Gardens of Jersey

Enjoy your breakfast. We visit three private gardens today, beginning at Domain des Vaux. The gardens and woodland are set around a traditional Jersey farmhouse. There are magnificent specimens of magnolias and camellias as well as a kitchen garden and formal herb garden here.

We continue to Les Aix, which is built around a traditional granite house, with an orchard, nut and camellia trees, a yew and bush maze, and borders with old English roses.

At Creux Baillot we will meet the enthusiastic owner of this, one of the most established gardens on the island, which contains many rare and unusual plants. A large bog garden contains water loving irises while other drier areas include species from Central America.

On our June departure there will also be a visit to Le Noir Pré, where hopefully the wild orchids to be found there for several weeks from mid-May will still be in bloom. The rare Jersey wild orchid, the Spotted Orchid and the Southern Marsh Orchid are to be found in this particular field at St Ouen, which is owned by the National Trust for Jersey.

After breakfast the day is free to explore the many attractions that Jersey has to offer. A frequent bus service connects the various attractions on island and among the places you may consider visiting are the Jersey War Tunnels, an award-winning exhibition based in a former underground hospital which tells the story of Jersey’s occupation by the Nazis in World War Two; Mont Orgueil Castle, one of the best preserved castles in Britain, which stood as the first line of defence against French invasion after the fall of Rouen in 1204; and the Maritime Museum, which tells of Jersey’s close association with the sea (entrances not included).

The principal town of St Helier has a good range of shops and there are further high quality retail outlets out of town such as Jersey Pottery and Jersey Pearl. A variety of boat trips can be arranged locally, including day trips to the historic walled city of St Malo on the French mainland, which has many fine restaurants and attractive shops (passport required).

Alternatively, join our pre-arranged optional excursion to the neighbouring island of Guernsey. Return ferry crossings and coach transfers are included along with a visit to Sausmarez Manor, parts of which date back to the 12^th and 13^th centuries. As well as a guided tour of the fascinating house, there is time to explore the lush semi-topical gardens, filled with a multitude of exotic plants. There is also time for a stroll through St Peter Port, arguably the prettiest of the Channel Island towns, before we take the ferry back to Jersey.

This morning we visit the privately-owned Samarès Botanical Garden, a development of gardens created in the 1920s by Sir James Knott. The gardens are extensive, tranquil and diverse in style and include a renowned herb garden and Japanese garden with all the plants clearly labelled.

After some free time in Gorey we move on to the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, which has an outstanding collection of orchids and has won gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. We can admire the sheer diversity of this most extravagant and flamboyant of all flowers in a purpose-built display facility.

We round off the day at Ransoms Garden Centre, where we enjoy a cream tea and have a chance to pick up some souvenirs.

This morning, following breakfast, we transfer to the airport in time for our return flight back to London or regional airports.