Earthly Paradise Tour 2026

Dorset, UK

GG
G&T Garden Tours
  • Email address verified
May 22 - 28, 2026
Group size: 6 - 14
Earthly Paradise Tour 2026
Dorset, UK

G&T Garden Tours
  • Email address verified

May 22 - 28, 2026
Group size: 6 - 14

About this trip

The Great Gardens, Inspiring Landscapes And Hidden Gems Of West Dorset And Somerset.

Saturday May 22nd - Thursday May 28th 2026

A benign climate, breath-taking scenery and fertile soil have made west Dorset and neighbouring Somerset home to some of England’s most wonderful gardens (and gardeners).

This late-spring tour is a perfectly timed introduction to English gardens for guests coming from the Chelsea Flower Show, embracing the parks and grounds of some of the region’s greatest grand houses, with exclusive access to its very best private gardens. As well as formal gardens you will experience the wild landscapes of ancient woodlands and flower-rich meadows, at their Spring best.


The tour will also feature talks and design ideas from some of the horticultural world’s most inspiring figures including Julian and Isabel Bannerman and Howard Sooley.

It's all included!

The price of the tour includes your 6 night stay at Symondsbury Manor, an eclectic and comfortable private manor house with a distinguished history, as well as delicious teas and dinners prepared by Caroline and Clare, with help from Dorset’s best cake baker, Haley. As usual we will be lunching at a variety of our favourite restaurants in this beautiful corner of south-west England. It’s all included. 

What’s included

  • Accommodation
    Not a hotel, but a private house perfectly designed to host our ‘country house week’ tours, Symondsbury Manor is a rambling 17th century house with Georgian and Victorian additions.
  • Food
    Delicious breakfasts, restaurant lunches and dinners prepared by our chefs Caroline and Clare, with Hayley's cakes for tea
  • Drinks
    Your favourite tipple, plus wines selected for us by Johnnie Boden.
  • All tour transport
    You'll travel in the luxury minibus to the gardens and restaurants
  • Garden talks
    Enjoy talks from leading garden designers and photographers
  • Conviviality
    Simon and Jason welcome you to a week of good company, good food, and wonderful garden visits, meeting the great gardeners of the West Country

What’s not included

  • Your travel to Dorset
    You'll arrange your own flights and trains etc
  • Travel insurance
    We recommend you arrange your own insurance to cover delays and cancellations
  • Restaurant bottles
    Alcoholic drinks in restaurants

Available Packages

Standard Room
Deposit:£990

Our so-called "standard" rooms are anything but ordinary. A twin room and a stunning four-poster double room share a bathroom, as do the two cosy connecting attic doubles, perfect for friends booking together. The lovely Garden Room, a ground-floor twin, enjoys a private bathroom just across the kitchen. Standard - but still unique! 

Add a supplement for single occupancy, below. 

£3,950
Deposit:£990
Deluxe Room
Deposit:£1,140
4 left

Our two deluxe rooms feature private baths and basins; one has a superking bed, the other a gorgeous king-size four-poster. 

Add a supplement for single occupancy, below. 

£4,550
Deposit:£1,140
En Suite
Deposit:£1,240
8 left

We understand that some guests may prefer an en suite bathroom, and four of our delightful rooms (two twins, two doubles) at the Manor offer just that.

Add a supplement for single occupancy, below. 

£4,950
Deposit:£1,240

Available options

Single supplement
£1,000
Deposit: £125

To book this room for a single guest only



Itinerary

Saturday May 24th
Your arrival in Dorset

You are collected at Dorchester station, to arrive at Symondsbury Manor in time for tea. We have time to unwind and enjoy the garden before dinner. 

Simon Tiffin and Jason Goodwin will set the scene with an introductory talk on the history and gardens of west Dorset.

Your Organizer


GG
G&T Garden Tours
Jason Goodwin and Simon Tiffin set up G and T Garden Tours to share our enthusiasm for the gardens and stunning landscapes of Dorset. It's an historic and beautiful region of England, and we visit the parks and grounds of some of the region’s greatest grand houses, with access to gardens that are not usually open the public. Based for the week in a historic house on the Jurassic Coast, with groups limited to 14 people, guests enjoy splendid accommodation, excellent food, and an unforgettable horticultural experience.