GARDENS ILLUSTRATED: The Lakeland Collection

27 September 2022

4 days from £2,650pp

The English Lake District is renowned for its dramatic beauty including England’s highest mountains and finest lakes.

Explore Dan Pearson's designs for the Lowther Castle ruins, its elaborate, brand new rose garden and stable court yard
Visit Gresgarth Hall, home of garden designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd
Meet Chris Crowder the charismatic head gardener at Levens Hall with its extraordinary topiary
An exclusive visit to charming Chapelside, uniquely situated on the lower slopes of the Northern Lakeland fells

The English Lake District is renowned for its dramatic beauty including England’s highest mountains and finest lakes. Previous home to William Wordsworth, The Lake Poets and Beatrix Potter, we also find a contrasting range of wonderful gardens, especially in the warmer south of the region. We are honoured to include a tour of Lowther Castle gardens and visit the home of garden designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd. The Lakeside Hotel sits on the lower reaches of Lake Windermere, a very welcoming, friendly hotel with our selected rooms overlooking the lake and gardens. The seamless blend of country-house character and contemporary four-star luxury with fine dining inspired by local produce ensures complete ease and comfort.

Day 1:
The tour departs from Lancaster Railway Station at 12:00 heading to the atmospheric formal gardens of Holker Hall where, following lunch we will have an exclusive introduction to the grounds before time to explore the garden in more detail. Fine topiary and colourful flower borders give way to extensive woodland gardens. Both Lord & Lady Cavendish are very much involved with the gardens, with a passion for collecting trees and shrubs. We travel on the The Lakeside Hotel with time to settle in before an evening meal together. This is our base for the next three nights.
Day 2:
Our first stop is Yewbarrow House with its sensational panorama of Morecambe Bay and miles of tidal sands, grassy salt flats and glinting sea. Here the owner Jonathan Denby has filled richly planted south-facing terraces with glorious exotic species, at their best in late summer. We travel on to Levens Hall, known for its remarkable topiary. After a special welcome lunch, we will we meet head gardener Chris Crowder who will show us the ancient, clipped yews, holly, beech, and box that frame the wonderful, richly planted borders.
Day 3:
Today we travel North to Lowther Castle, an exciting new project designed by Dan Pearson. We are honoured to be joined here by Head Gardener Martin Ogle who will spend the morning unveiling the story of the rejuvenated and reinterpreted historic gardens, the ruined castle remains and the wider landscape. Here you will discover the Courtyard dominated by clipped hornbeam sentinels, their sculptured shape reflecting the castle architecture; the Parterre planted with bold combinations of herbaceous perennials, woolly grasses and clipped yews; the Garden-in-the-Ruins, a fine example of naturalistic planting with a collection of botanical rarities; a new Orchard and, further afield, The Rose Garden, inspired by Sleeping Beauty. The impressive 17th-century ‘prospect’ terrace, one kilometre in length, offers an unparalleled view across parkland and the River Lowther towards the Northern Lake District. After lunch together at Lowther we travel the short distance to Chapelside, a charming one-acre garden wrapped around the small 18th-century farmhouse. The dramatic fell-side setting contrasts with intimate skilful planting surrounding the dwelling.
Day 4:
Time this morning to call by Tom’s own nursery, Abi & Tom’s Garden Plants at Halecat. Both Tom and Abi are genuine plant enthusiasts who propagate, grow, sell, write and advise on, eat sleep and breathe herbaceous perennials with an additional in-depth knowledge of plants that thrive in the Lake District. After a light lunch in a local inn, we visit Gresgarth Hall. This rare and wonderful garden is the country home of Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd, an Italian born garden designer with an international reputation. Every detail is carefully thought through with much to see at all times of the year, including the fine productive kitchen garden. We then return to Lancaster Railway Station for 16:00.

All transportation from Lancaster Railway Station
Three nights’ bed and breakfast in the four-star Lakeside Hotel, Windermere
Three evening meals at the hotel plus four lunches with wine
Guided visits to sites listed in the programme
Services of the Tour Leader and Hosts
Detailed programme and garden notes
All entrance fees, taxes and gratuities for coach drivers and waiters

Sophie Piebenga

Trained with the National Trust and qualified at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Whilst working as head gardener of a private estate, she developed a particular interest in the conservation of historic gardens. This eventually led to a doctoral study at the University of York, researching the work of the early Victorian landscape gardener, William Sawrey Gilpin. She has since worked freelance, mostly in the field of historic landscape conservation. Born in The Netherlands, now based in the Cotswolds, Sophie has lived most of her life in the UK. For the last 25 years, Sophie has regularly led tours for Boxwood to Ireland, France, Spain, The Netherlands and within the UK.

Tom Attwood

Tom Attwood started working with plants in his parent's garden before working in a traditional Cumbrian nursery roused his passion. He then went on to formally train at Edinburgh and Kew before taking on head gardener posts in the Lake District and Lancaster. Tom now manages the gardens at Halecat Estate. Tom has lectured at Newton Rigg College and writes for Cumbria Life, Living Magazine, Garden Design Journal and Gardens Illustrated.

Overview

This 4-star Superior Hotel rests exclusively on the southern shore of Lake Windermere - part of the Lake District World Heritage site - in the most beautiful corner of England.

With restful bedrooms, delicious fine dining inspired by fresh local produce and indulgent treatments in the luxury spa and pool, Lakeside is the perfect place to escape. A seamless blend of country-house character and contemporary four star luxury will make you feel completely at home – whether taking tea in the conservatory, relaxing in the pool or enjoying a glass of Champagne on the lake terrace.