With over half the global population of bluebells flowering on UK shores, Britain’s beautiful blue spring is a quintessential part of our native landscape.

The native bluebell species can be identified by its delicate scent, intense blue colour and flowers that droop down like a bell along one side of the stem.

Bluebells have been busy bursting into flower all across the UK but there’s nowhere better to see them than at some of Kent's wonderful National Trust properties.

Ightham Mote, near Borough GreenSwathes of bluebells can be found in Scathes Wood, running alongside the driveway. The ancient woodland is home to around 15 acres carpeted in the distinctive blue colour of spring. Ightham Mote is running a new passenger buggy service to the entrance of Scathes Wood this spring, subject to availability. You can also pick up an estate walks leaflet for suggested routes.

Emmetts Garden, near Sevenoaks
The most popular attraction at this Edwardian estate, near Sevenoaks, bluebells cover an acre of the woodland dell at the bottom of the South Garden, which overlooks the Bough Beech Reserve and the Weald of Kent.

Sissinghurst Castle, near Cranbrook
Venture into Sissinghurst Castle’s woodland and be rewarded with around 126 million individual bluebell flowers. Spot them to the far left and right of the property’s woods which are also bursting with other wild flowers.

Details on all the county's National Trust properties at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Hole Park, near Rolvenden
It may not be owned by the national Trust, but another bluebell hotspot is Hole Park which has its own approach towards making sure visitors see the best of its bluebells. The 15-acre garden’s website has a bluebell barometer, showing when the flowers are coming into bloom, on a scale of one to four - and this week the barometer has just hit top spot. More details at www.holepark.com