When the days start getting longer, and the sun hangs permanently in the sky, I immediately feel my seasonal depression melt away. The future is bright and hopeful, emerging in the form of spring, arguably the most beautiful season in Switzerland. Flowers of all kinds will soon be popping up across the country, from sunflowers and cherry blossoms to tulip and crocuses.
If you’re like me, and have the strong urge to frolic in a field of flowers or just admire them and the happiness they bring, make sure to bookmark this page; flowering seasons move fast and can vanish at a blink of an eye.
- Camellias early March – April
- Crocuses late March – April
- Magnolias mid March – mid April
- Bonus: Rose Fountains in Zurich 31 Mar – 7 Apr 2026
- Cherry Blossoms end of March – April
- Tulips end of March – early May
- Rapeseed (Colza) April – May
- Narcissus end of April – May
- Irises May – June
- Sunflowers July – August
- Edelweiss July – August
- Dahlias July – October
Camellias early March – April
- Stunning flowers that look like a cross between a rose and a peony, camellias often bloom in the winter, making them the first flowers on our list. If you want to catch these beauties, your best bet is to visit the Locarno Camellia Park during the Locarno Camellia Exhibition from 18 – 22 March, a dedicated festival with floral installations, events, and markets during the peak bloom period. If you can’t make it during this time, no sweat – you can visit this park anytime, as the blooms technically bloom throughout the year.
- 📍Locarno: Parco delle Camelie
Crocuses late March – April
- These cute, egg-shaped flowers are the first to through the grass – when you see them, you know spring is arriving. They are quite easy to spot, you can already seem up popping up from the ground around Geneva. The best time to see them is during a sunny day, as crocuses are light sensitive and fully open up with the sun.
- 📍Geneva: Parc de la Grange, Parc des Bastions, Perl du lac
- 📍Rämisgummen, Eggiwil (Emmental): For a sea of wild crocuses, head to Rämisgummen hill in Eggiwil (2h45m from Geneva). They usually bloom late March to early April. The bloom is fleeting (lasts only 1-2 weeks), so be sure to check the Eggiwil tourism site, as they will usually update their site on the bloom status.
- 📍Plateau des Glières (France): Just an hour away from Geneva, you have the Plateau des Glières in Haute-Savoie, where crocuses and other wildflowers carpet the fields as the snow melts. You can check the live webcams here before heading out.
Magnolias mid March – mid April
- You don’t need to travel far to see magnolias – these large, showy flowers can be spotted along the streets of Geneva!
- 📍Geneva: Parc des bastions, Rue du pont-neuf, Rotonde du mont-blanc, Jardin Anglais, Statue de l’éveil, Perle du lac, Parc la grange, Parc de l’Ariana
- 📍Arboretum du Vallon de l’Aubonne (Vaud): Features over 200 types of magnolias (and many more stunning flowers), the Arboretum of Aubonne just an hour drive away and worth a visit for all flower lovers.
Bonus: Rose Fountains in Zurich (31 Mar – 7 Apr 2026)
- If you find yourself in Zurich before the Easter holidays, make sure to keep an eye out for the beautiful fountains filled with roses. It’s a tradition of “hope” that began in 2021, and have continued to this day.
- 📍Zurich: Münsterhof, Zähringerplatz, and Helmhaus fountains.
Cherry Blossoms end of March – April
- Cherry blossoms need no introduction – world-famous and popular, thanks to their beautiful pink colors and fleeting bloom period. There are many beautiful cherry blossom trees in Geneva, so make sure to keep your eyes open during your daily commute. We also noted down other noteworthy places to see cherry blossoms in Switzerland.
- 📍Geneva: Parc de l’Ariana, Jadrin des Alpes (Monument Brunswick), Parc des Bastions, Parc Mon Repos, Old town (Place du Rhône, Terrasse Agrippa-d’Aubigné), Promenade du Pin
- 📍Arboretum du Vallon de l’Aubonne (Vaud): With over 100 species of cherry and plum trees, it’s worth a visit (you can see the magnolias as well!)
- 📍Lausanne: Parc de l’Elysée, Olympic museum park, Parc de Mon-Repos
- 📍Rose Garden (Bern): The panoramic view of Bern’s old city being framed by pink cherry blossoms is famous and can be viewed at the Rosengarten, which is a beautiful place to visit even outside of the cherry blossom season. You can keep an eye out for the flowers via the webcams here.
- 📍Cherry Trail (Chriesiwäg): To see a sea of cherry blossoms in the country side of Switzerland, a visit to the Fricktal valley is a must. There are over 10,000 cherry trees in the area and many family friendly walks to see these flowers.
Tulips end of March – early May
- The beloved Morges Tulip Festival will be back on the 27th of March until the 10th of May. The festival will feature over 140,000 tulips of nearly 350 varieties. The peak blooming period is usually the last 2 weeks of April but you don’t need to worry if you miss this time. The festival runs for 6 weeks, and the planting of the tulips are staggered, meaning you’ll see tulips throughout this period of time. You can follow the bloom status here.
- 📍Morges: Parc de l’Indépendance, Château de Vullierens (18,000 tulips in the gardens)
Rapeseed (Colza) April – May
- While rapeseed flowers are actually working crops, they produce bright neon-yellow patches in the Swiss countryside. Take a long walk in the countryside of Geneva and you’re bound to cross one of these rapeseed patches. It’s important to not enter the fields but admire them from a safe distance, as they are on private property.
- 📍Geneva: Jussy, Gy, Presinge, Satigny, Pays de Gex, Veyrier
Narcissus end of April – May
- Know as “May snow”, wild narcissus carpets the hills above the Montreux Riviera. These flowers are the iconic of the region, having been widely celebrated in the 19th and 20th century and even immortalized by Ernest Hemingway. You can follow the bloom forecast, and hike the trails to see the narcissus.
- 📍Montreux: Les Avants, Les Pléiades, Glion, Mont Pèlerin
Irises May – June
- If you love irises, make sure to pay Château de Vullierens this spring, home to over 400 varieties and a stunning sculpture park. It makes for the perfect day trip to see a variety of blooms.
Sunflowers July – August
- The quintessential summer flower blankets the Swiss countryside in gold. Like rapeseed flowers, sunflowers are working crops, and harvested to make oil. You’ll find them in full force in Geneva’s countryside.
- 📍Geneva: Bernex, Confignon, Jussy, Russin, Veyrier (Check out our full sunflower guide for more details)
Edelweiss July – August
- The national flower of Switzerland, edelweiss are the quintessential flower of the alps. This white starry flower grows only in inaccessible, rocky spots (between 1,800 – 3,000m), and almost went extinct in the early 20th century due to overpicking. Many people dream to see them in the wild but it’s quite rare, you have to do some serious hiking in higher altitudes. If you do see Edelweiss flowers in the wild, snap a photo and enjoy them with your eyeballs only as they are protected by law – it’s forbidden to pick them.
- 📍Schynige Platte Ridge Trail, Zermatt (Edelweiss path)
Dahlias July – October
- Dahlias are considered the late bloomers of the flowering world, gracing us all more color and life before we have to bid summer goodbye. They come in all shades of the rainbow and shapes. The best places to see them are in Morges, where they hold the Dahlia festival each year.
- 📍Morges: Along Quai Igor-Stravinsky
I hope this guide helps you track down all the stunning flowers this season! Whether you’re hiking in the mountains or staying in the city, flowers will be all around us, you just need to go out and look up (or down).
Which bloom are you most excited to see this year? Let me know in the comments below!
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