GARDENS ILLUSTRATED: The Lakeland Collection

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.

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.  

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. 

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.