4 nights starting from
£1645
© The Alnwick Garden
Alnwick Cascade
Alnwick Garden Poison Garden gates © The Alnwick Garden
© The Alnwick Garden
Lindisfarne Castle
Howick Hall
Belsay Quarry Garden
Cragside
Stone Bridge at Cragside House
Gertrude Jekyll`s walled garden
Bide-A-Wee Gardens Pond
Alnwick Garden
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High Trees
Tour highlights:
Special private evening event at The Alnwick Garden
Exotic plants at the Quarry Garen at Belsay Castle
Private tour of Bide-A-Wee Cottage Garden
Gertrude Jekyll-designed garden below Lindisfarne Castle
Accompanied by accomplished plantsman, David Hurrion
Join this Gardeners World exclusive tour, this time travelling north to the spectacular, northernmost county in England, Northumberland. Its spectacular coastline dotted with castles and rugged countryside is home to a host of wonderful gardens and nurseries. This superb tour in the company of garden expert David Hurrion, explores the county’s most beautiful and varied gardens, with a highlight visit to Alnwick Castle and Garden for an after-hours private guided tour and dinner in the pavilion in the gardens. As well as tours from Head Gardeners at some locations, this tour is ideally located in 450 acres of grounds near Morpeth at the impressive country house-style hotel, the Macdonald Linden Hall, dating from 1812.
Available Departures |
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| 25 - May - 2026 | £ 1645.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
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Provisional Timings |
Day 1: Arrival
Arrive independently and check-in from 3pm. Evening welcome drink and dinner with wine at the hotel.
Day 2: Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum, and Alnwick Castle and Garden
Two magnificent venues are on the agenda today, the first of which is to Howick Hall, home to Earl Grey (immortalised thanks to his choice of tea), where we will explore the gardens and Arboretum with a guided tour from one of the knowledgeable volunteers. Lunch is included at the Earl Grey Tea Room before heading the short distance to one of Northumberland’s most iconic sights, Alnwick Castle. Dating back to the 11th century, it remains the home of the Duke of Northumberland to this day and is the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor. Enjoy a private guided tour of the magnificent State Rooms before heading over to The Alnwick Garden for a glass of prosecco and a talk from David Hurrion. We then take a special after-hours private guided tour of the gardens including the Poison Garden, then a 3-course dinner with wine in the Pavilion in the gardens.
Day 3: Whalton Manor and Belsay Castle
Morning visit to Whalton Manor Gardens, a historic 17th century house with a three-acre walled garden. Bursting with inspirational planting and magnificent architectural structures, such as the charming Lutyens-designed, Italianate summerhouse, game larder, wisteria adorning pergolas and vast stone-paved courtyard, the densely planted herbaceous borders and 30-yard peony border should be blooming in time for our visit. We enjoy a private tour of the gardens followed by lunch in the local village. Next, we visit spectacular Belsay Castle for an afternoon free flow visit of the medieval hall, romantic castle ruins, and the unique microclimate of its Quarry Garden filled with exotic plants. Dinner with wine at the hotel.
Day 4: Dilston Physic Garden, Hexham and Bide-A-Wee
This morning, we visit historic Dilston Physic Garden, for an early private opening, whose collection of medicinal plants will be explained on a guided tour with additional time to explore independently. We have free time for lunch (own expense) in the historic and beautiful market town of Hexham, renowned for its beautiful Grade I listed abbey, which dates back to AD674, though developed into its current form in the 12th century. This afternoon, enjoy a visit to an exceptional private garden in Hexham – Hill House. Known for its unusual double walled layout and cottage garden planting style including box hedges, yew topiary, and aquilegia and lupins in early summer. The owner of the garden will be on hand for any questions and to point out the highlights of the garden. Our final visit today is to Bide-A-Wee Cottage Garden for a private out-of-hours visit. We will start our visit with some refreshments and introductory talk from the Head Gardener before exploring the gardens at leisure. The foundations of the garden are built upon an old quarry site which helps to give the garden its rocky aesthetic and also provides a variety of platforms for planting too. Containing a huge variety of perennials, shrubs, grasses and ferns which have all been planted in a formal and informal style, many years of imagination, planning, development and hard work have gone into turning a former quarry into a garden oasis. Dinner with wine at the hotel.
Day 5: Holy Island with Lindesfarne Castle and Gertude Jekyll Garden and Cragside
Depart for the mystical Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Enjoy a free-flow visit to Lindisfarne Castle, a 16th-century fort turned Edwardian holiday retreat, perched dramatically on a rocky crag. Below the castle lies the Gertrude Jekyll-designed garden, a masterpiece of Edwardian horticulture. The garden was restored in 2003 using the original planting plan including sweet peas, hollyhocks, and chrysanthemums in summer. The afternoon is spent at Cragside, a monument to the Industrial Revolution and the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectric power. We have time to explore the house before a talk from the Head Gardener and free flow visit of the gardens. Arrival back at the hotel for approx. 17.30.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion
Please note: Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 35 passengers.
Tour Grading: This tour has been graded as moderate due to time spent walking around the gardens and standing time on tours. Pathways may be gravel, paved, or grass and will be uneven in places. After rainfall some paths may be muddy and slippery. Some gardens contain steps and terraces, without handrails. There will be some places to sit in some garden to enjoy the beautiful landscapes.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel
An impressive four-star country house hotel set in 450 acres of private grounds, ideally located just outside the county town of Morpeth, with easy access to the places visited on the tour. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, pub, bar, gym, spa, indoor swimming pool and free wifi. Rooms are contemporary in warming neutral tones and comfortable beds. Room facilities include private bathroom with bath/shower, TV, telephone, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities.
Your Guide - David Hurrion
David started gardening as a young child and has been growing plants for more than 40 years. He has worked in gardens and nurseries, growing on a range of different soils and in different types of microclimate. His extensive knowledge and practical experience of plants, crops and growing techniques is founded on a thorough botanical and scientific training, complemented by an in depth understanding of garden design, wildlife, geology and climatology. He also trained as a teacher and has taught a huge diversity of subjects from botany, soil science and plant identification, to propagation, garden design and crop production, and from City & Guilds through to Degree level. He is also a popular speaker with local gardening groups.
As a journalist, David has spent more than 20 years writing for and editing the nation’s crop of garden magazines, currently as Associate Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. He has also written for a number of websites and appeared both as a regular contributor and an expert commentator on TV and radio. David is a popular figure in the horticultural world, well liked and respected for his knowledge by nurserymen, professional gardeners, journalists and the gardening public. He has designed, built and planted show gardens and display stands at most of the major garden shows in the UK, including the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show, and is now a Designate Judge for the Royal Horticultural Society.
He has also travelled to every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, to discover plants and gardens, both independently and on more than 50 trips accompanying groups of gardeners
Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.
You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day.
For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation.
The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.
