Hosted by Charlotte Mclean and led by Kirsty Fergusson
with guest host, Greg Kobett
Day to day Itinerary
Spread across a myriad of islands with a population of only five and a half million (about as many as Scotland), Denmark is a remarkably successful country: Danes are said to be happier in their daily lives than anyone else in the world. It is no surprise, therefore, to find many well-loved gardens of exceptional beauty and originality that reflect the nation’s finest qualities. Our tour includes a number of privately owned gardens, including Exillion, with its extravagantly Baroque–style topiary, a Japanese-style garden of clipped perfection, a restored medieval garden and the recently replanted 18thc royal gardens at Frederiksborg. We are fortunate to have Greg Kobett with us as guest host. Greg is a landscape designer, resident in Denmark for many years and we meet him at the spectacular last night of the season at the Tivoli gardens in Copenhagen, where our tour begins. We enjoy four nights at the four star Admiral Hotel beside the waterfront in Copenhagen, just a short stroll from the city’s many fine museums, restaurants and gardens.
DAY 1
Travel to Copenhagen from London Heathrow airport, with British Airways and transfer to Admiral Hotel with time to settle in before departure by taxi for a tour of the Tivoli Gardens with Greg Kobett. We enjoy welcome drinks at the Nimb with a talk by Greg on Danish garden history, followed by dinner. The evening concludes with the Tivoli’s spectacular end-of-season firework display.
DAY 2
We travel north to spend the morning in the recently restored and replanted Frederiksborg baroque gardens with Greg. Returning to Copenhagen, we stop at Exillion, a garden that expresses its owner, Peter Wibroe’s lifelong delight in Baroque architecture and garden design. We enjoy a light lunch in the conservatory, with Peter and his daughter, Louise. In the afternoon, we discover Copenhagen’s Botanical Garden and enjoy a private ‘behind’the scenes’ tour of the palm house. Returning to our hotel on foot, we discover the Kings garden, the Rosenborg, where hundreds of rose bushes fill a neatly symmetrical formal garden. We dine together at Salt, the Admiral Hotel’s own restaurant.
DAY 3
We head south across Zealand to Vordingborg with its historic botanic garden, where local guide, landscape designer Mette Larsen will give us a short introduction to this historic site. We continue to Nysøe, for a delightful tour with curator Anne Mette of the small museum dedicated to Denmark’s most celebrated artist, Thorvaldsen. A buffet lunch close by is kindly provided at her own home by Charlotte Holmes, who though Danish by birth lived in England for many years, opening her Wiltshire garden to the public. She loves the thought of meeting English gardeners and showing you her own garden! In the afternoon we continue to Gisselfeld for a tour with Greg and his partner Stig, followed by tea in the Paradehuset, a winter-garden greenhouse, gloriously transformed into tea room and very tempting garden shop. The evening back in Copenhagen is free for you to enjoy independently.
DAY 4
Leaving Copenhagen, we cross Zealand and the 22km long bridge to the island of Funen. To arrive at Sanderumgaard in time for coffee and introductory talk with owner, Susanne Vind. Susanne will guide us through the gardens and lakeside arboretum before lunch. We continue to de Japanske Have, a smallish but immaculately presented series of interlinked gardens, defined by a fluid planting of perfectly clipped and topiarised shrubs and trees. Returning to Copenhagen we make a brief but unmissable visit to the Sandstone Sculpture garden for a tour with the owners, with tea and cakes. We dine together at our hotel.
DAY 5
Enjoy a free morning in Copenhagen – there is lots to see within easy walk of hotel: Danish Design Museum, Nyhaven, Ameliaborg as well as some lovely shopping opportunities, and be ready to depart the Admiral at 13:30 for our British Airways flight at 16:00, arriving London Heathrow at 17:00.
ADMIRAL HOTEL, COPENHAGEN
On Copenhagen’s most beautiful quayside, an extraordinary sanctuary awaits. Right there, where the sea meets the city, where big business meets fine arts and rich history meets vibrant presence, lies Admiral Hotel. A place destined to bring people together. Here Copenhagen meets the world – and the world meets Copenhagen. A natural hang-out in the middle of the city, yet a tiny step away into the serene, residential embrace of Frederiksstaden – the royal and cultural hub of Copenhagen.