Perfectly planned and paced, Non Morris reports for CountryLife Magazine (December 2025) about the new era of delightfully catered and unhurried visits to enchanting private gardens, often otherwise not open to the public. Organised by expert touring companies, equipped with impeccable local connections, the tours provide rare, privileged access to private gardens – often the only way, with insightful, personalised guidance by owners and experts – over the delights of a fancy picnic.

The format for the new garden tours, bring together small groups of keen gardeners, with exclusive afternoons spent in the gardens of the likes of Charlie McCormick and Ben Pentreath, Julian and Isabel Bannerman at Ashington Manor in Somerset, or the colour-filled Patthana Garden in Co Wicklow.

Dedicated garden tour companies such as G&T Garden Tours run by Simon Tiffin and Jason Goodwin provide access to hidden Manor House and Cottage Gardens across the country, as well as bespoke tours organised to Jasper Conran’s beautiful Dorset garden. Border Lines, one of the oldest garden tour companies in Britain organise day tours in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as longer tours to Europe and South Africa.

Exclusive garden tours are also increasingly being organised from within the horticultural industry, where the likes of the Land Gardeners, the Garden Museum, Gravetye Manor in West Sussex and leading rosarian, Michael Marriot (Tod Gardening Tours) are organising specialised tours for keen gardeners, across the country and abroad. The National Garden Scheme (NGS) too, provides more exclusive and limited access to gardens that can only be pre-booked such as Bruern Abbey gardens, designed by Angel Collins in Oxfordshire and Polly Nicholson’s Blackland House in Wiltshire.

The tours, long or short are proving increasingly popular, selling out fast, with many 2025 tours already waitlisted. Access will require prompt booking skills.