Experience days for Garden Lovers

For garden lovers, what about giving them an experience day they'll remember & enjoy? Garden experiences could include garden tours in a group or simple visits where the lucky recipient can just enjoy strolling through beautiful gardens taking in the sights.

So here are some garden gift experiences. When you click through to go to the retailer, please check locations, prices, T&Cs & voucher expiry dates and info specific to the experience before you buy.

	Visit to Kew Gardens and Palace with Cream Tea for Two, Richmond, London £71.00 Explore Kew Gardens and tuck into a Cream Tea! Kew Gardens is a 326 acre UNESCO World Heritage Site and it has plant life from around the world, so there's plenty to see and do. There's access to all Glasshouses including Palm House Temperate House and Princess of Wales Conservatory, the Kew Palace and Royal Kitchens during the summer season and the critically acclaimed UK pavilion The Hive. Then head to the Orangery for a self-service treat of a cream tea. Available from Virgin Experience Days
	Visit to Kew Gardens with Afternoon Tea at The Botanical for Two, Richmond, London £114.00 This is a perfect experience for anyone who loves history and nature, with a stroll around the stunning Kew Gardens and one of three afternoon teas for two on the on-site Botanical Restaurant - choose from the classic or vegetarian afternoon tea! Available from Virgin Experience Days. If you want to add a glass of prosecco as an extra treat, you can do that for £136.00 - find out more here
	Visit to RHS Garden Wisley for two, Surrey £44.00 Make the most of a visit to RHS Wisley! There's a guidebook with wonderful imagery to compliment your visit, and you cdiscover one of the largest plant collections in the world! Highlights include the Glasshouse, Seven Acres and the Jellicoe CanalThere's lots to discover and do! Use the code ITB15FORME and enjoy 15% off**. Dig for more information here.)
	Visit to Chiddingstone Castle and Grounds with Cream Tea for Two, Kent £39.00 Chiddingstone Castle has a rich and varied history for you to discover and explore, with Japanese, Stuart and Jacobite, Buddhist and Ancient Egyptian collections. But not only that, there's access to the grounds, 35 acres of lawns, a lake, woodland and a beautiful Victorian Orangery, and a lovely cream tea, too! Tuck in to homemade scones, clotted cream, jam and a selection of teas or coffee! Find out more and buy this gift from Virgin Experience Days.
	How about a Three Month Tropical Houseplant Seed Subscription Box? £41.00 Not quite the same as a garden experience elsewhere - this is for you at home! Grow Your Own Indoor Tropical Jungle with four different types of houseplant seeds every month for three months with in-depth written instructions. This could be a great gift for someone who doesn't have a garden, or who does but wants to get planting indoors! All seeds are 100% organic, untreated and ethically sourced. It's available through Not on the High Street.
	Gather and Create Your Own Flower Arrangement with Cake at Lower Norton Flower Farm, Hampshire £96.00 Your expert instructor will guide you in making a vase arrangement with flowers gathered from the flower field. Find out how foliage and flowers are used to achieve a harmonious balance for best visual impact. There's a discussion on different flower shapes, how these can be used to enhance an arrangemetn, and how to condition them. There's a tour of the flower field with Alison, owner of Lower Norton Flower Farm. Pick up expert tips and tricks on how to harvest your flowers at the most opportune moment. Wander the field and handpick a gorgeous array of flowers to create your own stunning vase arrangement which you can take home. Finish with tasty cake and refreshments. Find out more from Virgin Experience Days.
	Terrarium Workshop with Prosecco, London (Hackney) £75.00 for one person Start off with a glass of Prosecco, then the expert florist will give you & your guests a talk full of information about terrariums: how to design the little garden, the soil, drainage, how to get the plants thriving, aftercare and tips for keeping your plants healthy. Then roll up your sleeves and dig in making a terrarium of your very own! Everything you need is provided on the day. Find out more from Virgin Experience Days.
	What about a Gift Membership to English Heritage? English Heritage care for 23 historic gardens, including this one, the Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire. Others include Down House in Kent, home to Charles Darwin, Osbourne House in the Isle of Wight (Queen Victoria's pad), Wrest Park, where the landscapes were remodelled by Capability Brown, and Kenilworth Castle, where you can walk in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth I. Imagine how much history these gardens and others have seen! Find out more about Gift Memberships to English Heritage here.
	Give an RHS Gift Membership £79.99 Members receive The Garden magazine every month (worth £4.95) and they can get personalised gardening advice on the phone or online, and discounted show tickets. There's free entry to the RHS Gardens; Wisley, Rosemoor, Hyde Hall, Harlow Carr and now Bridgewater! Members can also explore over 200 RHS Partner Gardens across the UK and overseas for free during selected periods. Memberships help the RHS fund their work to train the next generation of gardeners and to work to find solutions to environmental issues. Give a Gift Membership here.
	Visit The World's Oldest Topiary Garden at Levens Hall with Lunch for Two, Kendal, Cumbria £96.00 Levens Hall is surrounded by 10 acres of stunning private gardens which date back to the 1690s. They include the world's oldest topiary gardens, whilst the house has beautiful collecitons of furniture, paintings and clocks. You can visit the family home and gardens, and also enjoy a lunch in the contemporary Levens Kitchen, with two main meals from the daily menu, two freshly baked cakes and two soft drinks. Combine a love of gardens, nature and history all in one experience! Find out more from Virgin Experience Days
	Chilli Grower Workshop for Two, Chawston, Bedfordshire Was £35.00, now £23.00 Head to Bedfordshire and find out how to grow your peppers from planting to picking! You'll pick up tips for getting bigger, more productive plants, when to pick your chillies and find out simple things you can do to reduce the risks of pests and diseas. Finish with a lovely tasting session of gourmet chilli products. You'll also find out the history of the hottest chilli in the world. Available from Virgin Experience Days
	Hands on Owl Experience at Muncaster Castle with Garden Entry for Two, Cumbria £72.00 This is a visit to a garden with a bit of a difference - it includes the chance to meet and handle two owls, and you can watch the birds fly off from your glove! The experience includes entry to Muncaster Gardens and Hawk and Owl Centre, so it's a great chance to learn about these wonderful birds and take plenty of photos. Find out more from Virgin Experience Days
	Hogs Back Brewery Hop Garden Tour and Beer Tastings for Two, Farnham, Surrey £48.00 for two people Find out about the rich history of hop growing in the Farnham area and why Surrey used to be the pre-eminent hop growing county! Find out too why Hogs Back built their own Hop Garden, and how they look after their hops. You can see the hop cones up close and discover the different hop varieties grown. You'll discover how they've revived the local heritage hop, Farnham White-Bine, and having smelt the diffferent hop cones, you can sample a range of beers. Take a Hogs Back tasting glass home with you - a great souvenir of your visit! Find out more from Virgin Experience Days.
	Swinton Estate Lunch & Garden Tour in North Yorkshire £55.00 for one person. Garden talks and walks with lunch at the stunning Swinton Estate in Yorkshire - a great gift idea for people who love gardens and food! This experience includes a garden talk over coffee in Swinton Park's Drawing Room on arrival and a two-course lunch served in one of the Estate's 'Estate to Plate' restaurants. A family member will lead a talk on the history of the house and gardens, followed by a guided walk* round the Walled Garden and Lakes. Lunches are themed on different topics, and menus include some ingredients from the garden. The guided walk may not be suitable for people who are less fit or who have mobility issues due to the uneven terrain. This is available from Into the Blue
	Visit to Wakehurst Wild Botanic Garden for Two, West Sussex £38.00 Immerse yourself in the natural beauty and dramatic landscapes of Wakehurst Wild Botanic Gardens. There are over 500 acres to discover, with things to see at every turn. Wakefield is the home of the world's most ambitious conservation project, the Millennium Seed Bank, and there's fascinating history, stunning gardens and inspired conservation work. Find out more Virgin Experience Days
	Entrance to Wakehurst & Borde Hill Gardens for Two, West Sussex £69.00 This is a great day out for anyone who loves nature and gardens! Discover the stunning gardens at Wakehurst, which has international significance for its botanic gardens and tree collections, and its science-based plant conservation and research. Before or after your visit, you can also head to Borde Hill Gardens where you'll find over 200 acres, with 17 acres dedicated to a series of gardens designed like rooms, each with its own distinctive colour, scent and feel. This experience is available from Activity Superstore.
	Learning with Experts: The Herb Garden - an online course From £45.00 This is a four-part online herb garden, gardening course with expert videos and notes. The sessions are taught by Dr Rachel Petheram, and they give you the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the history of herbs, how to best grow herbs and use them in the kitchen. You can also learn about the medicinal and uses of herbs. There's lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom, and you're in an online classroom with up to 20 classmates. There are two options: the Peer (at £45.00) or the Expert (for £125.00). Enjoy 15% off** with the code ITB15FORME. Find out more info from Into the Blue here.
	Calling all garden bird lovers: ~ How about getting them something for garden birds and wildlife? Garden Wildlife Direct have everything your loved one needs for their feathered friends and wildlife...bird food, nest boxes, feeding stations, bird tables, bird baths. Their Accessories section on their website has lots of gift ideas from bird baths to nest boxes. Your loved one can experience the joy of feeding their feathered friends at home! We feed our birds and wildlife and it's like having our own nature show, especially since we put a garden pond in. And we're doing our bit for biodiversity and wildlife, too. Fly off here to browse & shop.
	How about a Monthly Tropical Houseplant Seed Subscription Box? Not on the High Street have this subscription box from £14.95. Grow Your Own Indoor Tropical Jungle with 4 different types of Houseplant Seeds each month with in depty-written instructions. You can choose a one off box if you prefer. The seed comes in resealable foil packets and each box has detailed planting instructions. All seeds are 100% organic, untreated and ethically sourced. Choose from a one off box, or 3 month, 6 months or 12 months. It's available from Not on the High Street!
	How about this Windowsill Garden Kit by The Crafty Hen? £30.00 Not quite an experience day but this is a fun activity to do at home, and also to add colour and your creativity to it as you design and personalise a set of mini plant pots. Each kit has three ceramic pots, 3 types of vegetable seeds, and peat-free soil pellets. All you need to do is add water and you’ll be growing chives, cress, and radishes in no time. From Virgin Experience Days.

**The Into the Blue code ITB15FORME gives 15% off experiences up to £250 - some are excluded from this offer.