WELCOME TO OXFORD BOTANICA

Spending a week visiting the castles and gardens of the South of England, Lakes of Italy or sampling the delights of the champagne region of France may sound idyllic,but not necessarily if you are travelling without an expert guidance. Wouldnt it be nice to have a travelling companion who knew his stuff, someone to take away the angst of what not to miss, perhaps what should be missed, and get you there comfortably. Who could wow you with his passion for and knowledge of plants, gardens, and all things horticultural? Well, look no further, Adam Hodge is that man.

GARDEN WINE TRIPS

How often have you listened, spellbound, as a friend recounts a wonderful holiday they've had in England or Europe and the extraordinary things they've seen?

Beautiful countryside, breathtaking gardens, ancient buildings to mention a few. Then you been saddened by the realismâ€"you'd love to do the same but you don't know anyone to go with or where to go, or even know what you may be looking at. You definitely couldn't bear having to join a group in a guided tour- herded about like cattle, in and out of buses and having to put up with some awful drone in the seat beside you.



At last those issues are solved. You have found the person who will personally accompany you to a choice of wonderful places.
We will visit the most lovely gardens of the locality, some famous, some less known, saunter through the cloisters of ancient cathedrals or Abbeys, sample the wines of lesser known but eminent winemakers in France or even visit a wine fair where all the winegrowers are encouraging you to taste and compare their produce. We will visit charming little country restaurants for lunch eating local cuisine and in the evening enjoy a leisurely dinner in the exquisite and characterful hotel, which might be a Castle or Stately home.



All the matters like how we will get about will be sorted- it will always be in a luxury car or limousine and we will fly between countries in a private jet. What tops it off is that you will never be alone during the day unless you wish. As my mother tends to say 'May I take your arm please', I will, metaphorically speaking, hold your hand on this special trip.

WINE FAIRS

One of the most fun things to do in France is visit their wonderful Wine fairs. I have organised a number of trips to these events. They are held in a very large Hall with possibly 200 –1000 different stands. One meets the actual families or staff who run the Vineyards and are encouraged to sample their various wines. They are all independent growers and therefore you will meet the real artisans.



I can remember sampling about nine different Alsace wines, all quite gorgeous to savour and being bemused as to which one to select for purchase. You have the chance to network as well. If you find a wine you think is particularly excellent ask them who they know who produces wine from such and such and area and so you discover another winegrower and have an entrée.



A trip would include a few days in the area to visit the sites and engage in a little retail therapy [for those so inclined]. We would stay in either a luxury Hotel or Chateau hotel in the area and fly from the UK. Dates of Wine Fairs 2006: Rennes - 30th March to 2nd April, Paris - 7th to 10th April, Cours la Ville - 6th to 10th April, Lyons - 2nd to 6th November, Lille - 16th to 20th November. Please visit our website for booking information.

Designing and implementing the creation of gardens & landscapes, with an especial slant towards a rich canvas of flowers throughout the year.