Magnificent Dutch Gardens

ITINERARY

AT A GLANCE

August 24, Saturday – Arrive in Amsterdam and the Schiphol Sheraton

August 25, Sunday – Singer Laren Sculpture Garden, Gardens at Palace Het Loo, Garden of Fortmond

August 26, Monday – Mien Ruys Gardens, Lianne’s Siergrassen, DeWit Garden Tool Factory

August 27, Tuesday – Park of Dutch Dreams, Studio Nico Wissing, Garden of Jelle Grintjes

August 28, Wednesday – Vlindertuin De Zindering, The Garden of Marieke Nolsen

August 39, Thursday – Vlinderhof, free time in Utrecht, Garden Opdehaar

August 30, Friday – Boat tour along nurseries in Boskoop, Mills of Kinderdijk

August 31, Saturday – Appeltern Adventure Gardens, the garden of Hans Gieszen, canal boat dinner tour in Amsterdam

September 1, Sunday – Depart or continue travels

DETAILS

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate strives to operate according to our published itinerary. However, in the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond our control or opportunities that would enhance the itinerary, adjustments may be necessary.

Day 1, Saturday, August 24: ARRIVAL

Tour members arrange their own transportation to Amsterdam and to the Schiphol Sheraton, where a reservation has been made for them.

We will gather for a welcome dinner this evening (included in tour price).

Day 2, Sunday, August 25: SINGER LAREN SCULPTURE GARDEN, GARDENS AT PALACE HET LOO, GARDEN OF FORTMOND

Our first stop will be the Sculpture Garden at the Singer Laren Museum, which is devoted to presenting and preserving the collection of the American artist William Henry Singer and his wife, Anna. The garden was designed by Piet Oudolf, considered the leading figure in the "New Perennial" movement. Oudolf uses herbaceous perennials and grasses in his designs for their structure, movement and color. The garden opened in 2018 and features contemporary Dutch sculptures that highlight the relationship between culture and nature.

At midday we’ll travel to the Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn, which was the royal palace of Willem and Mary when they became King and Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1689. This Dutch Baroque Great Garden is nicknamed the "Versailles of Holland" because of its perfect symmetry, axial layout radiating gravel walks, and parterres with fountains, basins, and statues. Be sure to look for the orange trees! There are several café and restaurant options here for you to find a delicious lunch on your own.

Next, we’ll board the bus and head to the Garden of Fortmond in Olst. This marvelous home and garden overlooks the IJssel Valley, with the hills of the Veluwe in the distance. From the terrace, you have a panoramic view of the property, including bird groves with natural undergrowth, the stunning flower meadow, as well as De Duursche Waarden nature reserve that sits adjacent to the garden.

We’ll check into the Hotel Mooi Rivier in Dalfsen and eat dinner together tonight.

Day 3, Monday, August 26: MIEN RUYS GARDENS, LIANNE’S SIERGRASSEN, DEWIT GARDEN TOOL FACTORY

This morning we’ll make our way to Dedemsvaart to explore a sequence of 30 inspirational horticultural displays at Mien Ruys Gardens. Nine of the gardens have been given national monument status and offer a chronological overview of 20th century garden architecture. We’ll have an opportunity to explore the Sunken Garden, the Water Garden, the Wilderness Garden, and many others. We can discuss what we’ve seen over lunch together here.

Today we've got an exciting stop at Lianne Pot's Prairie Garden in the Wilp! Lianne is a designer who found inspiration for her Dutch garden in the American prairie. In her prairie and steppe gardens, Lianne has experimented with balancing new, low-maintenance planting forms of swaying grasses with flowers like echinacea, helianthus, aster and monarda. Each area of the garden has different layers, beautiful shapes, and rich, vibrant colors that change with the seasons. The new steppe garden features blue-leaved grasses, herbaceous perennials and spontaneously sowing upright fillers that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

Our next stop is the headquarters of the DeWit Tool Company, which began as a small blacksmith factory in 1898 but in the 20th century began making high-quality garden tools. For over a century, the DeWit family has remained true to their original roots of handcraftsmanship and high quality. We'll have the opportunity to take a tour of the factory and learn the history behind these heirloom tools, and of course do a little shopping in their showroom!

We’ll return to the Hotel Mooi Rivier to eat dinner together tonight.

Day 4, Tuesday, August 27: PARK OF DUTCH DREAMS, STUDIO NICO WISSING, JELLE GRINTJES GARDEN

The Park of Dutch Dreams on the south bank of the Oude IJssel in Doetinchem is our first stop today. The park is divided into 6 sections, with a different garden expert drawing up a plan for each area. Piet Oudolf, Jacqueline van der kloet, Tom de Witte, Bart Hoes, Climmy Schneider and Nico Wissing have already planted more than 200 perennial plant species, and almost 45,000 flower bulbs, including 60 different species. No matter the season, Park of Dutch Dreams is a colorful, diverse, yet unified, design that can be enjoyed by the community and gardeners from around the globe.

Next, we’ll travel to Megchelen for lunch at the Studio of Nico Wissing, a landscape designer known for his vision of the nature-inclusive living environment. He’s also one of the designers of Park of Dutch Dreams. His personal romantic hillside garden is worth a stroll, with more than 300 species of plants, including a long, modern pond flanked on either side by banks of pennisetum.

Our last stop of the day is the private garden of designer Jelle Grintjes. This 5,000-square-meter garden is composed of almost 20,000 perennial plants and grasses, as well as more than 50,000 flower bulbs, all only a few years old. Impressive and beautiful!

At the end of the day we’ll check into Hotel Bergse Bossen in Driebergen before we dine together.

Day 5, Wednesday, August 28: VLINDERTUIN DE ZINDERING, MARIEKE NOLSEN’S GARDEN

This morning we’ll travel to Tiel and visit Vlindertuin De Zindering, where we’ll take a tour with designer Edwin Barendrecht. What makes this exuberant garden especially unique is its focus on biodiversity. The garden also uses an intricate underground irrigation system that’s powered by solar energy. You’ll have many opportunities to ask questions on this garden visit!

In the afternoon, we’ll make a stop at the garden of Marieke Nolsen, a flower stylist, gardener, and lecturer extraordinaire whose lifelong passion is flowers. The dahlia is the center of attention in this garden, with countless varieties, colors, and textures creating a spectacular explosion of color. Be sure to have your camera handy for this one as you’ll want to capture all the inspiration!

This evening we’ll eat dinner together at the Hotel Bergse Bossen.

Day 6, Thursday, August 29: VLINDERHOF, UTRECHT, GARDEN OPDEHAAR

Our morning garden stop will be a tour of Vlinderhof Garden in Utrecht. Vlinderhof means Butterfly Garden in Dutch and was designed in the New Perennial, or Dutch Wave, style by Piet Oudolf. From one end of the garden, you can catch the overall effect, in which vibrant perennials are combined with grasses, creating a natural play of heights, textures, and colors. Wander through the park and see each plant up close for an entirely different experience.

You’ll have time to explore and find a bite to eat in Utrecht. This city boasts beautiful canals and parks, lively restaurants and cafés, fascinating museums, and remarkable historical buildings.

In the afternoon we’ll make our way to Garden Opdehaar in Hoevelaken, which is a plant lover’s dream created by John and Joyce Ramsbotham. It’s known for more than 4,500 different species of shade-tolerant woodland plants, trees, and shrubs. We’ll have the afternoon to stroll under 300-year-old oak trees, wander over bridges and forest paths and explore the eight contiguous gardens that cover nearly 2 hectares. This shady property is quite a contrast from the sunny butterfly garden on our morning garden tour.

At the end of the day we’ll again gather at the hotel for dinner.

Day 7, Friday, August 30: BOAT TOUR IN BOSKOOP, MILLS OF KINDERDIJK

A boat tour along the nurseries in Boskoop is undoubtedly the best way to see the horticultural center of the Netherlands, which is exactly how we’ll start our day. From a small boat, you can enjoy the views over countless nurseries of shrubs, trees, and perennials, while learning about the historical district and hearing stories about this fascinating botanical world. We’ll enjoy lunch together on the tour before we leave for our next destination.

We have an equally delightful afternoon planned at the Mills of Kinderdijk amongst the village’s 19 windmills. Explore the fascinating stories of the dikes, windmills, and pumping stations at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This evening we’ll again gather for dinner at our hotel.

Day 8, Saturday, August 31: APPELTERN ADVENTURE GARDENS, GARDEN OF HANS GIESZEN, CANAL BOAT TOUR IN AMSTERDAM

Our last full day begins with a stop at the Appeltern Adventure Gardens, a collection more than 200 small exhibition gardens. Maybe you’ll decide to visit the Cottage Garden, rich with flowers, vegetables and fruit, which will be sure to make you feel like you're in the English countryside. Or perhaps the Downtown Garden, which is meant to conjure the memories of a seaside getaway using natural materials, such as tall grasses, sand, shells, chestnut wood, and moraine boulders. We’ll have plenty of time to explore here, as well as time for lunch on your own.

Our next stop will be the garden of Hans Gieszen near the village Renswoude. A self-taught garden designer, Hans has learned to use the shape, structure, and seasonal changes of plants to create stunning gardens. He began creating his garden in 2012, beginning with perennials that could be easily grown and maintained sustainably.

This afternoon we’ll check into our final hotel in Amsterdam, and will finish our day in with a canal boat tour, including dinner. What a wonderful ending to a once-in-a-lifetime trip!

Day 9, Sunday, September 1: DEPARTURE

Our time together has ended, but garden lovers always find fresh inspiration wherever they are. Tour members can choose to return home or carry on the adventure.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.

PRICING

Tour price:

$6,445 (USD) per person, double occupancy

$7,695 (USD) per person, single occupancy

Tour price includes:

• All 4-star hotel accommodations
• All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 8 dinners, including tips
• Admission to all gardens, including tips
• Comfortable coach transport
• Friendly and knowledgeable local tour guide
• Design and botanical expertise of your Horticulture & Garden Gate hosts

Tour price excludes:

• Airfare. Each tour member books their own flight to arrive at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam by 3 p.m. local time on 8/24/24 and depart from the same airport on or after 9/1/24.
• Travel Insurance (required)
• 3 lunches, all drinks, including water, and snacks
• Breakfast & lunch on arrival day, and lunch & dinner on departure day
• Tips for coach driver & tour coordinator

Payment schedule:

A $1,000.00 (USD) deposit is due when you book your tour.

Final payment, in full, is due on July 5, 2024.

After July 5, please contact us to confirm that there are still spots available on this tour. If we are able to accommodate your reservation, full payment, reservation form and proof of insurance will be due immediately.

NOTE: Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate offers thoughtfully arranged garden tours. Each tour is guaranteed to proceed as soon as the minimum of 15 reservations has been met. If our reservation minimum is not met, Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate reserves the right to cancel the tour. Deposits/payments will be refunded in full if the tour is canceled.

If you need to cancel your reservation, the deposit and final payment are fully refundable until May 24. After May 24, we are not able to refund the deposit. After July 5, no refunds for deposit or final payment will be issued.

Please DO NOT make your airline reservations until Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate has guaranteed (by email) that the tour will proceed.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.

ACCOMMODATIONS

4-Star Lodging & Comfortable Coach Travel

Hotel Accommodations

After a day filled with garden inspiration and botanical discoveries, we will retire to the comfort of 4-star accommodations.

August 24 – Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center

August 25-26 – Hotel Mooi Rivier

August 27-30 – Hotel Bergse Bossen

August 31 – DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station

Coach Travel

Daily transportation will be provided by a modern, comfortable coach operated by an experienced driver.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Responsibilities:

As the hosting organization, Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate provides reservation services and has chosen Garden Tours, a professional tour operator, as its designated tour operator. As the designated tour operator, Garden Tours arranges for the actual tour of the garden sites. Garden Tours also acts as an agent for services connected with specific tours hosted by Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate, such as ground transportation, lodging, accommodations, and meals. Each service provider is solely responsible to the participant for providing their respective services.

By making a reservation for a tour hosted by Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate, the participant certifies that she/he does not have any mental, physical, or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other participants. Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours reserve the right in their sole discretion to accept, decline to accept, or remove any participant on a tour hosted by Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate.

Price:

The tour prices in this agreement are based upon current exchange rates, tariffs, and taxes. Fluctuations in these rates could result in a price adjustment without prior notice until the tour is paid in full. Once the price for the tour is paid in full, the fee will not be adjusted due to any later change in exchange rates, tariffs or taxes.

Liabilities & Booking Conditions:

Garden Tours is established in the Netherlands, and rights and responsibilities for all tours operated by Garden Tours will be governed by Dutch and EU laws only. Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours will have responsibility only for the proven negligent acts and omissions of its employees or agents and suppliers, subcontractors, servants, and/or agents of the same while acting within the scope of or in the course of their employment in respect of claims arising as a result of death, bodily injury, or illness caused to the signatory to the contract and/or any other named persons on the booking form.

Smoking:

All participants in tours hosted by Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate agree to comply with a non-smoking policy on all coaches, in restaurants, and in all lodging places.

Liability:

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours have no responsibility or liability to any person for loss of baggage, money, or other property whatsoever. Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours have no responsibility or liability for any loss or additional expenses caused by delay or interruption to travel services through weather conditions (such as rain, wind, or fog), civil disturbance, riot, illegal acts of third parties, strikes, wars, floods, sickness or any circumstances amounting to Force Majeure.

Complaints:

In the unlikely event that you have a complaint, you must promptly notify the Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate host or the Garden Tours tour coordinator directly, so he/she can take remedial action on the spot. If the matter cannot be solved directly, any complaints must be submitted in writing to Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate within 20 days after the date of your return.

Your tour canceled by us:

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate aims to provide your tour as booked. We reserve the right to cancel your tour under any circumstances, but if we cancel your tour, except where this is because you have not paid, you will receive a full refund.

Changes in itinerary details:

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours strive to operate according to the published itinerary. However, in the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond our control or opportunities that would enhance the itinerary, adjustments may be necessary or appropriate. Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate and Garden Tours reserve the right, without penalty, to make changes in the agreed-upon itinerary whenever, in their judgment, conditions warrant or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of participants. Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate will let you know about any significant changes as soon as possible if there is time before your departure. Otherwise, we will announce changes on the tour.

Cancellations:

If you should need to withdraw from the tour for whatever reason, you must notify Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate in writing. Cancellation becomes effective when written notice is received. Deposits and final payments will be refunded for cancellations made before the deposit deadline (May 24, 2024). Deposits are nonrefundable for cancellations made between May 24 and the final payment deadline, July 5, 2024. There will be no refunds from Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate on or after the final payment deadline.

Insurance:

Travel insurance is required in case you need to cancel your trip after the final payment deadline, you have health emergencies while on the tour, or other unforeseen issues arise. Squaremouth and Insure My Trip are two travel insurance search sites. If you are under 70 years old, World Nomads is usually an economical travel insurance choice. You will be required to provide your travel insurance declarations page to Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate by July 5, 2024.

Health & Safety:

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate follows COVID-19 safety updates from the CDC and our destination countries.

Photography notice:

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate will be taking photos and videos of the gardens for future editorial and promotional use. Tour participants may occasionally appear in these images.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.

RESERVATIONS

Secure your reservation:

To reserve your spot on this tour:

1. Fill out and submit the online reservation form.
   Reservation Form
2. Submit your tour deposit of $1,000 USD by calling 800-341-4769 or completing a checkout through our online store.
   Pay Deposit Online

Questions? Contact us at gardentravel@aimmedia.com or 800-341-4769. We would love to chat with you about this exciting trip!

Note: After July 5, 2024, please contact us to confirm that there are still spots available on this tour. If we are able to accommodate your reservation, full payment, reservation form and proof of insurance will be due immediately.

Payment details:

Deposit amount: $1,000 USD

Full payment:
$6,445 (USD) per person, double occupancy
$7,695 (USD) per person, single occupancy

Note: For reservations made after July 5, 2024, the full payment will be due immediately.

Additional information about the Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate tour costs, including details about inclusions and exclusions, can be viewed under “Pricing”.

PLEASE NOTE: Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate reserves the right to cancel the tour. Deposits/payments will be refunded in full if the tour is canceled.

Garden Travel with Horticulture & Garden Gate follows COVID-19 safety updates from the CDC and our destination countries.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.

YOUR TOUR HOSTS

Kristin Beane Sullivan

Executive Editor, Garden Gate & Horticulture

In her 27 years at Garden Gate (and now Horticulture), Kristin’s enthusiasm for visiting gardens and meeting other gardeners has only grown and she learns something through almost every experience. Although she’s packed a lot into her small urban garden in Des Moines, Iowa, she’s found that miraculously, there always seems to be room for one more plant!

Eric Flynn

Executive Art Director, Garden Gate & Horticulture

Eric Flynn started as an illustrator with Garden Gate more than 27 years ago, and now he directs all the design for both Garden Gate & Horticulture. Although his roles (and design technology!) have changed through the years, you might still occasionally still see him with a pencil or watercolor brush in his hand. Eric especially prides himself on the containers that fill the porch and deck of his suburban home in every season.

Contact 800-341-4769 or gardentravel@aimmedia.com for more information.