Gardens of Northumberland

Following breakfast we travel through the wild and rugged landscape of north Northumberland, almost as far as the Scottish border, for our visit to Mindrum. This a large and generous garden cascading down a hillside, where paths wind round sunlit borders, through a shady woodland and down to a clear stream. Colours are soft and subtle and the garden is rich in roses, scented plants, wild flowers and remarkable trees.

We then transfer to the new garden created by the former owner of Mindrum a few years ago at Kirky Cottage. This is a gravel garden in cottage garden style, with her favourite plants from Mindrum and many others, which have matured beautifully. It is an abundant garden, full of interesting plants. A light lunch is included on arrival here.

We then return to our hotel in Durham with some free time to explore this historic little city, dominated by the Castle and Cathedral, before dinner is served at our hotel in the evening.

After breakfast we will travel to Alnwick for a visit to the Alnwick Garden, one of the world’s most ambitious gardens. The Duchess of Northumberland’s vision for a forgotten plot is now well established and continues to evolve, full of imagination, inspiration and fun. Designed by Jacques and Peter Wirtz and first opened to visitors in 2001, the Garden is a wonderful combination of spaces, themes, quirkiness and play. From the tranquillity of the Cherry Orchard, the excitement of the Grand Cascade and the mysteries of the Bamboo Labyrinth, to the Serpent Garden’s spell-binding water sculptures, the intrigue of the Poison Garden and one of the world’s largest tree houses – there is plenty to surprise and delight. The Garden is a space designed to be enjoyed by all your senses, with a collection of over 4,000 plant varieties to discover and thousands of seasonal blooms. Lunch is available here (not included).

Our second visit today is to the garden at the Manor House. Here in Whalton, one of Northumberland’s prettiest villages, we find a charming English country house garden with a history which features a contribution from the dream team of garden design, Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens. Herbaceous borders and beautiful plantings of mature shrub roses, peonies, wisteria and clematis are key characters in a garden framed by the most elegant architectural features.

Dinner will be served back at our hotel in the evening.

Following breakfast we travel to the Northumberland / Durham border at the upper end of the Derwent Valley to Blanchland, which has been described as a ‘perfect English village’. Here we visit Newbiggin House, a 5-acre landscaped garden at 1000ft started in 1996 by Daphne Scott-Harden which has matured beautifully. We can see old-fashioned herbaceous borders, peonies, shrubs, roses, a bog and wild garden including a wild rose walk.  There are also magnificent collections of unusual trees and shrubs.

Following this, our final visit, we return to Newcastle railway station for our mid-afternoon train back to London Kings Cross, where the group will disperse or make onward connections.