Join us for a five-day guided visit to the gardens of Somerset
19-23 September – 5 days, 4 nights from £995
Piet Oudolf garden, Hauser & Wirth
YOUR SOMERSET TOUR
Our tailor-made tour of Somerset is designed to give you a full taste of Somerset garden life, with great eating and inspiring talks from leading gardeners. We’ll be based in the superb Castle Hotel in Taunton, an ivy-clad four-star retreat famed for its food. It is one of the UK’s most historic hotels dating back, in parts, some 1000 years. Run for more than 60 years by the Chapman family, it offers a range of room sizes and comfort levels (some supplements apply: call for details). A relaxing start to your stay on Sunday includes a welcome drink, introductory talk from your host and guide, Sally Nex, and private dinner with wine.
Somerset is a hidden gem for gardeners – home to intimate country house gardens and cutting edge designer spaces, plus great food. Explore it with us, in comfort and safety, on our bespoke tour, led by local resident and magazine regular Sally Nex, and I will join you along the way. See you there!
GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS
DAY ONE The tour launches by exploring the ground-breaking garden by pioneering Dutch designer Piet Oudolf at the international art gallery in Bruton, Hauser & Wirth. There will be time to view the exhibitions and browse the quirky shop.
From here, we head to Charles Dowding’s no-dig organic Homeacre gardens for a vegetarian lunch feast and a talk from Charles, who’ll be on hand to explain his ideas and methods – read about these on p124.
DAY TWO We explore Kilver Court, featured on Gardeners World, and created by Roger Saul – founder of Mulberry fashion house and a renowned amateur gardener and plantsman. Roger will meet the group for an introductory talk before we plunge into over three acres of quirky design and plant-rich borders.
We then head to England’s smallest Cathedral city to visit the gardens of the Bishops Palace in Wells. Then we have a real gardener’s treat for you with our visit to Yeo Valley’s organic gardens.
DAY THREE First stop is plantswoman Margery Fish’s iconic cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor – a colour-rich and romantic space that will delight. Travelling on to the National Trust’s historic Tintinhull Garden, where legendary gardeners Penelope Hobhouse and then Sandra and Nori Pope, built up layers of interest through elegant formal borders, alongside a working kitchen garden.
The late afternoon and evening brings a magical treat of a private exploration of the magnificent gardens at Hestercombe followed by a group reception and threecourse dinner with wine in the manor’s great Hall.
DAY FOUR Our final day starts at the National Trust treasure, Lytes Cary, an intimate manor house with Arts and Craftsstyle garden. We travel on to the renowned Newt, a fabulous Georgian estate with exquisite grounds and gardens and enjoy a delicious lunch in the Garden Café, overlooking the walled garden. There will then be time to explore the gardens plus their The Story of Gardening exhibition. Finally, it’s back to the Castle to enjoy its famous afternoon tea.