Discover the beauty of spring blossoms and new art at the Early Spring exhibition in the Royal Garden

In the Empire Greenhouse of the Royal Gardens, visitors can experience the fusion of two fascinating worlds – flowers and art.

The part of the exhibition focused on horticulture, called Early Spring at Prague Castle, presents spring bulbs that were grown in the greenhouses of the castle gardens. Visitors can admire dozens of species of tulips, daffodils and other small bulbs, totalling approximately 4,500 flowers. This exhibition, which combines the first signs of spring with a book by British artist Derek Jarman and works by contemporary young artists, runs from 26 February to 8 March 2026.

The main theme of the contemporary art exhibition, alongside the blooming plants in the greenhouse, is “The Garden of Small Gestures,” based on Jarman’s work Modern Nature. Jarman (1942–1994), a British director and artist, bought an old fisherman’s cottage on the coast near the Dungeness nuclear power station in Kent and, despite the harsh conditions, created a special garden there. To this day, this garden represents his artistic philosophy – it is unusual, wild, resilient and strange.

The contemporary artworks selected for the exhibition “Garden of Small Gestures” respond either directly or freely to Jarman’s text. They show how a garden can be not only a portrait or a ritual, but also a refuge and an unlimited activity that requires patience, the ability to accept reality unconditionally, and flexibility.

The greenhouse in the Royal Garden also displays flowers. This is the result of the careful work of a team of gardeners who plan ahead. By the end of April, they have a clear idea of the main flowers that will be on display the following year. In the autumn, they plant them in hundreds of pots and place them in greenhouses in the garden. The bulbs are then moved between cold and warm places, under winter light and shade, so that their flowering coincides exactly with the exhibition date.

Visitors can look forward to twenty-nine different varieties of tulips, six hyacinths, fifty-seven small and early bulbs, a quarter of daffodils and ten amaryllis. In addition, there is an accompanying programme that includes guided tours of the exhibition and the Royal Gardens.

The exhibition in the Empire Greenhouse is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (last admission at 16:30). Admission to the exhibition is CZK 50, children under 6 years of age are admitted free of charge. Accompanying programmes are completely free of charge if booked in advance. On 5 March 2026, the entire Royal Garden and the Deer Moat will be closed to the public for operational reasons, but the Early Spring exhibition will remain open. The easiest way to get to the greenhouse is from the “Pražský hrad” tram stop, which is served by trams 22 and 23. From there, take U Prašného mostu Street, and the entrance to the Royal Garden is approximately opposite the Riding Hall.