10 subtropical gardens to escape the grim British winter

As the temperatures drop and the skies darken, head to a garden where summer colours are still in bloom. Here's ten of the best leafy subtropical escapes...

1 . Portuguese Palace

Sintra, a hillside town in the Serra de Sintra, is an easy day excursion from Lisbon, and home to the romantically overgrown grounds of the estate at Quinta da Regaleira and the former monastery of Palacio Nacional da Pena. The nearby gardens of 18th-century Palacio de Queluz have a more formal layout while the mogul-style Monserrate Palace Gardens are planted with camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons.

Gardens and Palaces of Lisbon and Sintra from £1,429 half-board for seven nights including flights and transfers. June 13 and Sept 12 2020. HF Holidays (hfholidays.co.uk).

2 . Magical madeira

The mountainous landscape of this Portuguese island off the north-west coast of Africa is cloaked in flora and fauna. The 18th-century Palheiro Gardens lie to the east of the capital, Funchal, and the slopes are planted with hibiscus, bougainvillea and jacaranda. Nearby, the Monte Palace gardens contain thousands of species including the endemic dragon tree and euphorbia. Artisan Travel has a group tour combining garden excursions and gentle walks, from a historic quinta near Funchal’s Old Town.

Gardens and Levadas of Madeira from £1,395 for seven nights including flights, transfers and some meals. March to October 2020. Artisan Travel (artisantravel.co.uk).

3 . Almunecar to the Alhambra

A horticulturally focused escorted tour offered by Saga takes in the flora and fauna of southern Spain from a hotel base in the Andalucian town of Almuñécar. The price includes excursions to a dozen gardens ranging from the lesser-known Casa de los Bates, near Motril, surrounded by avocado and cherimoya orchards, to the beautiful Generalife gardens at the Alhambra Palace in Granada.

Moorish and Modern Gardens of Spain from £899 for seven nights half-board, including flights and transfers. Departs October 2020. Saga Travel (travel.saga.co.uk).

4 . Cape crusader

With dry, sunny summers and mild winters, Cape Town and the Western Cape are a big draw for green-fingered visitors. New for 2020 is the Garden Route tour by Brightwater Holidays, which takes in the city’s Old Company Garden planted in the 1650s, Kirstenbosch National Park by Table Mountain and Stellenbosch Botanical Garden in the Cape Winelands. It also travels to KwaZulu-Natal Botanical Garden in Pietermaritzburg, planted with magnolias and fig trees.

South Africa’s Garden Route from £3,995 for 14 nights including flights, transfers and some meals. Departs Sept 22 2020. Brightwater Holidays (brightwaterholidays.com). 

5 . Designer Marrakech

One of the city’s best-known gardens is the Jardin Majorelle. Created by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, it combines bright colours and bold planting schemes. A visit to the adjoining garden of the Villa Oasis is also included on an itinerary offered by Kirker Holidays, accompanied by expert gardener Kirsty Fergusson. Further highlights include the 19th-century enclave of Le Jardin Secret in the Old City and the courtyard gardens of the Bahia Palace, plus an excursion to the André Heller garden outside the city.

Gardens of Marrakech from £2,998 for seven nights including flights, transfers and some meals. Departs May 31 and Oct 4 2020. Kirker Holidays (kirkerholidays.com). 

6. Pilgrims’ Plantation

Historic gardens planted by early English settlers in the United States include the 500-acre Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina, dating from the 1670s and containing one of the world’s largest camellia collections. A tailor-made trip with the North America Travel Service also includes the formal, landscaped gardens at Middleton Place (a National Historic Landmark overlooking the Ashley River) plus the antebellum gardens in the island city of Beaufort.

Southern Charms from £3,845 for seven nights including flights, transfers and most meals. Departs March to October. North America Travel Service (northamericatravelservice.co.uk).

7 Auckland Arboretum

New Zealand spans several climate zones and the subtropical region of North Island has some spectacular gardens. One of the best known is the 160-acre Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa, on the city’s outskirts, containing the Gondwana Arboretum with trees descended from primeval forests dating back 150 million years. You can also visit private gardens such as Totara Waters in Whenuapai and Wharepuke Garden in Kerikeri, planted with species including palms, agaves, yuccas and cycads.

North Island fly-drive from £1,179 for 16 nights including flights, a two-night hotel stay in Auckland and 14 nights’ motorhome hire. Trailfinders (trailfinders.com).

8. Subtropical Scilly isles

At the 17-acre Abbey Gardens on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, 30 miles (48km) off the Cornish coast, the mild climate allows plant species from the world’s subtropical zones to flourish. Created in the 19th century by Augustus John Smith in the grounds of a ruined Benedictine abbey, its windbreaks and rock-built terraces help protect the plants, and there are ocean views from a network of trails which wind through the grounds.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly from £1,795 for seven nights half-board including rail travel and island transfers. Departs April 13, May 5, Aug 6 and 24 2020. Great Rail Journeys (greatrail.com). 

9. Balmy in Dorset

A small, sheltered valley in Dorset provides a taster of subtropical climates further afield. With its own balmy microclimate, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens near Weymouth started life as a kitchen garden in 1765 and now contains a vast array of rare and exotic plants, notably camellias, magnolias and hydrangeas.

Stay at Moonfleet Manor in Fleet (moonfleetmanorhotel.co.uk; from £109). Garden entry from £12.50 adult; £9.50 child; £46 family. Discounts for advance online booking (abbotsburytickets.co.uk).

10. Exclusive Sicily

Fertile volcanic soil and mild year-round temperatures make this Italian island a big attraction for garden enthusiasts. Rachel Lamb, an expert in Mediterranean horticulture, accompanies a small group on an trip arranged by Boxwood Tours, which visits Palermo’s Orto Botanico and provides exclusive access to gardens in Il Biviere, San Giuliano and Taormina. A major highlight is the Paternò del Toscano garden near Catania.

Sicilian Spring: from Palermo to Taormina from £3,398 for four nights including flights, transfers and most meals. Departs May 15 2020. Boxwood Tours (boxwoodtours.co.uk).

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