Deepest Somerset: Gardens of earthly delights

4 days | £2995 per person | 29 June - 2 July 2026

Gardens of earthly delights

It is said that the soils of Somerset are the richest in Britain; no wonder that this pastoral region of England contains so many exciting gardens that hold a bounty of flourishing horticultural delights. It is rare indeed to visit a garden designer’s own garden - on this tour you have two such opportunities, with visits to the home gardens of Dan Pearson and of Isabel and Julian Bannerman. There will also be a chance to buy plants at Derry Watkin’s exciting nursery and discover the latest developments at The Newt. This is a tour that encompasses a wide range of choice gardens that illustrate the very best that Somerset has to offer. You are accommodated at the quintessentially perfect country house hotel; Summer Lodge is a haven of elegance and tranquillity.

Day to day Itinerary

Day 1

The tour starts and finishes at Bristol Parkway Station where parking is available. Hotel pickups can also be arranged from Summer Lodge. At the end of a tiny lane among fields is Hanham Court, the former home of garden designers Isabel and Julian Bannerman. A deeply romantic and enchanting garden, it offers a striking blend of formal elegance and natural beauty. After lunch nearby, we are invited to visit Caisson Gardens, a remarkable garden set on the site of the previous Somerset Coal Canal Company Headquarters containing reminders of its previous function in the form of the dry derelict canal that winds through the landscape punctuated by old stone locks. This all sounds quite severe, but the current owners have produced a surprisingly sensitive and stylish garden in this unlikely landscape. Continue to Summer Lodge, our base for the duration of the tour. Dinner is at the hotel this evening.

Day 2

Today we visit the extensive gardens of the infamous Newt. While the central, walled garden contains numerous, beautifully trained fruit trees, beyond are plenty of exuberant herbaceous borders, some planted according to colour. The Produce Gardens lower down display beautiful fruit cages and well-maintained no-dig vegetable beds. A scenic path leads on to the Four Seasons, a new, large ornamental garden with areas dedicated to each season. Horticultural and architectural excellence abounds. A delicious lunch, using fresh garden produce, is served in the café. From there it is but a short distance to the private home of garden designer Libby Russell. Set on sloping grounds in a delightful village, its layout subtly but cleverly reflects its rural surroundings. Return to Summer Lodge to dine together.

Day 3

When Isabel and Julian Bannerman move home, there is a buzz of horticultural intrigue and excitement to see what they will conjure up in their new garden. Today, the garden gates of Ashington Manor have been opened for us to view what they have achieved around their Elizabethan home. They started by importing from Belgium 21 large beehive shaped clipped yews that provide the structure to the garden and frame the view to the Norman church. They subsequently created outstanding flower borders to give seasonal delight by combining their favourite plants. We go on to Yews Farm where Louise & Fergus Dowding invite us to lunch in their voluptuous organic garden behind their village farmhouse. The lush planting continues into the potager, and even into the farmyard beyond. Finally, we enjoy an exclusive visit to a richly planted and beautifully kept, Grand II registered, private garden which surrounds a large country house. At the end of our visit, we are treated to a traditional English tea. We return to Summer Lodge to dine together.

Day 4

Hillside is the private home of renowned garden designer Dan Pearson and Huw Morgan. Here, in a secluded valley in the outer reaches of the Cotswolds, we are privileged to view the wonderful gardens that Dan has created for his own use. Hillside showcases his unique ability to harmonize with the surrounding environment while creating an inviting and inspiring space. We will sit down together for a light picnic lunch after which there will be plenty of opportunity to explore the garden at leisure. We finish off with a visit to Special Plants Nursery, well-known for its huge range of excellent, well-performing garden plants. Owner Derry Watkins will guide us around her own, adjacent garden too, generously sharing her wide knowledge. Return to Bristol Parkway Station.

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel

This beautiful family-owned hotel is located in the enchanting village of Evershot, set within 4 acres of manicured gardens. Facilities at the Summer Lodge Hotel include an indoor pool, a spa and a three AA Rosette-awarded restaurant. Guests can relax in elegantly appointed rooms and suites, each individually designed with classic furnishings and modern comforts. Whether you're strolling through the rose gardens, unwinding in the spa or indulging in a special afternoon tea, Summer Lodge provides the perfect blend of luxury and rural charm, an ideal base for our tour.

Price: £2995

Single Supp: £450

Deposit: £350

Departure Dates:

29 June - 2 July 2026

Duration:

3 nights / 4 days

Your Holiday Includes:

Three nights' bed and breakfast at the Summer Lodge Country House Hotel
Private coach transfers and excursions
Three evening meals and four lunches
Guided visits to sites listed in the programme
Services of the Tour Host and Tour Leader
Detailed programme and garden notes
All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff

Tour Host & Leader

Helen Yemm

Helen Yemm is probably best-known for her weekly Thorny Problems page that has been a fixture for nearly twenty years in the Saturday’s Daily Telegraph. In ‘real life’ she is a hands-on, self-taught, keen-as-mustard gardener and lecturer with a garden in East Sussex that she occasionally opens for small groups. Helen is a sometimes television presenter (Gardening from Scratch and Gardening Week for BBC Two) and is the author of several gardening books (the latest being Gardening in Pyjamas). She is also a regular feature writer for The English Garden magazine. However, hosting garden tours is, she says, the icing on the cake – she gets enormous pleasure from discovering gardens in the company of others who share her passion.

Sophie Piebenga

Born in The Netherlands and based in the Cotswolds, our expert Sophie Piebenga has lived most of her life in the UK. Trained with the National Trust and qualified at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, all whilst working as head gardener of a private estate, Sophie quickly 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. Sophie has since worked freelance, mostly in the field of historic landscape conservation, and, for the last 25 years, has regularly led Boxwood tours around the UK and to Ireland, France, Spain and The Netherlands.