I would appreciate receiving suggestions as to the best way to visit public and/or private gardens in the UK.

For general info, I find: Visitbritain.com/gardens quite helpful.Their office in Mississuaga will send you free brouchure and good garden map upon request.<BR><BR>For details about gardens: nationaltrust.org.uk, <BR>RHS.org.uk<BR><BR>Curtesy of other fodorites: Myweb.tiscali.co.uk/london.gardens<BR>NGS.org.uk (for private gardens viewing)<BR><BR>There are many gardens tours by tour operators on RHS site,perhaps that will be the easire way. But,as I have always arranged my own,I can't really make any comment.

Try this website www.ngs.org.uk - it details a huge number of private gardens, opened for only a few days a year for charity.<BR><BR>You don't mention which area you intend to visit, but Stowe Landscape Garden and Stourhead, both National Trust are beautiful.

There's a book, The Good Gardens Guide, by Peter King, that comes out annually and has lots of information re UK gardens, including practical details like opening hours and maps.

I second the recommendation for Stourhead - one of the nicest gardens I saw in the UK

Dear Mr Gosselin,<BR><BR>The National Gardens Scheme for England and Wales, includes a Garden Finder: you select by county and by date. http://www.ngs.org.uk <BR>If you enter "Gardens" on the National Trust site you get an alphabetical list of properties with good gardens. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/themes.htm<BR>Selected English Heritage houses and castles with good gardens http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/d...x.asp?mkey=145 <BR><BR>Welcome to Britain<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London

There was a long article about Stourhead in the Sunday New York Times a week or two ago, you may be able to access the article on line

I just found another good site:www.gardenlinks.ndo.co.uk/visits,which gives an extensive list of gardens to visit,open gardens and gardening days out.<BR><BR>To find out how to visit gardens and parks by public transportation around London, WWW.thetube.com/content/theknowledge/how215.asp gives the details of the address and nearest station.

Good suggestions from all. If you want to see what a garden tour might contain, I can recommend the websites of two companies I've traveled with: www.gentlejourneys.co.uk and www.backroadstouring.co.uk.