Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Equally extraordinary is the
Eden Project
(p. 406), a former clay mine in a lush
Cornish valley that's been covered with a series of huge geodesic domes, like
something from a science-fiction film. Inside are more than a million plants
from around the world, including the planet's largest “captive” rainforest. After-
ward, hit the road for 3 or so hours and you can be in Wales for dinner, in a
little hotel just across the Severn Bridge.
Day 6: National Botanic Garden of Wales
From your hotel it should take less than 2 hours to get to this relatively new
garden (opened 2000), near
Swansea.
The
National Botanic Garden
(p. 701), however, was created on 400-year-old parkland, which still peeps out
in places such as the walled garden. At the garden's heart is the Great Glass-
house, a low, wide dome that seems a continuation of the hill (and which fea-
tures warmth-loving plants from many locations, including California); around
the edge are woods and parkland; and in between are lawns and formal gardens.
Lunch should be taken in the
Seasons
restaurant, in an old stable block, which
uses produce from the walled garden and lamb and beef from the garden's own
organic farm. Stay in one of the many little hotels that dot the countryside.
Day 7: Painswick Rococo Garden
The drive here shouldn't take more than a couple of hours, as it's almost all
motorway (M4/M5).
Painswick
(p. 436), near Stroud, in the Cotswolds, is a
great example of gardens at their most ornate. It was created in the early 1700s
and rescued late last century. The garden's flamboyance (including a maze) is in
contrast to the views across the valley in which it sits. The
Coach House
res-
taurant uses produce from the kitchen garden and is a nice spot for lunch before
your drive back to London, which will take a little over 2 hours.
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