Elizabeth

I am looking for a good daytrip from London going to Sissinghurst and maybe another garden.

A couple of years ago I took several first-rate day trips with a company called Gentle Journeys; sadly for me they've recently gone out of business.

Does anyone have first-hand experience with another one-day guided garden tour from London?

viking

I've lost the link, but there's some kind of botanical museum (not Kew - anyone been?) in London which was announcing van tours of local private gardens normally closed to the public.

Lanceolot

You could catch the train from London Charring Cross to Staplehurst and then get a taxi or bus to Sissinghurst (if you get the bus its about a twenty minute walk from the bus stop). If you have time it would be worth staying a few days in the area, known as "The Garden of England" - there are lots of other good gardens and historic attractions to see such as Great Dixter Garden, Marle Place Garden, Scotney Castle, Hever Castle, Leeds Castle, Pashley Manor Garden. It would be worth hiring a car to get to these places however as they are mostly hidden away in the lovely countryside. I can recommend Church Gates Bed and Breakfast in Cranbrook (churchgates.com), just a couple of miles away from lovely Sissinghurst and owned by enthusiastic and knowledgeable garden lovers.

janis

You might try the Royal Horticultural Society or the National Gardens Scheme. Neither runs frequent tours but they are good links to all things garden-related in the UK

www.rhs.org.uk and www.rgs.org.uk

You could do Sissinghurst and another garden or two on your own as a day trip by taking the train to Ashford or Royal Tunbridge Wells and hiring a driver from there.

But as Lancelot says - it would be better to try to squeeze an overnight stay and see more of the amazing gardens of Kent and E. Sussex.

jsmith

I suggest you contact the British Tourist Authority for their brochure "Britain's Gardens". It contains a map of England, Scotland and Wales with 100 gardens listed and briefly described. My copy was published in 1995 but I expect a recent printing is available.