text: Garden Holiday Excursions for Green Fingered Guests
  Travel & Tourism The sheer serenity of an exotic garden abroad is often totally unexpected yet totally awe-inspiring. You don’t have to be a green-fingered professional to marvel at the intricate details of a grand garden. If gardening is your thing, then the exotic gardens presented in this article will leave you reinvigorated for a change of the old vegetable patch as soon as you get home. César Manrique’s Cactus Garden, Lanzarote There are numerous Lanzarote resorts to base yourself at whilst enjoying the splendour of the area’s cacti gardens. Although synonymous with Wild West movies, the more experienced amongst us will understand that the cactus is a highly versatile member of the Cactaceae family and comes in all shapes and sizes. César Manrique’s Cactus Garden is perhaps one of the greatest places on the planet to visit a plethora of cacti in one ingeniously designed garden.
  In total, 450 species and 4,500 specimens are at centre stage at this repurposed quarry. The splendid mixture of prickly vegetation against a backdrop of azure blue skies provides the perfect destination for any cacti enthusiast. Sigurtà Garden Park, Italy “Il bel paese” is perhaps the destination to see some of the world’s oldest and perhaps most magnificent gardens. The Parco Giardino Sigurtà, in particular, is a sizeable Eden of all things green. The former farm is now home to an impressively sculpted arrangement of lakes, rose gardens and flowers, all set amongst the scenery of the Italian hills. All visitors are advised to make time to see the Avenue of the Roses which consist of an imaginative and immaculately planted walkway of reds, pinks and whites. The stone of eternal youth is a fun feature of the park and worth a detour to try and land some ancient luck. Nectarome Aromatic Garden, Morocco The final garden in our selection requires a venture south to the shores of North Africa. Visitors are recommended to stay in Les Jardins de la Medina, where they can expect to find a sea of orange trees surrounding the luxury hotel. The garden itself is a short drive from the accommodation and is well worth the wait.
  Around 50 aromatic and medicinal species are grown here throughout the year. Visitors can also find the delights of Marrakech just a short drive away. These marvellous gardens are a dream holiday destination for anybody eager to see natural beauty in sculpted form. From ancient cacti centres to rose-laced walkways, gardeners can take so much inspiration from the dazzling variety on offer. Lanzarote resorts, Italian villas or an alluring Moroccan hotel are all awaiting you for a green-fingered trip of a lifetime. Author Plate John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years he has been providing holidays in luxury Lanzarote resorts, as well as holidays in Bermuda, Croatia and many other destinations around the globe. John tries to visit each of the destinations regularly in order to ensure the quality of his properties, and stay up-to-date about the latest local news and events. He has a taste for the finer things in life and has an interest in arts, history and culture.