England: Gardens of Kent & Sussex 545
England: Gardens of Kent & Sussex 545
England: Gardens of Kent & Sussex 545
4 Days Starting in London, UK and ending in Various pick-up points available - please contact us for details
Visiting: Lullingstone Castle, Kent, London, Sussex Prairie Garden, Nymans Gardens, Great Dixter House & Gardens, Sissinghurst, Woking, RHS Garden Wisley, National Trust - Scotney Castle
Tour operator:
Tour code:
BKSG
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
6 - 25
Age range:
1-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Vegans, Meat, Please contact Brightwater with any specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
If there’s one tour that epitomises the joy of strolling around a perfect English country garden, it is this one – with one shining example after another to be savoured and enjoyed.
Even if you have visited some of these properties before, such is their allure that you can return again and again, just as you would re-read your favourite novel. First-time visitors will be bowled over by the quality and pedigree of these gardens, which capture the essence of the English country garden. We start at Great Comp, filled with rare and beautiful shrubs, followed by Lullingstone Castle.
Nymans Garden offers outstanding plants in a theatrical setting and is twinned with the Sussex Prairie Garden, reminiscent of the work of the great Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf. We also visit Sissinghurst, surely the most-copied flower garden in the world, and Great Dixter. A stroll around the gardens of Scotney Castle and a special visit to RHS Garden Wisley, round off a distinguished tour.
With all gardens offering year-round colour and interest, choose between the warmth and extravagance of summer or the myriad colours of autumn.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1
Location: Lullingstone Castle, Kent, London
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Donnington Manor Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
We depart from our pick-up points in London and Gatwick and head towards Kent and our first visit, Great Comp Garden – a beautiful seven-acre garden with many beautiful and rare shrubs, perennials and other hardy plants. This Kent garden is a plantsman’s haven. The year starts with hellebores, followed by magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas, then the remainder of the year follows with rare and exotic shrubs and perennial plants such as the huge collection of salvias. There are areas of formal and informal plantings linked with meandering grass paths and ruins homing in on an Italian Garden.
From here we continue to the magnificent Lullingstone Castle. A historic family mansion dating back to the time of Domesday, frequented by Henry VIII and Queen Anne, the manor house and garden are set in the beautiful Darent Valley. The garden was designed by horticulturist Tom Hart Dyke, a modern day plant hunter who follows in the traditions of plant hunters who used to risk their lives and limbs in pursuit of fantastic blooms and plants. He was held captive for nine months by Colombian guerrillas in 2000 and on his release he created the World Garden of Plants, which continues to grow and build each year adding rare and important botanical plants to its collection.
We continue to our hotel, the 4-star Donnington Manor Hotel, Sevenoaks. Dinner will be served in the evening.
Day 2
Location: Sussex Prairie Garden, Nymans Gardens
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Donnington Manor Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, after breakfast, we will set off for the Sussex Prairie Garden at Henfield. Surrounded by mature oak trees, this eight-acre garden consists of a series of interlocking arcs of large planted borders in a naturalistic style, reminiscent of the work of the great Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf. The plantings consist of generous drifts of herbaceous perennials, planted in a free flowing style, which contrasts leaf forms, stems, stalks, flower shapes and textures. Colours are soft and muted and complement the natural landscape.
We continue to Nymans Garden, an outstanding plant collection in an inspirational setting. This theatrical garden design, created by the Messel family, is one of the finest gardens in Sussex and still retains much of the personality of the family who created it. There are many rare and exotic plants combined with a pinetum, walled garden, Italian garden and woodland walks. Lunch is available here (not included).
We return to the hotel in time for dinner.
Day 3
Location: Great Dixter House & Gardens, Sissinghurst
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Donnington Manor Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning after breakfast, we are privileged to have an ‘early-bird visit’ to the magnificently manicured gardens of Sissinghurst. This famous garden was created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson from 1930 onwards and became the most admired English Garden of its time. Few great gardens live up to their reputations so effortlessly as this. Sissinghurst is a large connoisseurs’ garden consisting of a series of small romantic areas enclosed by the surviving parts of an Elizabethan mansion. It never disappoints its visitors, it has the power of enchantment, but it is also an unending source of inspiration for all gardeners. Sissinghurst is surely as close to gardening perfection as you can get, and it continues to be one of the most-copied flower gardens in the world.
We continue to another classic English Country Garden – Great Dixter. The distinguished garden writer Christopher Lloyd (who died in January 2006 at the aged of 84) was the genius behind Great Dixter, with its timbered 15th century house. Restored by Edwin Lutyens who also planned the garden, Mr Lloyd has firmly put his lively stamp on it. A recent experiment involved installing a summer tropical garden rich in bold shapes and brilliant colours. No gardener could come to Great Dixter without making discoveries and rekindling a zest for gardening.
We return to the hotel in time for dinner.
Day 4
Location: Woking, RHS Garden Wisley, National Trust - Scotney Castle
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning after breakfast we will leave the hotel and head for Wakehurst Place Gardens, near Haywards Heath, which was the most visited NT property in 2009-10. The gardens, set in 180 acres, are now managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Wakehurst Place boasts a walled garden with cottage style garden plantings, a water garden with a mixture of plants growing in and around the water and the Himalayan Glade with a collection of azaleas and rhododendrons, however the main feature is the collection of trees and shrubs. In the summer months we can expect to see many delightful brightly coloured plants.
We depart for Perch Hill, the garden of writer and broadcaster Sarah Raven, where we will enjoy lunch followed by an exclusive guided tour with the Head Gardener. Once a rather ramshackle ex-dairy farm with a lot of concrete, corrugated iron and not much else; the land has been converted to an organic 90 acres of new seed and plant varieties. The constant supply of favourite flowers comes from the large cutting garden where the central four beds are filled with hardy and half-hardy annuals and biennials. There are also two purely ornamental gardens at Perch Hill, not dedicated to harvesting – the Oast garden with an extravagant mix of colour and structure and the front farmhouse garden, which is designed to have a calmer feel.
We will return to your original pick-up points late afternoon.
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Services of a professional tour manager
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Comfortable coach travel throughout
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Meals - as per the itinerary
What's Not Included
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International Travel
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Tipping and Gratuities
Check out our Q&As
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
No
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes
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Will I receive more details of the holiday before I travel?
You will receive detailed joining instructions around 10 days prior to you departure, but you are of course welcome to contact us at any time should you have any queries.
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What facilities do your coaches have?
Generally, our coaches have reclining seats, air-conditioning and toilets, however this cannot always be guaranteed as sometimes we have to use smaller vehicles. Toilets are recommended for emergency use only and regular comfort stops will be made throughout your holiday while travelling around.
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Do I have to go on the included excursions?
Absolutely not. You are more than welcome to spend the day at your hotel or exploring independently should you wish. All we ask is that you inform your Tour Manager, so they are not left waiting for you to join the group.
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Is there time to relax?
Although our itineraries may seem jam-packed, boasting access to some of the most exclusive sites across the UK and beyond, a Brightwater Holiday is just that: a holiday. Each trip will counter in more than enough free-time for you to explore places at your own leisure. And with most nights and the majority of meals being included in our tour prices, you can relax in hand-picked accommodation.
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Do I need to be an expert?
Absolutely not! Although some of our tours are specifically focused on one thing, all you need to enjoy a Brightwater holiday is interest and bags of enthusiasm! Even on our most specialist tours, we take travellers from all skill levels, from experts to beginners.
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How fit or active do I need to be for one of your holidays?
You need to be able to get on and off the coach unassisted, and most – but not all – coaches have a kneel facility that lowers the front step for ease of boarding
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Do you have self-drive holidays?
Yes, we do – tailored to your exact requirements!
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What’s the luggage allowance on your coaches?
There’s no fixed limit, but we generally say one large suitcase to go in the luggage compartment and a smaller bag that you can take onto the coach with you. For flight-inclusive holidays, we include a luggage allowance of at least 20kg.
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Where are your departure points?
UK garden holidays generally depart from London, with additional pick-ups depending on the route of the coach, while holidays to Scotland depart from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth, with Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen sometimes included. All Eurostar holidays depart from London St. Pancras and flight-inclusive holidays depart from one or more of the main London airports, with regional flights .
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What about the company that will be kept?
For single travellers, those with a companion or even those travelling in a larger group, you'll find that the signature of any Brightwater Holiday is the company. You won't ever be travelling with a group of strangers, instead, you'll find yourself surrounded by like-minded people with a strong shared interest who will soon become your firm friends.
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What is a Brightwater Holiday?
Bursting with enthralling, educational and enlightening itineraries, a Brightwater Holiday, by its very nature, is packed with bucket-list-worthy destinations, behind the scenes passes and expert-led experiences. From creating bespoke quality garden and special interest tours for groups and individuals alike, we have made it our business to make our guests' travel dreams come true.
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Why is there a single supplement?
Unfortunately, single room supplements are charges that are often imposed on us as a company when we book rooms for group holidays. However, most hotels do charge less for single occupancy, and we always pass this saving on to our solo travellers in the form of a modest single supplement.
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How much are your optional excursions?
Prices start from as little as £20, but please contact our friendly team for questions about specific itineraries or excursions.
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Can I pre-book my coach seats?
Yes, you can. In the case of front seats, guests with limited mobility are given priority. Please get in touch with our friendly team to discuss any requirements you may have.
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How to get there? Easy!
With a Brightwater Holiday, the journey is just as important as the destination and we make getting you to your tour start point easy. From organising group flights and individual travel plans, to offering accessible local departure and pick-up points, we go out of our way to ensure that your journey is as convenient and hassle-free as it can be.
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Do I need to have travel insurance?
Travel insurance is required for all overseas holidays and is also strongly recommended for UK holidays – primarily to protect yourself against cancellation charges should you be unable to travel.
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