Gardens Tours in England

Topiary, Great Dixter Gardening is more popular in England than anywhere else and this is reflected in the number of gardens open to visit in England. As an island with a powerful navy, Britain's territory was physically secure from an earlier date than other European countries. English towns could spread beyond their medieval walls much earlier than in continental Europe. Instead of apartment blocks, the typical English dwelling was a small house with a small garden. The aristocracy always wanted 'a place in the country' for the summer and a town house for the winter.

A wide range of design styles are well represented in England, although the most famous period in English garden history is the eighteenth century, when the original English landscape gardens were made.

Escorted Garden Tours in England

3
nights

Chelsea Flower Show, 21st May - 24th May 2009

Laurent Perrier Garden, Chelsea Flower Show 2008

The tour includes a full day at the Chelsea Flower Show, which is the most famous horticultural event in the world, a visit to one of the best known Arts and Crafts gardens in England ( Sissinghurst ), a tour of the RHS's flagship garden ( Wisley ) with its new glasshouse, and a visit to one of most complete historic gardens and estates in England ( Tatton Park ).

4
nights

Private Gardens of Cornwall, departing 27th March, 6th May and 18th June 2009

Cornish gardens have a very special character, partly because Cornwall is warmer and wetter than most of the UK and partly because the wind has encouraged people to make gardens in well-wooded valleys. The tour visits 10 of the best privately-owned gardens in Cornwall including Tregrehan, Caerhays Castle, Ken-Caro, Marsh Villa, Bosvigo, Lamorran House and Pine Lodge Gardens (pictured left).

3
nights

The Gardens of Kent and Sussex, departing 15th May and 21st August 2009

This is an excellent tour for visitors to London who would like to visit gardens in Kent and Sussex. The countryside is varied, well-wooded and very favoured from the points of view of garden makers and garden visitors. The tour includes visits to Lullingstone Castle, Great Comp, Nymans, Leonardslee, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter and Hever Castle.

3
nights

Somerset and Devon, departing 26th June and 14th August 2009

The tour includes Hestercombe (pictured left), Rosemoor, Marwood Hill, East Lambrook Manor, Cothay Manor and Kilver Court.

3
nights

Lakeland Gardens, departing 15th May, 10th July and 11th September 2009

Since Wordsworth's time, the Lake District has been the best-loved scenic area in England. It has woods, forests, bright rivers, beautiful lakes, handsome mountains and attractive gardens. The tour includes visits to Arley Hall, Dove Cottage, Brantwood, Holehird, Holker Hall, Bridgemere Garden World, Yewbarrow House Gardens and Levens Hall (pictured left).

Independent Garden Tours in England

Cambridge » 3 gardens to visit - Christ's College Fellows' Garden, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Wimpole Hall Garden

Cotswolds » 4 gardens to visit - Hidcote Manor Garden, Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Mill Dene Garden, Sezincote Garden

Cornwall » 3 gardens to visit - Caerhays Castle Garden, Eden Project Garden, The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Derbyshire » 3 gardens to visit - Chatsworth Garden, Haddon Hall Garden, Renishaw Hall Garden

Devon » 5 gardens to visit - Hotel Endsleigh Gardens, Rosemoor RHS Garden, Marwood Hill Garden, Knightshayes Court Garden, Castle Drogo Garden

Dorset » 5 gardens to visit - Mapperton Gardens, Montacute House Garden, Forde Abbey Garden, Athelhampton House Gardens, Abbotsbury Gardens

Kent » 3 gardens to visit - Sissinghurst Garden, Pashley Manor Gardens, Great Dixter Garden

Lake District » 3 gardens to visit - Levens Hall Garden, Graythwaite Hall Garden, Holker Hall Garden

Central London » 7 gardens to visit - Kensington Roof Garden, Kensington Gardens, Chelsea Physic Garden, Holland Park, Museum of Garden History, Westminster Abbey - Garden and Cloisters, St James's Park

Northumberland » 3 gardens to visit - Alnwick Castle, Cragside House, Garden and Grounds, Howick Hall Gardens

Oxford » 5 gardens to visit - Rousham House and Garden, Stowe Landscape Garden, Blenheim Palace Garden, Waterperry Gardens, Oxford Botanic Garden

Somerset » 4 gardens to visit - Hestercombe House Gardens, Montacute House Garden, East Lambrook Manor Garden, Tintinhull House Garden

Staffordshire » 3 gardens to visit - Biddulph Grange Garden, Alton Towers Garden, Trentham Gardens

Surrey » 4 gardens to visit - Painshill Park, Claremont Landscape Garden, Polesden Lacey, RHS Garden, Wisley

Sussex » 5 gardens to visit - West Dean Gardens, Borde Hill Garden, Nymans Garden, Wakehurst Place Garden, Leonardslee Gardens

Warwickshire » 3 gardens to visit - Warwick Castle Garden, Shakespeare Houses and Gardens, Charlecote Park

Wiltshire » 4 gardens to visit - Stourhead Garden, Stourton House Flower Garden, Bowood Gardens, Longleat Garden

Yorkshire » 4 gardens to visit - Castle Howard Garden, Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Terrace and Temples, Duncombe Park

South West London » (4.0/5) 5 gardens to visit - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Chiswick House Garden, Hampton Court Palace Garden, Syon Park, Ham House Garden

Bath and North Somerset » 4 gardens to visit - Claverton Manor Garden, Prior Park Landscape Garden, Bowood Gardens, The Peto Garden, Iford Manor

South Cornwall » 4 gardens to visit - Trebah Garden, Glendurgan Garden, Trewithen Garden, Trevarno Estate and Gardens

Hampshire » 5 gardens to visit - Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum, Mottisfont Abbey Garden, Hinton Ampner Garden, Furzey Gardens, Exbury Gardens

Tarka Garden Tours

01271 375002

Small personal guided tours, visiting private & great gardens on the scenic north coast of Devon, Somerset & Cornwall, leisurely pace, exclusive accommodation package available.

www.tarkagardentours.co.uk

FLORA Garden Tours

Flora Garden Tours take small groups of up to 12 people to the best English gardens - large and small. The tours last 3-6 days but special interest tours can be run to suit your group. The tour director, Dr. Barbara Sommerville, guides all tours and gives an entertaining slide talk each evening illustrating a range of garden topics. www.flora-garden-tours.co.uk or e-mail bas@flora-garden-tours.co.uk or enquiries@flora-garden-tours.co.uk.

Adderley Travel Limited

Small-group garden tours throughout Britain

Adderley Travel Limited specialise in quality, small-group (max. 12 people) garden tours throughout Britain, especially for overseas visitors to the United Kingdom.

www.adderleytravel.com

Gardeners World Tours with Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Scottish Borders, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and North Wales - Sept 6th to 18th 2008. Highlights include Scotland's finest botanical gardens, Harrogate Flower Show and Bodnant Garden. This tour is personally escorted by Majorie Mason of Mason Hogue Gardens in Uxbridge Ontario.

www.gardenersworldtours.com

Karen Platt Garden Tours

+44 (0) 114 268 1700

Unique escorted garden tours throughout the United Kingdom including transport, accommodation, meals where stipulated, garden entrances. All tours are led by horticultural expert and author of 20 garden books, Karen Platt. Tours last from 3 to 10 days and include Harrogate, Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Overseas visitors most welcome.