.

The Picking Patch – Corby Glen, Lincolnshire

Due to the recent weather, the Picking Patch in Corby Glen, Lincolnshire is not yet open, but will be back with sunflowers for 2024 once the crops are ready. The patches are within easy reach of Bourne, Grantham and Melton Mowbray and there is limited on-site parking.