Allan Armitage

Announcing Sweden and Denmark, July 19-29, 2012

We have not yet visited the Great Gardens of Scandenavia, but that will change this year.  We are going to spend the majority of our time in beautiful Sweden and finish up in lovely Copenhagen and environs.   We will start in Stockholm, go north to Linneaus's garden in Uppsala, west to Goteburg and south to Malmo.  At every stop we will enjoy the scenery and the gardens in each area.  As a special post-tour, we are also offering additional time in Norway.  If  the previous trips are any indication, this one will fill rapidly.  Although the final cost and itinerary have yet to be completed, you may send a $500.00 check to Garden Vistas, 120 Woodland Way, Athens, GA, 30606 to reserve a place.  We shouuld have the numbers by late January, and if the cost or the itinerary is not to your likeing, the entire deposit will immediately be returned.

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Wales and the Cotswolds, 2011 

We traveled to the beautiful gardens in Wales and the Cotswold region of England. It was a fabulous trip, with great scenery, gardens and people. 

 Bodnant Gardens                                                        Powis Castle

   Plas Brondanw                                                        Port Meirion Village

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Japan October 30-Nov 11, 2010

The trip to the Great Gardens of Japan was truly other-worldly.  Hakone, Kyoto, Tokyo, Kanazawa and Nikko showed off their shrines and gardens around every corner.  The Japanese maples were in full color and the gardens, the grounds, to say nothing of the sushi were indeed memorable. 

            Saihoji Temple, moss garden                                                                                                Miho Museum                                                             

     Shoeyen Garden, Nikko

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What a Ball!! Our Horticulture Camp was a grand success.

Aug 2-7, 2009

- a Horticulture Camp for gardeners, educators and professionals -

      We took a break from overseas travel in 2009, but not from the joy of travel and learning.   This year we gathered at the wonderful Airlie Center in Warrenton VA.

  This beautiful setting was the base camp as we traveled to public (eg Monticello ) and private gardens in the area. 

      We returned to school each day and discussed plant-related topics such as new woody and new herbaceous Plants,  basic botanical topics as Morphology and Taxonomy and plant design. This year we were indeed fortunate to have Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the US Botanic Garden,  join the team and share her ideas on Garden Design and herbs and spices.    

     We visited exceptional private gardens, public arboreta and historic areas as well as Wollam Gardens, a cut flower business in Jeffersonton.

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 The Gardens of Eastern Australia, November, 2008

 The Home and gardens at Marlbrook, Victoria, Aust.

We journeyed to Australia in early November, 2008 - and what a trip it was.  From snokeling on the Great Barrier Reef, to walking the tall trees in the rain Forest at Daintree, to the Botanical gardens in Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart.  We reveled in private gardens in the Southern Highlands and wandered all the way to Tasmania.  In this glorious trek, nary a garden stone was unturned.    To read more wonderful details of the trip, read Linda Copeland's well written account.

     Cairns Bot Garden                    Tahiatian Ginger                       Tulip Ginger

 Walking the tall trees               Banksia in Canberra                Goodenia in Canberra

in Daintree rain forest

       Leather Flower                    Wildflowers in Mt Annan                    Silky Oak

     Happy campers in Hobart                               Lake Crakenback, Snowy Mtns

If you love traveling

 I have been taking gardeners on tours of the Great Gardens of the World for over 20 years.  I could not do this alone, I have been joined for many years by Dr. Vincent Simeone , director of Planting Fields Arboretum on Long Island, and coordinated by Linda Copeland.  We have taken extraordinary people to extraordinary vistas.  

 All tours are 10 days (northern hemisphere) or 14 days (southern hemisphere), and take no more than 25 people.

Spouses and partners are welcome and encouraged as we have found that the beauty of the country, the serenity of the gardens and wonderful camaraderie make believers even out of non-gardeners.

All tours fill rapidly; we are planning the tour for 2012 now, if you are interested in receiving more information, email amarmitage@earthlink.net