Garden Holidays

Why go

A garden holiday combines beauty, history and ideas to take home. Visiting at the right moment, with an expert who can tell you the stories and the plants, turns a pleasant afternoon into something memorable. Many of the best tours include private gardens and owner-led visits you could not arrange yourself.

How to choose

Timing is everything, so start with the season and the plants you love most: bulbs in spring, roses in June, colour in autumn. Then choose between an escorted garden tour, which brings expert guides, private access and no driving, and an independent trip built around a few great gardens. Check walking distances, as some gardens are large and hilly.

Our picks

These are the gardens and regions we would plan a holiday around. Price bands are a typical cost per person for the holiday or course described, excluding flights.

• Brightwater Holidays

  UK and worldwide

  ££

  • Escorted garden tours
  • 3 to 12 nights
  • All year

  Best for Expert-led tours with private access

  A specialist in garden tours since 1992, from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Highgrove to the Dutch bulb fields and gardens of Japan.

• Kent and Sussex

  England

  ££

  • Destination
  • 4 to 5 nights
  • May to September

  Best for The great English gardens

  Sissinghurst's garden rooms, Great Dixter's exuberant borders and Nymans, plus West Dean in Sussex.

• Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

  England

  ££

  • Destination
  • 5 to 7 nights
  • March to June

  Best for Subtropical spring gardens

  The Lost Gardens of Heligan, the Eden Project, Trebah and Tresco Abbey Garden, flowering early in the mild climate.

• Giverny and Normandy

  France

  ££

  • Destination
  • 3 to 4 nights
  • April to October

  Best for Monet's garden

  Monet's flower garden and water-lily pond at Giverny, with the Impressionist museums in Paris and Rouen nearby.

• The Italian Lakes

  Italy

  £££

  • Destination
  • 5 to 7 nights
  • April to June, September

  Best for Villa gardens on the water

  Isola Bella and Isola Madre on Lake Maggiore and Villa Carlotta on Lake Como, with azaleas and camellias in spring.

• Keukenhof and the bulb fields

  Netherlands

  ££

  • Destination
  • 3 to 4 nights
  • Late March to mid-May

  Best for Tulips in full bloom

  Millions of bulbs at Keukenhof and the striped fields around Lisse, best by bike or river cruise.

• Kyoto

  Japan

  £££

  • Destination
  • 5 to 7 nights
  • Late March to early April, November

  Best for Zen, moss and maples

  Moss gardens, raked gravel and temple grounds, best during cherry blossom or autumn colour. See our Japan trip.

• Madeira

  Portugal

  ££

  • Destination
  • 5 to 7 nights
  • All year; best in spring

  Best for A floating garden all year

  Monte Palace Tropical Garden and the botanical garden above Funchal, with the island's annual flower festival in spring.

Price guide: £ Under £1,000 per person · ££ £1,000–2,500 per person · £££ £2,500–5,000 per person · ££££ £5,000+ per person

When to go

Spring is the season for most garden travellers: bulbs in March and April, rhododendrons and azaleas in May, roses in June. Autumn colour peaks in October in Europe and November in Kyoto. In the UK, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is in late May, so book a year ahead.

Going solo or with a partner

Escorted garden tours are excellent for solo travellers, and many offer rooms without single supplements. Independent trips suit couples who want to linger.

How to book

Our advisors can find the right course or retreat, check the teacher and dates, and wrap it into a complete trip with flights, transfers and a few extra nights somewhere lovely before or after. Speak to an advisor.