H
S
Edgworth and District Horticultural Society
Thursday 3 – Sunday 6 June 2021 – 4 days from *£499pp
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This
year we
have made a few changes. As you may already have noticed we have asked
Travel
Editions to organise our garden holiday. Also we are going in early
June; a
really good season to head north to the Scottish
Borders region. Lastly, it has been arranged mid-week to fit in with hotel availability. We will be based at the four-star rated Macdonald Cardrona resort hotel on the outskirts of Peebles which has a fitness centre, pool and golf course if your energy levels allow! |
Our visits take in a variety of gardens together with a few houses, historic towns and other places of interest that reflect this distinctive region’s identity. (At the time of going to press, some visits were not confirmed so there may be substitutes if need be, although we don’t anticipate this.)
There is so much to see in the area and it is only a few hours away so even on travelling days visits are planned in the Borders region so that we see as much as possible in our short tour.
Please bear in mind that visits to beautiful and varied gardens may include uneven surfaces, slopes and steps. We have planned an itinerary with three or four visits on both of our full days. We try to achieve a good balance between visiting an interesting variety of gardens whilst having sufficient time at each to explore and enjoy them. A super garden may leave us wanting to stay longer but tastes vary and who knows what we’d miss if we did?
Phil Broughton and Jean Turner
| This holiday is operated by Travel Editions Group Travel for EHS. For further information and a booking form please contact Phil Broughton (01204 300541) or Jean Turner (07792 761368) holiday@edgworth-horticultural-society.co.uk |
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To secure your place on this tour please complete the booking form and send with an initial deposit of £125 per person, cheques made payable to Travel Editions Group Ltd by 30th January 2020. Travel Editions Group Limited, 3 Young’s Buildings, London EC1V 9DB |
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Itinerary
Day 1
Thursday
3rd June 2021
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We
depart by
coach from Edgworth & Bromley Cross and head north (approx. 3.5
hours) for
our first visit to the amazing garden at Carmichael Mill
near Lanark, whose
gardens, developed over the last 30 years, surround the last workable
water
mill on the River Clyde. Time for lunch in the historic town of Lanark (not included) before heading to the attractive, privately-owned walled gardens at Kailzie, home to the oldest larch tree in Scotland, planted in 1725. The Courtyard Café offers the opportunity for a refreshing brew before heading to the nearby Cardrona Macdonald Hotel for a Three night stay. Dinner at the hotel. |
Friday 3th June 2021
| After breakfast we head half an hour north to the privately owned and maintained Portmore Gardens, set at 800’ in the glorious Peebleshire countryside. The old 1½ acre Victorian walled gardens at Portmore have been recreated by the current owners Mr and Mrs David Reid over the past 30 years and have featured in Kenneth Cox’s Scotland for Gardeners and the Good Gardens Guide. |
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Then to the amazing 40m x 50m Great Polish Map of Scotland, a large physical relief map, standing in the grounds of the Barony Castle Hotel and crafted by a group of Poles from the University of Krakow in the 1970s and restored in the 2010s. This will be followed by a light lunch (included) in Traquair before a guided tour of Traquair House, Scotland’s oldest inhabited house. Our final visit is the fascinating Robert Smail’s Printing Works at Innerleithen, the oldest working commercial letterpress printers in the UK – a living museum of Victorian history, little changed since 1866. Dinner at the hotel. |
Day 3
Saturday 5th June 2021
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After breakfast we head an hour east to the amazing Floors Castle, the largest inhabited castle in Scotland, to see its beautiful gardens and grounds that include a superb Victorian Kitchen Garden, spectacular walled garden, formal French style Millennium Garden and Star Plantation. Time for lunch here, before heading to the lovely town of Melrose, to visit two gardens operated by the National Trust for Scotland: Harmony Gardens, with its manicured lawns, scented borders and lovely views of Melrose Abbey; and Priorwood Garden, a rustic walled garden, located in the precinct of the Abbey, whose old orchard is home to 90 different kind of apple trees. Time will be allowed for a restorative tea break or perhaps visit the adjacent Abbey. Dinner at the hotel. |
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Day 4
Sunday 6th June 2021
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After breakfast, alas, it is time to bid farewell to Peebles but not before two final visits that are a fitting end to this packed and varied itinerary. First to the private 200 year old gardens at Carolside, Earlston, set in the grounds of an 18th century mansion, with its historical collection of ancient roses. In his book, “Scotland for Gardeners” Kenneth Cox describes it as one of Scotland’s finest gardens. |
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Our last visit on what promises to be a memorable trip is to Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott. His unique, early 19th century baronial mansion is redolent of his attraction to the country, including in its eccentric architecture relics of abbeys and castles and a monument to the tastes, talents and achievements of its creator. His creativity extended to its beautiful Regency gardens whose layout forms three outdoor “rooms” designed to offer picturesque settings for the main house. Time for lunch during our visit (not included) in the excellent café. Afternoon departure back to Edgworth (approx. 3.5 hours) with arrival anticipated at about 7pm. |
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Your expert tour guide – David Hurrion
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David
is an
accomplished plantsman, who has been growing plants since childhood for
more
than 40 years. His extensive knowledge and practical experience of
plants,
crops and growing techniques is founded on a thorough botanical and
scientific
training, complemented by an in-depth understanding of garden design,
wildlife,
geology and climatology. As a journalist, David is currently Associate
Editor
for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and is a regular expert
commentator on TV and
radio. He has designed, built and planted show gardens and display
stands at
most of the major garden shows in the UK, including the world famous
Chelsea
Flower Show, and is now a Judge for the Royal Horticultural Society. He has also travelled to every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, to discover plants and gardens, both independently and on more than 50 trips accompanying groups of gardeners. Added to which, he is a genial, caring and entertaining host – you could not be in better hands to explore the Scottish Borders. |
Where you stay
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Peebles
Situated in beautiful Scottish Borders countryside with lovely views, this four-star hotel is ideally located for this tour and has a restaurant, lounge, cocktail bar, spa, fitness centre with pool and golf course as well as very comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities.
Included in the price
• Three nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, near Peebles, based on shared occupancy of twin/double room
• Comfortable coaching throughout
• All visits and entrance fees as detailed in the itinerary
• Services of David Hurrion throughout
Not included
• Double for sole use supplement £111.00
