Travel The best trips and holidays for garden lovers planning a break in 2022.

Get Away from It All

After a long period of travel restrictions, we’re all itching to get away. Here we round up some of the best trips for garden lovers across the globe

IMAGE SHUTTERSTOCK WORDS CLARE FOGGETT Wildfl owers in bloom on Crete’s rocky shores; spring is one of the best times to see the island’s rich array of fl ora. N ow that the world is gradually opening up again, opportunities for travel are burgeoning. If 2022 is the year you hope to book a memorable getaway, our guide to botanical holidays and garden tours could tempt you away to try something new. We’ve rounded up activity breaks and longer holidays from around the world, with a special focus on trips and tours in the UK.

Above Cawdor Castle is a must-see on a tour is a must-see on a tour of gardens in northern of gardens in northern Scotland. It’s included Scotland. It’s included on Adderley Travel’s on Adderley Travel’s Scottish itinerary. Scottish itinerary. Left The astonishing Royal Greenhouses of Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, in the Belgian Laeken, in the Belgian city of Brussels, are a city of Brussels, are a stop on ECT Travel’s stop on ECT Travel’s fl ower show tours. fl ower show tours.

ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS

Having spent the long months of the pandemic cooped up, feeling less active and doing less than normal, many of us want a little bit extra from our holidays than we did before. Lots of us took up a new hobby during 2020 and 2021, or rediscovered an old one, and a holiday incorporating a new pastime could be just the thing to improve those skills.

Flower arrangers should consider a trip to Belgium’s Fleuramour, one of Europe’s most prestigious fl oral events, which draws visitors from around the world. ECT Travel are taking bookings for their tour to the September 2022 show, which also happens to be Fleuramour’s 25th anniversary. Floristry lovers fl ock to it to see the latest trends and spot the newest techniques. The company also runs a spring tour to Belgium’s fl ower shows Floralia and Floraliën, which incorporates a visit to Laeken’s magnifi cent royal greenhouses. ecttravel.com

If you’d like to improve your plant knowledge while you holiday and take in gardens, Arena Travel o ers a June tour called The English Rose, with expert Paul Zimmerman, which is sure to satisfy rose lovers. It includes lots of rose-packed gardens, such as Sissinghurst, Mottisfont, Coughton Court and Wollerton Old Hall, a behind-the-scenes tour of David Austin Roses, plus accommodation and travel, making it a super way to discover more of the UK while indulging your love of roses. arenatravel.com

In a similar vein, if peonies are your passion it’s worth making a note of the 2022 peony weekends at Primrose Hall Peonies in Bedfordshire this April, May and June. Incorporate one into your itinerary for fl oristry workshops and a tour of the nursery. primrosehallpeonies.co.uk

In South Devon, The Crush Course is a residential weekend at the Dartington Estate covering all

things wine and winemaking. It’s a superb taster for budding winemakers, and if you grow your own grapevines it’s a chance to fi nd out more about the processes involved in turning grapes into wine. Weekends take place in April, May, June and September. The 1,200 acre Dartington Estate is near Totnes, and the weekend could form part of a longer stay, taking in visits to beautiful villages around the River Dart and gardens such as The Garden House in Buckland Monachorum, or Burrow Farm Gardens, one of the winners of this year’s Nation’s Favourite Gardens awards. dartington.org

An art break could be just the ticket for anyone who picked up a paintbrush during lockdown. Artist Anna Martin runs painting holidays in Turkey, Spain and the UK. In Spain, stay in the pretty whitewashed village of Frigiliana in Andalucia and practise painting in plein-air in Moorish gardens, among ruins and on beaches. annamartin.co.uk

You could follow your painting holiday with a trip to one of Spain’s most enticing gardens, the Alhambra in Granada. With HF Holidays, Anna also leads painting holidays in the UK, many of which take in garden settings. hfholidays.co.uk

In the Scottish Highlands, Wild Rose Escapes runs crafting retreats and weekends, including a chance to learn about natural dyeing for gardeners who want to bring plants and crafts together. Other courses include spinning and felting, all combined with invigorating walks through beautiful Highlands scenery. wildrose-escapes.co.uk. Team it with one of the tours of Scottish gardens by Adderley Travels – in August, The Far North & Orkney takes in the Castle of Mey, Cawdor Castle and Inverewe. adderleytravel.com. Alternatively, you could join a cruise by The Majestic Line to enjoy the islands of Scotland’s west coast and the Hebrides. themajesticline.co.uk

Top left The Hebrides boast some of Scotland’s most beautiful, unspoilt scenery – a must-visit on a trip to the north west of the country. Top right Try your hand at winemaking during a stay at Devon’s Dartington Estate. Above right Indulge a love of fl oristry at Fleuramour in Belgium. Above left Superb rose gardens at Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire.

HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD

Nature lovers will enjoy the July tour, Wildlife of the Austrian Alps, run by Ace Cultural Tours. Taking in the meadows and woodlands around Lake Constance, the mountain lake of Lünersee and Liechtenstein’s Sassweg trail, among others, it’s eight days of bird and wildfl ower bliss. Looking further ahead, the company’s Japan in Autumn tour visits the country’s most beautiful gardens and scenery at a colourful time of year. aceculturaltours.co.uk

Japan is also renowned for its celebration of spring cherry blossom, and Brightwater Holidays runs a tour called Seasonal Gardens of Japan that explores Japanese gardens in and around Kyoto that can be timed to make the most of this prized display. It also takes in historic towns, Tokyo’s Imperial Palace Garden and Mount Fuji. brightwaterholidays.com

Top left Lake Maggiore’s Borromean Islands, one of the destinations on Brookland Travel’s Italian Lakes holiday. Top right Take in the wildfl ower-rich meadows of the Austrian Alps with Ace Cultural Tours. Above right Book a stay at Corfu’s spectacular Kassiopia Estate. Above left The Palace of Pena in Sintra, Portugal; the town boasts several superb gardens to visit.

For gardeners who love to see fl owers growing in their natural habitats, a visit to South Africa is surely on the bucket list. Spring Flowers from the Cape to the Kalahari, an August tour by The Travelling Naturalist (part of the Natural Travel Collection), will tick it o the list in spectacular style. You’ll take in seven nature reserves and fi ve national parks, travelling through superb areas for birding and spotting some of South Africa’s incredible wildlife. And in Namaqualand, spring fl owers will be creating a kaleidoscope of colour. naturalist.co.uk

A little closer to home, eight days in search of spring fl owers and migrating birds on the island of Crete sounds like heaven, particularly if you are lucky enough to see some of the island’s 60-odd species of wild orchids. The Crete in Spring tour run by Naturetrek takes place in late March and April,

letting you see treats such as drooping star of Bethlehem and snake’s head iris in the wild. naturetrek.co.uk

Corfu is worth considering, too. Known as the garden isle, it also boasts beautiful fl ora, as well as many incredible private gardens that some tour operators visit. Or, stay at the Kassiopia Estate to enjoy its stunning garden. kassiopiaestate.com

What better timing for the Fine Gardens of the Italian Lakes tour by Brookland Travel than autumn, when the temperatures are still mild but the crowds are gone and the lakes regain their serenity. Andy McIndoe leads this October tour, which whisks you o to beautiful villas and gardens by private boat. brooklandtravel.com

Sintra is one of Portugal’s most magical destinations, a town of romantic architecture and memorable gardens such as the Quinta da Regaleira with its quirky follies and rich planting. On the Gardens of Sintra – Lisbon and the Portuguese Riviera tour by Martin Randall Travel in May, you’ll also see the Estufa Fria greenhouse and gardens of the Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira in nearby Lisbon. martinrandall.com

For gardeners yearning to travel much further afi eld, Botanica runs a selection of holidays in Australia and New Zealand, which are well worth considering. Tours include gardens in Canberra and New South Wales, the diverse gardens of Australia’s ‘garden state’ of Victoria, and gardens on New Zealand’s North and South Islands, all led by garden experts. botanicatours.com

Tokyo’s Imperial Palace Garden is transformed by spectacular blossom displays each spring.

Raise money while you holiday

Perennial’s special events for 2022

If you’re looking for a European garden tour but want a change from the usual destinations of France and Italy, head to Malmö in Sweden. In late May, horticultural charity Perennial is running a guided tour through southern Sweden that takes in three of Malmö’s historic gardens (Katrinetorp, Norrviken and Sofi ero), the Malmö Garden Show, and plenty of beautiful scenery.

The tour is part of their lineup of special events for 2022, the highlight of which is a 19-day trip to New Zealand. This exclusive guided tour, from Auckland to Queenstown, takes in New Zealand’s incredible landscapes and horticultural treasures.

Money raised through these holidays helps Perennial help horticulturists in need. perennial.org.uk/events

HOLIDAYS IN THE UK

Gardeners with a passion for food – both growing and eating it – will love the Houses & Gardens of Cork tour by Ciceroni Travel. The base for this six-day trip, which runs in May, June and September, is Ballymaloe House. Here, Darina Allen’s team cooks seasonal food, much of it grown in the hotel’s own kitchen garden. ciceroni.co.uk

Join Colette Walker and Fran Pride on an expertly curated tour of UK gardens by Sisley Garden Tours. Many of the company’s classic garden tours for 2022 have booked up fast, but check online for additional dates. The Garden Gems of Cornwall, Devon & the Isles of Scilly tour – including classic destinations such as Tresco and Heligan, as well as three less well-known private gardens – still has availability at the time of going to press. sisley.co.uk

If you’re based in the US and the Isles of Scilly are on your must-visit list, then island-tour specialist Prepco Travel runs breaks that take in the ‘Caribbean of England’. The company also o ers holidays on the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. prepcotravel.com

One of the most popular destinations for garden lovers is the Cotswolds, with its wealth of horticultural treasures. Tailor your own tour with A Cotswold Garden Companion (£8.50, Finch Publishing), a beautifully illustrated map and handy guide by Natasha Goodfellow. It also includes unmissable garden shops and plant nurseries.

There is an abundance of guided tours in the area by specialists such as Travel Editions and

Top left The gardens at Tresco Abbey are a magnet for garden lovers keen to see its exotic planting. Top right Miserden’s serene and beautiful gardens are a must on a tour of the Cotswolds. Above right Timeless, rural charm abounds in the Cotswolds. Above left Ballymaloe is the ideal base for a tour of Irish gardens.

Good Resources

Boutique Retreats

If you’re planning a tour of UK gardens and want somewhere special to stay, try Boutique Retreats’ range of luxury holiday cottages. Tel: +44 (0)1872 553491; boutique-retreats.co.uk

Contours Walking Holidays

Contours will help you plan a self-guided walking holiday in the UK or Ireland, while taking care of luggage transfers and accommodation. Tel: +44 (0)1629 821900; contours.co.uk

Kirker Holidays

A range of garden tours in Europe and further afi eld. In France, tours include gardens of the Cote d’Azur and Brittany. Tel: +44 (0)20 7593 1899; kirkerholidays.com

One Traveller

If you’re travelling on your own, One Traveller specialises in holidays in the UK, Europe and further afi eld for mature single travellers, with no o -putting single supplements. Tel: +44 (0)1760 722011; onetraveller.co.uk

Perennial

Special events, day trips and longer breaks raise money for the charity, which helps horticulturists in times of need. Tel: +44 (0)1372 373962; perennial.org.uk/events

Rural Retreats

For self-catering holiday cottages across the UK and Ireland, choose from over 600 locations in the Rural Retreats’ portfolio. Tel: +44 (0)1386 897920; ruralretreats.co.uk

Travel Editions

Escorted tours of gardens in destinations such as Holland, Italy, France and the UK, and trips to see wildfl owers in beautiful European locations. Tel: +44 (0)20 7251 0045; traveleditions.co.uk

World Odyssey

A specialist tour operator o ering a vast array of holidays worldwide, from Provençal lavender fi elds to the Ugandan jungle. Tel: +44 (0)1905 731373; world-odyssey.com

Above Levens Hall’s ancient topiary is a sight not to miss on a holiday to the Lake District. Right Highclere Castle, familiar from Downton Abbey, is part of Violets and Tea’s Touch of Magnifi cence tour.

Brightwater Holidays. Both companies run tours that take in gardens including Highgrove, Hidcote, Miserden and Kiftsgate. traveleditions.co.uk; brightwaterholidays.com

If you’ve ‘done’ the Cotswolds, or want to avoid its busier spots, consider Northamptonshire. This quiet county in the heart of the UK enjoys scenery and countryside reminiscent of the Cotswolds, with villages built from the same honeycoloured stone. Gardens include excellent Coton Manor, charming Cottesbrooke Hall, and Lamport Hall with its Piet Oudolf-inspired walled garden. On the Northamptonshire Country Houses tour in May, Ace Cultural Tours takes garden lovers to both Cottesbrooke and Lamport Hall, along with other country houses and gardens that make the perfect introduction to the area. aceculturaltours.co.uk

The Hidden Houses of the Lake District tour by Just Go Holidays is the perfect way to tick o all the famous Cumbrian gardens that are bound to be on your list. It includes Askham Hall, Dalemain (famous for marmalade and blue meconopsis poppies), Levens Hall with its spectacular topiary, and Holker Hall, among others. The fi ve-day tours depart in June and September. justgoholidays.com

A Touch of Magnifi cence is the aptly named tour in July by Violets and Tea. On it you’ll see not only HRH Prince Charles’s garden at Highgrove and the halls and grounds of Highclere Castle (famous as the setting for Downton Abbey), but also grand Bowood House and Iford Manor, known for its Harold Peto-designed gardens. Enjoy six nights in historic fi vestar hotels and a Michelin-starred dinner in Castle Combe. violetsandtea.com ■