The Japanese flowering cherry collection at the north Cotswolds attraction are flowering around two weeks earlier than expected, thanks to the weather conditions in recent months.

Batsford holds the national collection of Prunus (Sato-Zakura group) cherries, known as Japanese village cherries, with over 120 trees in clusters, providing a stunning display of pinks and whites around the 60-acre arboretum.

The collection was established at Batsford in the 1950s by the then owner, the 2nd Lord Dulverton, and added to over the years.

There are also several incisa cherries - a mountain variety of Japanese cherry - offering even more colour.

The cherry blossom season at Batsford is normally expected to reach its peak around mid-late April, however the cherries have flowered earlier than usual this spring.

As well as the cherry collection, Batsford's Paulownia fortunei 'Fast Blue' tree - known as the 'Fox Glove tree' because of the beautiful lightly scented lilac-blue flowers shaped like the foxglove flower - is coming into flower almost a month early.

Batsford's head gardener Matthew Hall said: "Equal amounts of rain and sun last summer, along with a cold snap in December, helped make the blossom so magical.

"There was also very mild weather in February which helped develop the flower buds on many of the trees, and having very few frosts has helped protect the flowers. It's fair to say we are in the midst of a magical time for spring flowering trees and shrubs!"

Batsford is open daily and is just a mile from Moreton-in-Marsh.