Channel Islands: Gardens of Guernsey and Sark 649

We depart this morning on our flight to Guernsey, where on arrival we will be met by our tour manager and will join the coach to begin our day with a scenic tour of the south coast of the island. We will then visit Castle Cornet, which guards the approaches to St Peter Port’s harbour. Contained within its walls is a profusion of plants both ancient and modern, most of them found in four period gardens from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. We will also be able to witness the Noonday gun firing.After lunch (not included) we will visit our first private garden at Magnolia Lodge. Tea and gâche (the local fruit loaf) will be included here.We then continue to our comfortable 3-star accommodation at La Barbarie Hotel in St Peter Port. The lovely rural location and award-winning restaurant make this one of Guernsey’s best hotels for relaxing short breaks.Dinner is served in the evening.

After breakfast this morning we travel to the Victorian walled garden at Saumarez Park. Work to restore the walled garden is still in progress, but it is already producing well, yielding crops in varieties appropriate to the Victorian era. The garden has also gained several first prizes in the Northern Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s annual show held in the park.Within the park is the National Trust of Guernsey’s Folk and Costume Museum, where we will enjoy a guided tour. The museum illustrates the history of the people of Guernsey over the last 250 years through their costumes.After lunch (not included) we continue our visit of Saumarez Park, with a guided tour of the public gardens to learn about the history of the de Saumarez family and their influence upon the park and gardens.Our final visit this afternoon will be to Sausmarez Manor where we will have some time to explore the Subtropical Gardens and Sculpture Park.We return to our hotel this evening, where dinner will be served.

This morning after breakfast our day will begin with a stop by the Little Chapel, which was erected during the last century by Brother Deodat, who tried to build his own version of the Notre Dame Grotto in Lourdes. Totally covered in shells and broken pieces of china, it is potentially one of the smallest chapels in the world.We then visit Bruce Russell & Son, a wonderful workshop and showroom where they craft traditional silverware, gold, and platinum jewellery. During the last century, they have been commissioned to design and craft spectacular jewellery for royalty and heads of state.Our next visit is to Candie Gardens, which have given pleasure to many since they were left to the people of Guernsey in 1887. The gently sloping upper lawn affords the visitor a panoramic view over St Peter Port and the neighbouring islands beyond. The Lower Gardens provide a rare example of a late 19th century Public Flower Garden as originally laid out, while the heated glasshouses date to the end of the 18th century, making them the oldest in the British Isles.After lunch (not included) we will enjoy the short walk from Candie Gardens to Les Cotils, to enjoy this beautiful private garden with stunning views of the bay.We will round off our day with some free time in St Peter Port for shopping. Guernsey’s capital has been a busy entrepôt since Roman times and the Channel Islands’ premier port, graced by the wealth of ship builders, privateers and merchant adventurers. Georgian and Regency styles were enriched by an influx of French emigrés, including Victor Hugo, whose influences included Parisian-style urinoirs! Today the town is a captivating blend of styles, framed by a tumble of terraces and tiered gardens and criss-crossed by worn steps and hidden alleys. There is an excellent range of shops, and the Old Quarter is the place to find antiques.We will later return to our hotel where dinner will be served in the evening.

Following breakfast this morning, the day is free to explore at leisure.Alternatively, you may wish to join our optional excursion to the neighbouring island of Sark, where we visit the gardens of La Seigneurie, which were created on land bought by Seigneur Le Pelley in 1835. The Walled Garden is aligned with the Church Le Pelley built in 1820 and the central arches framed a view of the tower, a scene now obscured by the new Island Hall. The high walls give protection from the wind and, together with the mild micro-climate, allow many tender and half-hardy plants to thrive. The more unusual specimens are labelled, such as the Australian Bottlebrush and New Zealand Tea Tree. Probably the oldest surviving feature of the original layout is the formal rose garden edged with box hedging. Other features include a Victorian glasshouse on the north wall which shelters some long-established vines; a productive vegetable garden which helps supply the café, and adjacent sensory and wildflower gardens.Please be aware that Sark is a walking island. A good degree of mobility is required, getting on and off the ferry. There will be a 3 to 5-minute walk to the hill transport, and a 10-15 minute flat walk from where the carriages drop guests to La Seigneurie.Dinner will be served back at our hotel this evening.

After breakfast this morning we check out of the hotel – please ensure any extras are settled prior to departure. Our first visit is to the Guernsey Millennium Tapestry, a project that involved the whole community. It illustrates 1000 years of local history in ten panels of embroidered canvas work, each panel covering one century. The original aim of the project was to provide a lasting reminder of the Millennium celebrations, involve the whole community and encourage people to look more deeply into the Island’s history.We will then visit Victor Hugo’s Garden at Hauteville House. The gardens of Victor Hugo’s exile home have been faithfully renovated by the City of Paris and include a kitchen garden, fruit trees, and Hugo’s United States of Europe Oak – a living link with this great visionary.We will also enjoy a visit to Oatlands Village, one of the island’s leading visitor attractions. Opened in 1983, it brings together many local crafts, gift shops, eateries and attractions for all the family.Later this afternoon we will then transfer back to the airport in time for our return flight.