TODAY, the Alnwick Garden, in Northumberland, will be filled with the sights and smells of spring as up to 10,000 colourful tulips fill the Courtyard Room.

The garden’s first Tulip Festival will feature displays of thousands of De Jager bulb tulips in vases. Visitors will have the chance to meet De Jager experts and order next year’s bulbs.

The festival celebrations will last until Thursday, but in the coming weeks, visitors to the Alnwick Garden can enjoy a riot of colour as nearly 200,000 pink Mistress tulips beneath the Cherry Orchard trees and 30,000 almost-black Queen of the Night tulips in the Ornamental Garden come into bloom. The tulips planted in the garden are expected to be at their peak in three weeks.

The Alnwick Garden has become known worldwide for its gigantic Treehouse, mysterious Poison Garden, beautiful water sculptures and unconventional – yet family friendly – garden design.

It is open from 10am to 6pm (last admissions 5.15pm) each day. Visit alnwickgarden.com for details.