• 01 Feb, 2018
• Author: Rossgardentours

What a great year

What a great year we had in 2017, traveling the gardens of the world. Here are some of our most memorable tours.

Lily paddling

Canada in summer is stupendous, and when we found ourselves in one of the most exciting and engaging botanic gardens in the world – Montreal – at the moment when the dayliles were at their peak, it was like we were wading through a lake of lilies!  Michael McCoy

Frangi-find

We are in a small tinnie of the West Coast of Mexico, sun on our faces when we pass a small series of tiny arched islands, well known for snorkelling.  As we get closer I strain my eyes – no, it can’t be! Forests of frangipani sprout on each island. Ten years after researching and writing a book on my favourite genus, have I found its original home? Linda Ross

The Pope’s garden

Castel Gandolfo is the summer residence of the Pope, but Pope Francis doesn’t visit, so the palace, villa and gardens have been opened to ordinary visitors. We just loved it! Check out those amazing terraces!  Sandra Ross

Drinks at the castle

Forty years ago Christopher Morgan’s parents went looking for a weekender in Bathurst – and ended up with a castle! Chris told us the story of the rescue of the fabulous but dilapidated Scottish baronial castle called Abercrombie House as the sunset glowed on the stone, the peacock named Moron squawked and pranced and we drank sparkling wine on the former tennis court. Robin Powell

Think pink

I was named after a Japanese kurume azalea, ‘Kirin’, which I always thought a bit lame until I walked through this mountain valley to the west of Tokyo and its 17,000 neatly clipped balls of azalea.  I loved it green and serene like this. What will it be like in spring when its incandescent with colour? We’ll find out on my new Japan’s Flower Festivals tour next year. Linda Ross