Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group
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HPS/MAG International Trip: Gardens of Scotland with Optional Extension to RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Classic English Gardens
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 8:00 AM to Monday, May 25, 2026, 5:00 PM EST
Category: Trips-Domestic/International
2026 HPS/MAG International Garden Trip: 5-Day Optional Extension – Scotland: May 13 – May 21, 2026 Chelsea Extension: May 21 – May 25, 2026 with Brightwater Tour Guide Julia Corden This is a “Members Only” trip. Registration opens on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Scroll to end for details. Note: U.S. citizens on this trip will require a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) if they do not have a UK visa or legal residency in the UK or the Republic of Ireland. The ETA acts as a pre-clearance for travel and is part of the UK’s move towards a digital border system. For more information and to apply for an ETA go to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta Mobility: This tour includes walking on hilly and rocky terrain and visiting gardens with long, steep paths and gravel switch back trails on steep sites. If you have mobility or balance problems (ex: walk slowly, have frequent joint pain, need walking aids, etc.) you should not enroll on this trip. If your mobility status worsens prior to the trip, you should withdraw from the trip and use your travel insurance to pursue a refund. The tour guide has the right and responsibility to exclude you from touring sites if he/she deems that you cannot safely traverse the planned sites. “Gardens of Scotland” Wednesday, May 13 – Thursday, May 21 2026 £2,495 per person (based on min 20 paying guests) Overview: On May 13, 2026, HPS/MAG will begin our tour of the outstanding gardens, fantastic scenery and historic architecture of Scotland, with the option to visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and tour several Classic English Gardens. All travelers will arrange their own air travel to Edinburgh and transportation to the Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel. Those visiting only Scotland will arrange their own air travel onward from Edinburgh airport. Those staying for the Chelsea extension will arrange their own travel onward from the Gatwick airport on May 25, 2026. Itinerary Day 1 – Wednesday 13 May 2026 Flights under own arrangements. On arrival in Scotland, please make your own way to our comfortable accommodation at the 4-star Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel. Check-in is available from 3 pm however should you arrive before this, the hotel will be able to store your luggage to allow you time to explore Edinburgh at leisure. Notable sights include the Edinburgh Castle, which sits on top of a rocky crag and dominates the city centre skyline; the Royal Mile, which leads down the hill from the castle past St. Giles Cathedraland the controversial new Scottish Parliamentbuilding to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where Mary, Queen of Scots once lived and where Queen Elizabeth II stayed on her official visits to Edinburgh. Princes Street, the main shopping thoroughfare which also has the new Johnnie Walker Experience, an immersive, multi-sensory whisky experience that tells the story of Johnnie Walker, Scotland’s most famous blended Scotch whisky. The National Gallery of Scotland, houses a world-class collection of paintings; and the New Town, with its sweeping terraces of elegant Georgian townhouses where notable Scots such as Robert Louis Stevenson once lived. (Entrance fees to these sights are not included in trip cost.) This evening, we will enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant. Day 2 – Thursday 14 May 2026
The world-famous Rock Garden (see photo) is a particular highlight. James McNab built the first rock garden at Inverleith in 1871 which was comprised of numerous small, straight-sided compartments, each planted and distinctly labelled. In 1914 a new Rock Garden was completed using conglomerate rock from the Callander area in Perthshire, and red sandstone from Dumfries. Today there are approximately 5,000 species planted at any one time in the Rock Garden. Visitors can enjoy the serenity of the Chinese Hillside or stroll amongst the awe-inspiring Giant Redwood trees in the Woodland Garden. There are also fine artworks to view in the Garden's contemporary art gallery, Inverleith House.
The end product is a journey, narrated by the various artists who are given the freedom to express themselves in the landscape. The transitory nature of the sculpture park makes it hard to believe it is only ten miles outside of Edinburgh. Full of surprises, from the initial confrontation of Charles Jencks' 'Life Mounds' (see photo), which visitors drive through on entering the park, to a jovial creation by Jim Lambie, this garden both delights and astonishes. With no set routes through the park and an emphasis on exploration and discovery, the individual is left to engage with the artworks and the land as a whole. We return to our hotel where the evening is free at leisure. Day 3 – Friday 15 May 2026
We will visit a private garden, Lynbrook Garden,in Errol. Owner Lynda Crouch didn’t know much about gardening until she was invited to a meeting of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, which changed everything. She undertook a life-changing project to develop the garden which is now packed with plants. We continue to our comfortable hotel, the 3-star McKays Hotel in Pitlochry, where we enjoy dinner this evening. Day 4 – Saturday 16 May 2026
Today, after breakfast we visit Blair Castle and Gardens(see photo),home to some of the finest views in Scotland. Throughout the ages the castle has been transformed from its cold and austere beginnings in the Middle Ages to a delightful Georgian mansion and then to a Baronial Victorian castle. Each of these influences can still be seen in the Castle as it appears today. We have some time to explore the Hercules Garden, a walled enclosure of about nine acres recently restored to its original 18th-century design with landscaped ponds, a Chinese bridge, contemporary plantings, and an orchard of more than 100 fruit trees. The glory of this garden in summer is the herbaceous border, which runs along the 275 yard south-facing wall. We follow this with a visit to the private garden Mouse Cottage. The garden sits on a south-facing hill overlooking Strathtay. Small but packed with interesting features, it is a semi-wild haven of secret places where self-seeders mix with annuals and more formal planting. The owner is an artist who adores her garden space and collects quirky planting containers such as dustbins and dolly tubs. Later we visit the private garden Craigowan. This 5-acre, family-developed garden has an extensive range of around 1,000 species and hybrid rhododendrons which should be in their peak in May. There is also an extensive herbaceous border and ornamental trees. Following our visit, we will begin our journey back towards Pitlochry and to our hotel where the evening is free at leisure. Day 5 – Sunday 17 May 2026 Following breakfast we travel to Cluny House Gardens, near Aberfeldy. Wandering through this wonderful wild woodland garden we will discover rare and exotic plants from around the world. The gardens feature trees and shrubs from America, New Zealand, Japan, China and Tibet, creating the unique atmosphere of a Himalayan woodland paradise. We'll also This afternoon we will visit the splendid formal gardens of Drummond Castle (see photo). They were first laid out in the early 17th century and re-designed and terraced in the early 19th century. The gardens we see today were replanted during the 1950s preserving such features as the ancient yew hedges and the copper beech trees planted by Queen Victoria to commemorate her visit in 1842. The garden was principally the work of Lewis Kennedy of Vineyard Nursery in Hammersmith, who supplied plants to many of Britain’s finest gardens. We will see the famous sundial and the white Italian statuary. We return to Pitlochry where the evening is free at leisure. Tonight, we will be offering an optional Whisky and Chocolate Pairing Eveningwhich will be hosted at ‘The Bothy’, a cozy tasting room at nearby Robertsons of Pitlochry where we will uncover the flavours, stories and craftsmanship behind Scotland’s finest drams. In addition, we will also enjoy five handmade artisan chocolates which have been specially selected to pair with our sensational whiskies. Owner Ewan McIlwraith of Robertsons and Matt Green, owner of Explore Chocolate, will host the evening, and we will discover the intricacies of producing fine chocolate and whisky that when put together produce a cascade of flavours and sensations that are impossible to replicate. Day 6 – Monday 18 May 2026 After breakfast we travel south and west and visit Dumfries House (see photo), near Cumnock. Its stunning interiors are home to a world-class collection of furniture by Thomas Chippendale and many late 18th Century cabinet makers, which were recently featured on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. We are able to make the most of those interiors on our grand tour of the house, followed by tea and shortbread. We will also visit the Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden, which is one of the best examples of its kind in Scotland and in many ways the flagship of the restoration project, with which the then Prince Charles was closely involved. You may also wish to venture into the intriguing yew hedge maze and see if you can reach the Japanese pagoda at its centre – and then find your way out again! We later check into our comfortable accommodation at the Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries. This evening we will dine at a local restaurant. Day 7 – Tuesday 19 May 2026
We then visit Glenwhan Gardens, spread out over a windy hilltop with marvellous views of Luce Bay and the Mull of Galloway. Since 1979 a very large, interesting and individual garden has been created. At its heart is an extensive pool, divided by a grassy causeway and fed by a tumbling stream. The slopes above are lavishly planted with trees and shrubs. This evening we return to the hotel where dinner is served. This morning after breakfast we will travel to the garden of past Presidents of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, Drs Ian and Carole Bainbridge. Their garden is full of treasures including an Alpine house, a woodland garden and a rock garden. Following this we will visit the iconic Elizabeth McGregor Nurserybefore we continue to our accommodation at the 4-star Norton House Hotelwhere we have our final dinner together. Day 9 – Thursday 21 May 2026 At an agreed time, the group will be transferred back to Edinburgh airport (flights under own arrangement). For those continuing onto the Chelsea extension we will depart on a flight from Edinburgh to London. Cost of the “Gardens of Scotland” Trip £2,495 per person based on double occupancy £875.00 per person single room supplement Included in the price
Not included (per person)
Our guide Julia Corden: Julia is a Horticultural Consultant and Botanical/Garden Tour Manager and a past President of The Scottish Rock Garden Club. Her passion is the Blue Poppy of the Himalayas. Optional Extension: “RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Classic English Gardens” Thursday, May 21 – Monday, May 25, 2026 £1,795 per person (based on min 15 paying guests) Itinerary Day 1 – Thursday 21 May 2026 We depart on a morning flight from Edinburgh to London
On arrival we will visit the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew(see photo), which is now a World Heritage Site and boasts a unique collection of plants from all over the world. Among the attractions are the iconic Palm House, which recreates a tropical rainforest environment, the Temperate House, home to the world’s tallest indoor plant, and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, which contains ten climatic zones and a huge variety of plants including orchids and cacti. Later we continue to our comfortable hotel, 4-star Guildford Harbour Hotel. Dinner is served in the evening. Day 2 – Friday 22 May 2026
This evening is free at leisure. Day 4 – Sunday 24 May 2026
Today we visit the magnificently manicured gardens of Sissinghurst (see photo).This famous garden was created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson from 1930 onwards and became the most admired English Garden of its time. Few great gardens live up to their reputations so effortlessly as this. Sissinghurst is a large connoisseurs’ garden consisting of a series of small romantic areas enclosed by the surviving parts of an Elizabethan mansion. It never disappoints its visitors, it has the power of enchantment, but it is also an unending source of inspiration for all gardeners. Sissinghurst is surely as close to gardening perfection as you can get, and it continues to be one of the most-copied flower gardens in the world. It keeps its colour well into the autumn, when the avenue of pleached limes takes on a lovely golden hue.
We continue to another classic English Country Garden – Great Dixter (see photo). The distinguished garden writer Christopher Lloyd (who died in January 2006 at the age of 84) was the genius behind Great Dixter, with its timbered 15th century house. Restored by Edwin Lutyens who also planned the garden, Mr Lloyd has firmly put his lively stamp on it. A recent experiment involved installing a summer tropical garden rich in bold shapes and brilliant colours. No gardener could come to Great Dixter without making discoveries and rekindling a zest for gardening. Dinner is served back at our hotel in the evening. Day 5 – Monday 25 May 2026 After breakfast, we transfer to the airport at an agreed time (flights under own arrangement). Cost of the “RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Classic English Gardens” Trip Extension £1,795 per person based on double occupancy £375.00 per person single room supplement Included in the price
Not included (per person)
Extension Tour Guide: Julia Corden The trip is limited to 22 people and requires a minimum of 20 paying travelers. Registration begins December 3rd. We will keep a waitlist once we have 22 registered travelers. REGISTRATION Click here to view and print the detailed itinerary for the Scotland base trip and the Chelsea extension trip. Click here to view and print the Brightwater Holidays Booking Conditions
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This morning after breakfast we shall be met by our coach and will transfer to our first visit - the 
We then make our way to our next stop, 
see Britian's widest conifer - a giant Wellingtonia, 11 metres in girth and over 130 years old.
Following breakfast, we visit the world-famous Logan Botanic Garden (see photo),which was started by the McDougall family who lived here for 800 years. Since 1969 it has been in the care of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Logan Botanic Garden is beautifully laid out with a host of spectacular plants, particularly in the walled garden with its fine terraces and well-planned borders under an avenue of cabbage palms. The climate here is exceptionally mild due to the Gulf Stream and several different habitats provide conditions for a huge range of plants. Look out for the glasshouse and its tropical plants.
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