Great gardens of the South
Tour the greatest gardens of Southern England. Including RHS Wisley, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Hever Castle and Hampton Court.
6 night driver-guided tour
Private driver-guided tour
Customisable itinerary
Luxury Sedan or Vans (Mercedes, Lexus, Jaguars)
Great Gardens of the South
England's southern counties are home to some of the world's most admired gardens, each one offering its own blend of colour, history, and horticultural artistry. This is garden country at its finest, a region where centuries of passionate plantsmanship have created landscapes that feel less like tourist attractions and more like living works of art. Whether you're a lifelong gardener or simply love beautiful places, this corner of England rewards a slower, closer look.
This suggested private chauffeur‑guided itinerary includes a stay at the elegant South Lodge Hotel, ideally located for exploring celebrated estates such as Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Hever Castle, and RHS Wisley, along with a selection of lesser‑known gems that highlight the artistry of English garden design. From Vita Sackville-West's world-famous rose gardens to Christopher Lloyd's bold, colour-drenched borders, each stop reveals a different chapter in the story of English horticulture, and a different reason to fall in love with it.
Every aspect of the tour can be tailored to your interests, including a stop at the historic walls of Arundel Castle, where towering medieval walls give way to the stunning Collector Earl's Garden, or a wander through the charming streets of Petworth, both easily woven into your route. From the gardens you visit to your preferred pace and hotel style, your expert driver‑guide ensures a relaxed and seamless experience throughout. Prefer to linger over a single garden for an entire afternoon rather than rush between three? It's all yours to shape. Your driver-guide takes care of the roads, the routes, and the details, so all you need to do is enjoy the journey.
Your chauffeur will meet you inside the arrivals hall, assist with luggage and escort you to the vehicle. Your journey time will take approximately 1hr 30 minutes.
Overnight: Sussex - Recommended Luxury Spa Hotel: South Lodge Hotel and Spa.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
Arundel Castle dominates the small riverside town below, this vast, stone, hill-top castle, surrounded by medieval crenellated walls, was first built by the Norman conquerors. Your guide will show you around this private family home, featuring an excellent collection of paintings, furniture and the amazing Baron’s Hall. Hear the tales of the infamous Dukes of Norfolk of the past and tour the State Apartments. See the lavish furnishings that add to the character of each room, the Westminster Abbey inspired chapel, and our guides favourite place the gothic styled carved Honduras mahogany library.
In recent years the Collector Earl’s Garden has been recreated. This investment in the construction of the garden has been a great success. The area was a kitchen garden and used as a car park until the 1970s. The garden pays homage to the 14th Earl of Arundel, an art collector. There are waterworks, vinery, classical architecture, fruit gardens and large seasonal displays.
Petworth town is a delightful place to wander for an hour or so, purchase a work of art, buy an exotic egg cup or have a drink in the local pub, and make friends.
Optional: Tour Petworth House. Stroll through staterooms saturated with internationally valuable paintings by artists such as Van Dyck, Reynolds, Titian and Blake together with classical and neoclassical sculptures. Follow in the footsteps of JMW Turner who spent long periods at the mansion and whose paintings of the park hang on the walls of Petworth today.
Overnight: Sussex - Recommended Luxury Spa Hotel: South Lodge Hotel and Spa.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
Nymans Gardens - discover the story of the secret garden of the Sussex Weald. With romantic ruins, gently scented magnolias in the springtime, emerald topiary and the chorus of heavenly birdsong. Step into the vision of Messel family, who lived, played and picnicked in the shade of the woodland and pockets of green spaces. Discover the garden’s 19th-century roots, rare and exotic plant collections and explore the hidden corners of this beguiling landscape.
Stop for lunch at the Bolney Wine Estate and enjoy a Sparkling Wine Tasting. England's Wine Country has become a world-class sparkling winemaking region with over 500 vineyards.
After lunch head back to the hotel for spa time.
Overnight: Sussex - Recommended Luxury Spa Hotel: South Lodge Hotel and Spa.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
Start your day at Hever Castle, and discover the story of one of Henry VIII's most famous wives. Anne Boleyn, the woman who Henry VIII moved heaven and earth. Did she have six fingers, was she guilty of the charges of adultery, incest and treason she lost her head for in May 1536? Hever is Anne's childhood home and is full of treasures from the time of the Tudors. See Anne's illuminated prayer books, which she noted and signed. In the 20th century the famous American millionaire, William Waldorf Astor renovated the entire estate and turned it into a place of entertainment.
Your driver-guide will take on the twisting country lanes of Kent, the garden of England. Partake in a traditional pub lunch before exploring Penshurst Place.
The magnificent Penshurst Place, the ancestral home of the Sidney family, is a treasure trove of paintings, tapestries, armoury, and artefacts. There are 48 acres of formal gardens and parklands to explore, the miles of gardens divided into heavenly spaces by walls of ancient yews.
Overnight: Sussex - Recommended Luxury Spa Hotel: South Lodge Hotel and Spa.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
The gardens at Sissinghurst are rightly world-renowned. With rose, herb and cottage gardens, this intimate haven was Vita Sackville West and Harold's pride and joy; they poured their love into these gardens when they bought the run-down estate in the 1930s. The couple opened the gardens to the public during this time and charged 1 shilling for entry. Visitors would drop their shilling into an old tobacco tin under a table in the entrance archway. Touring gardens is thirsty work, time for a pub stop with lovely local produce on the menu.
The charismatic Christopher Lloyd devoted his life to his garden, putting it on the international stage with his dynamic and sometimes controversial gardening vision. Lloyd was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Medal of Honour in 1997 and an OBE in 2000.
Visit Great Dixter Gardens expecting the uniformity, colour schemes, and order you would find in a formal garden. This garden is a colourful, dynamic, explosion of plants and flowers, bursting along beds and borders like firework displays. The garden is currently managed by Fergus Garrett, who worked closely with Lloyd up until his death in 2006 as Head Gardener and introduced innovations into the planting scheme. In the grounds of Great Dixter are three 18th-century Oast houses, under a common roof, and a 15th-century barn.
Overnight: Buckinghamshire - Recommended Luxury Spa Hotel: Cliveden House Hotel.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
Enjoy your last day relaxing at the hotel, and why not book a spa treatment.
In 1903 Wisley was given to the Royal Horticultural Society and now an epicentre of all things gardening. Year on year visitors flock to RHS Garden Wisley and with 240 acres of beautiful experimental gardens to explore, there is no wonder why.
It’s like going around the world in one green space as it’s home to the most extensive collections of plants in the world. The garden has unforgettable borders; from May to September the Great Border will be in full bloom, along with the 500ft glass house border. Apart from being an experimental garden, it is gorgeous, and relaxing. It is not surprising to learn it is one of the United Kingdom's most visited gardens.
Overnight: Buckinghamshire - Recommended Five Star Country House Hotel: Cliveden House Hotel.
Overnight: Buckinghamshire - Recommended Five Star Country Club Hotel: Stoke Park.
Unique Places to Stay
Castles and Manor House Hotels
Classic and Britain’s Finest Hotels
Townhouse and Boutique Hotels
Luxury Guesthouse and B&B’s
Your chauffeur will be with you 15 minutes before you need to depart. He or she will assist with luggage and listen for any final requests.
We have produced this suggested itinerary in PDF brochure format for your convenience, see link below to download.
The number of people, level of accommodation and event/entrance tickets that affect the cost of this driver-guided tour. Therefore, please complete all fields on our enquiry form carefully, and we will be able to send you a quotation based on the information you have provided.
Great gardens of the South gallery
Help us make your trip exceptional
Our UK office-based staff will listen to what you want to see and experience.
Whether you’re a dedicated gardener, a landscape design enthusiast, or simply looking to include England’s finest gardens within a wider journey, our team will create a personalised Great Gardens of the South itinerary just for you.
To begin planning, we’ll ask for your arrival and departure dates, your travel preferences, and any specific gardens or experiences you’d like to include. We’ll then prepare a draft itinerary and email it to you for review. Once everything is agreed, you’ll receive a Booking Confirmation along with your personalised itinerary and information pack.
Contact information
From the UK: +44(0)20 8669 3666
FREE from Canada or the USA: 1-888-472-1799
Email: [email protected]