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Secret Garden Visits 2021: Dan Pearson’s Garden at Hillside, Somerset

We are delighted to announce the return of our very special summer programme of Secret Garden Visits! Owners of some of the country's finest private gardens are generously opening their gates to help the Garden Museum raise funds to make up for income lost during the pandemic. With their help, we can now enjoy garden visiting once again in the age of social distancing.

From Dan Pearson’s Hillside garden to Arne Maynard’s medieval Monmouthshire retreat, this summer Friends and Patrons of the Garden Museum will be able to have an idyllic afternoon in one of Britain’s most beautiful private gardens, in line with socially distancing requirements, to support the Garden Museum.

Each group booking is also limited to six guests maximum, and unlike our usual garden visits, these are totally private and exclusive – no one but your group will have access to the gardens on the day of your visit. All guests should respect 2m social distancing while in the gardens – which are of course large open spaces, where this can be done with ease.

With your group of friends or family – be you a book club or a birthday picnic! – you will have freedom to roam your chosen garden for the day, enjoy a picnic lunch at your leisure, and find inspiration in the landscape design, planting and history behind these heavenly gardens, some of which have been designed by the UK’s most sought-after garden designers.

Each visit is open for one group booking only – so snap it up fast if there’s a garden that catches your eye!

To book one of these fundraising Secret Garden Visits costs £600, which covers entry for up to six guests. Once you have booked, we will be in touch with information on exact address and parking arrangements.

For visits before 17 May, a maximum of six people can attend from up to two households. These restrictions may change if government guidance changes.

This programme is for Friends and Patrons of the Garden Museum. To book one of these visits, become a Friend here for from just £36, or join as a Patron. Friends will need their membership number, found on the back of your Friends card, to purchase a ticket (Patrons will not need to do this). If you have joined and not yet received your membership please type “NEW”.

For any enquiries please contact Development Manager Christina McMahon at christina@gardenmuseum.org.uk.

Programme

Dan Pearson’s Garden at Hillside, Somerset

Three dates are available for this very special visit to to the private garden of one of the country’s top garden designers, as Dan Pearson opens up his Somerset garden for a groups of up to six guests per day. These visits are part of our Secret Garden Visits fundraiser to raise urgently needed funds to save the Garden Museum from the impact of the pandemic.

In 2010 Dan Pearson, the renowned landscape designer and writer, together with his partner Huw Morgan, moved from their London town garden to a beautiful but windswept hillside in Somerset, taking with them three carloads of plants, hope and ambition. A decade later, we are privileged to be their guests and to see the magnificent results of their creativity at Hillside.

Guests will be invited to bring a picnic lunch and wander round the gardens at their leisure. A full address for the garden will be provided to the buyer, along with the contact details of the garden owner so you can arrange parking and timings.

Image: Hillside © Huw Morgan