Guided Garden Tour at Selworthy

During your stay at Holnicote House the programme will generally provide for two garden visits each day, thereby allowing adequate time to absorb and enjoy what each has to offer. There are gardens surrounding both a mediaeval manor and a 16th century house; through Georgian 'Pleasure Grounds' and the Lutyens/Jekyll masterpiece at Hestercombe to a selection of 20th century gardens of diverse character. Each day, except Wednesday, you will be taken by coach to visit the gardens, most of which are in Somerset, with one or two in Devon. On one evening your leader will give a talk and slide show, on other evenings you will be able to join with other house guests in various social activities.

Day 1: Arrival day

Your room will be available from 2.30pm onwards. Please join us for tea between 4pm and 5pm to meet the leader and your fellow guests.

Before dinner there will be a brief introduction to the holiday programme.

Day 2: We start with a visit to Forde Abbey, Chard (Mr M Roper).  This is a former Cistercian abbey has been inhabited as a house since 1649 and is set in a varied and pleasing garden.  A lake is overlooked by a curious summerhouse of pleached beech beyond which is a fine bog garden.  The kitchen garden is impressive and there is a nursery selling unusual plants.  In the afternoon we move to Greencombe, Porlock (Joan Lorraine/Greencombe Garden Trust), a completely organic garden set on a hillside overlooking the Bristol Channel and containing National Collections of Erythroniums, Gaultherias and Vacciniums. Formal lawns and borders surround a charming private house to contrast with an interesting woodland walk.

Day 3: Westwards this time to Heddon Hall in Parracombe where a notable garden has been created over the last 20 years with the creative input of Penelope Hobhouse, Roy Lancaster and Carol Klein. Then on to Marwood Hill. This is a valley garden created by its late owner, Dr Jimmy Smart.

Day 4: Eastwards towards Barrington Court, Ilminster (The National Trust). A dreamy, gabled 16th century house, originally moated, but today the moat pops up (or down!) here and there through the garden.  This has developed and changed over the years and still shows the influence of one of its designers, Gertrude Jekyll.  Not too far away is East Lambrook Manor, South Petherington, the epitome of cottage gardens created by Margery Fish. Here we find another National Collection - of hardy geraniums - and a nursery.

Day 5: Free day for you to explore the area by yourself or relax in the house.

Day 6: Rosemoor Garden, Great Torrington: rather a long haul, but this RHS ('Wisley of the West') garden merits a full day of exploration.

Day 7: Eastwards once more to Hestercombe, the great estate of the Bampfylde family, who laid out the “Pleasure Grounds” in Georgian times. A subsequent owner, Lord Portman, commissioned Lutyens and Jekyll to create a quite separate and new garden close to the house. The result is considered to be one of the finest of their partnership. Next to Cothay Manor, Greenham (Mr and Mrs Alastair Robb), said to be “The Sissinghurst of the West”.  It is a small mediaeval manor with a delightful garden.

Day 8: Depart after breakfast.