By Margo
I got into gardening just after I got married and I’ve been addicted to it ever since. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Charlie Dimmock but I’m certainly not afraid of grabbing a trowel and some compost if there’s a bit of landscaping to be done.
I suppose I’d politely class myself as an experimentalist. I like to indulge in my hobby and follow the likes of Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh before interpreting their ideas in my own garden. So far, this approach has seen me right. And, apart from a minor mishap with a 7ft Verbena, I have to say I’m pretty bloomin’ proud of my home-grown sanctuary (forgive the pun)!
For my next wave of inspiration, however, I’m planning a little trip overseas with a coach-load of my fellow flower enthusiasts. Having worked at Leger for so many years, it’s hard to believe I haven’t been on a horticultural-themed tour before now but it’s certainly always been on my list. Over the years, I’ve booked hundreds of our customers on a garden-based tour and the feedback they’ve given on their return has always been great. In fact, it’s enough to leave you green-eyed as well as green-fingered! If, like me, you’ve been considering a green getaway yourself, here are Leger’s top three reasons to persuade you to turn your gardening hobby into a hob-iday:
• The sights: There aren’t many places in Europe where you can immerse yourself in a sea of springtime flowers like those found in Holland, France and Brussels. In one easy trip, you’ll see tremendous trees, flowering shrubs, a huge variety of perennials, water gardens, fountains and lakes; it really is a gardener’s paradise.
• The scale: part of the joy of gardening is seeing all the colours, structures and shapes of plants working together. However, until you’ve experienced the acres of flora at Keukenhof Park (Holland) or the grand designs of Monet’s Garden (France) you can’t truly appreciate just how inspirational a garden can be. With so many carefully landscaped scenes in one place, you’ll be buzzing with ideas to take home with you.
• The shared experience: there’s nothing as enjoyable as sharing some of the most spectacular garden scenes in Europe with people that share your appreciation and passion for gardening. Of course, it’s up to you how much you talk about your experience on the coach home!
If you have any further questions about Leger Holidays’ horticultural tours please do get in touch through our Facebook page or call us at 01709 787 463.
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