Karen Platt’s blog

Garden Tours

As promised here is more news on the upcoming garden tours. Joining one of my tours, you’ll learn so much more than visiting a garden alone or with any other group. Each tour is led by me, Karen Platt, author of 17 books. Each tour includes a learning element akin to a workshop. We won’t just be looking, we’ll be learning. I’ve personally chosen the gardens and accommodation and I’ve been very discerning in my choice! Throughout the year, we’ll visit some of the most fascinating gardens around the world.

Coming up for 2008 is a must visit area of England with a wealth of gardens - Cornwall - we are staying right on the coastline of this dramatic county. This is followed by the Gardens of Rome, largely a walking tour - my philosphy is that a traveller should get to know the area, not just land as a tourist and take off knowing little of where they have been. You know what they say - when in Rome…we’ll also visit Villa Lante and Villa d’Este. Discover the Gardens of North Yorkshire and take a trip to Harrogate Spring Flower Show and one of the national collections as well as the RHS flagship garden of the north. In May we have tours planned to the fabulous designer gardens of Sussex, Hertfordshire and of course, the must-visit Chelsea Flower Show. So join me, as a Chelsea Flower Show medalist myself, there is no-one else who could give you a better take on this prestigious show. In addition to the Chelsea Flower Show, we shall visit many gardens in Surrey. If you love roses, join me for a very special tour of rose gardens in June. At the very end of this same month, we’ll be zooming off to Northumberland, magical land of castles and fine gardens, make sure you are booked on the coach. July - the height of summer- and it’s hot, hot , hot in the garden (yes, I saw Mark Ramprakash dance to that- wow!) and what’s always hotter than July is the Hampton Court Palace Flower show, just as good as its prestigious other half - the Chelsea Flower show and we have tickets and room on the coach for lots of avid gardeners to enjoy the sights and sounds (lots of water gardens) at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show - the show that is in the loveliest of settings by the River Thames with views of Hampton Court Palace where King Henry VIII once strolled. In addition, we’ve lined up some fantastic designer gardens to visit. And that’s just the first six months of 2008. For the second half of the year we visit more rose gardens, the gardens of Cumbria, gardens of East Yorkshire, a very special garden tour of the Cotswolds, the gardens of Morocco and the gardens of Thailand.

You are welcome to join our tours wherever you live and garden. I’ll share ny knowledge and expertise with you. If you can’t make the tours, then buy the book Lifestyle Gardening on our website - it has profiles and pics of lots of the gardens we’ll be visiting. Sign up for a tour and when you’ve paid for your tour in full - you get the book for free. Check back before the end of the November 2007 and our online booking should be up and running. Subscribe to our newsletter now to receive a reminder when the tours go live.