Boston Flora

Tag: Verity Smith

  • Monday, June 26 – Wednesday, July 5 – Hampton Court Garden Festival & The Gardens of Southern England

    Join the American Horticultural Society for a wonderful tour through southern England, June 26 – July 5, 2023. The brochure with detailed itinerary and travel reservation form with pricing are available now. With AHS Hosts Tracy Ward Violette, Lecturer Garden Historian Marion Mako and Tour Manager Verity Smith of Specialtours you will have memorable experiences including:

    • Out-of-hours visit to the historic Sissinghurst Castle Gardens accompanied by the Head Gardener
    • Tour of the Knepp Estate to learn about the rewilding project and see the new garden by Tom Stuart-Smith
    • A morning at Great Dixter with the Head Gardener, Fergus Garrett, and a private lunch in the Yoemans’ Hall
    • An exploration of the historic towns of Rye, Arundel and the city of Winchester
    • Hampton Court Garden Festival, on the Members’ Day, to see the high quality of show gardens and horticultural exhibitions

    For more information and to make reservations, please contact our Development Department at (703) 768-5700 ext. 117, or email development@ahsgardening.org. Our fax number is (703) 768-8700.

  • Tuesday, May 16 – Thursday, May 25 – Greece: Antiquity, Culture & Gardens

    This splendid American Horticultural Society tour on May 16 -25, 2023, will bring us to ancient ruins, modern gardens, intriguing museums, and many sensory delights. As always on an AHS Travel Study tour, we will be given exclusive access to spectacular private gardens. Your AHS Hosts will be AHS Board member Jane Diamantis and her husband, George, and Verity Smith of Specialtours. Jane is an accomplished garden designer and owner of a landscape design company. George was born and raised in Greece, and is an avid photographer of plants and gardens around the world.

    Our trip begins in the city often called the cradle of Western civilization: Athens. Our itinerary includes the Philodassiki Botanical Gardens, lunch at the water’s edge at a marina, and a late afternoon visit to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon and its other monuments. During our stay in Greece we’ll see two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the medieval city of Rhodes, and the old town of Corfu. There will be leisure time to explore Rhodes, a mosaic of different cultures and civilizations for over 2,000 years. We’ll discover the elegant Old Town of Corfu, with its streets and squares, and tour private gardens all over the island. We’ll also be accompanied by Nigel McGilchrist, art historian and author of the Blue Guide to the Greek Islands, whose personal contacts have opened many doors on this sojourn. His insight and depth of knowledge will greatly enhance our understanding of past and present Greek culture. For complete itinerary and information visit http://ahsgardening.org//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AHS-GREECE-ANTIQUITY-CULTURE-GARDENS-May-202385719.pdf

  • Tuesday, May 16 – Thursday, May 25 – Gardens of Southern Scotland

    The American Horticultural Society will visit both public landmarks that are world renowned, as well as private gardens for which the owners have kindly and exclusively opened their gates, May 16 – 25, 2017.

    J. Dean Norton will be accompanying you on this tour. In addition to being Director of Horticulture for George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. With a degree in plant sciences from Clemson University, Dean is one of the most passionate and personable horticulturists you will ever meet.

    Our tour leader will be Specialtours’ Verity Smith. Verity studied history of art at Bristol University and has a particular interest in architecture. Verity led our successful AHS trip to Gloucestershire and the Chelsea Flower Show in 2014.

    Highlights

    • Explore renowned gardens including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Garden of Cosmic Speculation.
    • Visit Abbotsford House, the restored home of Sir Walter Scott (the author of Ivanhoe), with gardens he designed (pictured below.)
    • Enjoy a reception on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, one of the most famous ships in the world and former home to Her Majesty The Queen

    Hotels

    • The Blythswood Square hotel in Glasgow, is a 5-star spa hotel overlooking beautiful gardens and one of the most elegant and chic properties in this culturally rich city.
    • The Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, affectionately known as “The Caley,” sits in the shadow of the Edinburgh Castle and is just a two-minute walk from the designer stores and fashionable bars of George Street.
    • The Roxburghe Hotel in Roxburghshire, set in the beautiful Scottish Borders region, boasts a championship golf course and is also noted for its personal touches.

    For complete information visit http://www.ahs.org/gardening-programs/travel-study/scotland2017