Carex Tours Reviews

Dutch Wave Gardens was our first trip with Carex, and we’re very glad we went. We’re a mixed couple – one gardener and one non-gardener – and the tour kept us both happy and engaged all the way through. In fact, it was even a bit inspiring. Our knowledgeable and experienced tour leaders provided just the right amount of background information and we saw an amazing variety of Dutch Wave-style gardens at their peak season. The non-garden parts of the tour were great, too. We also enjoyed meeting and getting to know our other tour participants, and the accommodations and transportation were excellent. Many thanks to the Carex team for providing an amazing Dutch Wave Gardens tour experience and many wonderful memories. We’re already thinking about our next Carex tour.

Just returned from a delightful 9 days in the Netherlands on the Dutch Wave Tour. Accommodations were excellent, including the hotels and bus transport. The 13 gardens were a nice mix of public and private gardens. I especially enjoyed those where we got to meet the persons involved in designing and building their gardens. Mellow group of twenty, smoothly guided by Chris and Kitty. I am not a garden expert, but I discovered my home garden is actually a variation of the "Dutch Wave", and I've been adding edits inspired by me trip since I've gotten back.

My English gardens tour was the trip of a lifetime for me. I have longed to visit the gardens I had only read about and finally it was time. Everything about the Carex tour was beautifully considered, our accommodation, the meals, even a Michelin star lunch at the wonderful Gravetye Manor. We had a comfortable coach and two engaging tour guides, Chris ‘seatbelts’ Walsh and Kitty. Chris would discuss the gardens we were heading to about 20 minutes out. The history of the gardens and what to look out for and Kitty would let us know about the architecture of the area. We had a great bunch of fellow garden enthusiasts, made some wonderful friends. But it was all about the gardens and they were all wonderful. I’m not sure I could pick a favourite, maybe Sissinghurst. It surely was as magical and inspiring as I imagined. But Pettifers and Great Dixter were amazing as well. Having had Carex tours do all the organising, purchasing tickets to gardens, accommodation, meals and travel meant I could just enjoy and soak up the experience.