Wisteria blooms for about two to three weeks during spring. This year, the number of visitors to Notting Hill and Kensington has surged due to "wisteria viewing tours" widely shared on social media.

Thousands of influencers and photographers arriving in West London's residential areas have caused significant problems for residents. Visitors set up portable tents to change outfits, place chairs on sidewalks, bring pets, and stand for hours in front of people's homes. Some groups litter and break branches, making it difficult for local sanitation workers to navigate through the crowds to do their jobs.

Groups of tourists and influencers visit affluent neighborhoods in West London to photograph blooming wisteria. *Reuters*

At one popular spot, a Daily Mail reporter observed several groups of female visitors carrying outfits, disembarking from coaches, and heading directly to pre-determined locations. Most of these individuals were Asian.

The most popular wisteria display is near Kensington High Street, an area known for its expensive villas. Here, a 70-year-old wisteria plant drapes over the white wall and iron fence of a mansion. The homeowner stated that tourists began noticing this spot after the pandemic. "I constantly have to remind visitors not to touch the plant because the branches are very fragile," the homeowner said.

The house on the corner of Kensington High Street boasts London's most abundantly blooming wisteria display. *MarkLarge/Dailymail*

Natalie Venhrynovych, from Ukraine, came to photograph wisteria after learning about the trend from social media.

Most visitors photographing the flowers are well-behaved, but some still litter and break branches, causing annoyance to homeowners.

Wisteria blooms for about two to three weeks in spring.

A group of Malaysian tourists.

Wisteria photographers often bring various equipment, such as tripods and changing tents.

Wisteria viewing tours typically guide visitors through small streets from Kensington High Street to Portobello Road in Notting Hill. On TikTok and Instagram, lists of photo spots are constantly updated.

Many tourists, such as Natalia Venhrynovych (27) and Penina Khubani (25), stated they drove for over one hour to reach the area after watching online guide videos. In Bedford Gardens, another house featuring a wisteria archway also attracted a group of Malaysian tourists for photos.

British media has dubbed the phenomenon of crowds engulfing these streets "wisteria hysteria."

On narrow streets like Bedford Gardens and Portobello, visitors not only take photos but also bring props, costume trunks, and occupy residents' doorsteps as resting and changing areas. The prolonged noise and litter left by visitors have forced many families to post warning signs or install barriers to prevent strangers from entering their gardens.

A representative from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council stated that residents or tourists cannot be prohibited from taking photos on sidewalks, as these are public spaces. Instead, local authorities can only increase sanitation teams to collect litter after each weekend peak.

Faced with this situation, some homeowners have taken steps to protect their property. The owner of a house on Portobello Road proactively trimmed a large portion of their wisteria display to prevent roots and branches from damaging the boundary wall. This individual stated that the action was purely to protect the house's structure, not to deter photographers.

The beauty of London's streets during wisteria season. *Video: Marta UK*

Minh Phuong