By Claire Jones
Cultivated Italy: Gardens, History & Vineyards is a curated 14-day journey from Rome to Venice designed for travelers who want to experience Italy deeply through its gardens, villas, art, and landscapes. The tour includes expert guides, private coach transportation, admissions to more than twenty extraordinary sites, and special experiences such as truffle hunting in …
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After just returning home from a trip to England that included the world's greatest floral experience - Chelsea - I wanted to pass on my favorites and highlights. Many consider attending to be an experience of a lifetime, and I totally agree, and even though I have been there four times, it never gets old. …
Continue reading "Experiencing the Chelsea Flower Show"
My next tour coming up will be the Netherlands and Belgium, including the garden that is on every gardener's bucket list- Keukenhof. I was there a few years ago and spent an entire day at Keukenhof at peak bloom time and got so many ideas of new tulips and ways to use them. You can …
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I had the opportunity to visit the legendary gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, in the Spring of 2023, located near St. Austell, Cornwall. One of Europe's largest garden restoration projects, and on the bucket list for any adventurous gardener, Heligan (means willow tree) is one of the most fascinating estates in England. Also named …
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I have two Garden travel adventures coming up in 2025 - One to Spain and Portugal and another to the Cotswolds and Wales to experience the Chelsea Flower Show. I hope you can join me on one of these! For full itineraries, go to Trips. Spain and Portugal Cotswolds, Wales, and the Chelsea Flower Show
Road Trip!! Do you want a plant buying road trip to a run-of-the-mill big box store with the same old, same old? Or do you want personal attention in picking out that perfect plant? Do you have shady areas in your garden that need TLC and want the ideal plant for that perfect spot? Look …
Continue reading "Happy Hollow Nursery – Shade Plant Nirvana"
Giverny, designed by artist Claude Monet, looks good in any season, but spring time visits are glorious! Bulbs, early spring flowers, blooming shrubs and trees, make it a impressionistic painting of flowers. Visually striking from the moment you step foot in the garden, most people upon entering, pause and let it all soak in before …
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I am traveling to Scotland in July and am very excited about seeing parts of Scotland that I haven't seen before and visiting favorites that I want to go back and see. I will be leading a small group of intrepid travelers, some new and many repeats of my previous tours. My garden tours are …
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Held outdoors for the first time in its 193 year history, the Philadelphia Horticultural Society's Flower Show debuted with an explosion of color and large-scale architectural floral installations at FDR Park in Philadelphia. Where nature meets architecture, or Habitat: Nature's Masterpiece, is the overall theme and will be held June 4 through June 13 and …
Continue reading "Famed Flower Show Blooms Outdoors This Year With ‘Habitat’"
Visiting Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA is always a pleasure and one I try to do several times a year. Fortunately for me, it is close by. I made it a day trip which included a visit to Terrain, a destination nursery/garden center. For more posts on Longwood, go to- Visiting Longwood During Covid, …
Continue reading "Longwood Gardens’ Fall Extravaganza"
Botanic gardens are opening up to visitors and I wondered how my favorite, Longwood Gardens, would handle the different pressures that Covid is bringing to the visitor experience. Enjoying the gardens is partly an outdoor experience but also an indoor experience of visiting the huge Conservatories. Reservations for timed entry are required like in the …
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On a recent visit to the Naples Botanical Gardens in Naples, Florida, I was wowed by the gardens, available lectures, workshops, and tours for adults and children. Only in existence for 10 years, it is astounding what has been accomplished in that short time frame. Founded in 1993, construction didn't take place until nearly 10 …
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