Travel adventures with le jardinet
Meet Your Hosts
Karen & Andy Chapman: touring the Chatsworth Estate, Peak District National Park, England.
Both Karen and Andy grew up in northern England. In fact, they first met when Andy was just 9 and Karen was 14 (and she still hasn’t forgiven him for not remembering her, even though she has the photographs to prove it!) Despite such inauspicious beginnings they married in 1987 and lived in the heart of the Peak District before moving to Seattle in 1996 with their two young children.
A love of the English countryside was a common bond even in those early days, which for Karen naturally led to an interest in gardening while both Karen and Andy enjoy photographing landscapes and wildlife.
Today, as a landscape designer, award-winning author, and international speaker Karen has the knowledge, enthusiasm, personal connections, and detailed, organizational skills that are needed to put together a tour of inspirational gardens, historical sites, and cultural experiences.
As always, Andy is an integral part of Karen’s business, offering logistical support, attention to detail, and a reassuring pair of extra hands, ears, and eyes to make sure every guest feels cared for.
Together, they would love to share “their England” and other favorite places with you.
What our guests said....
England 2022
east coast 2022
England 2023
SOUTH AFRICA 2023
england 2024
hudson river valley 2024
england 2025
- What a fantastic time we had! The gardens, historic homes and villages were a treat to experience. We appreciated your attention to detail and personal insights into everything UK. Thanks so much!
- You and Andy are a perfect team. You have your roles down perfectly and everybody is quite comfortable with both of you. You are very different and very approachable.
- Best garden tour ever!
- This was just absolutely awe inspiring and fun!!! Can't wait to do it again.
- Would definitely signup for another tour with you guys
- The group size is just right - easy to bond with people.
- I am just so grateful for this opportunity to travel with you, Karen, Andy, (Katie and Evan) and be a part of your family. I loved the personal people connection that you provided.
- It was an incredible tour to a destination I would not have ventured out to on my own. The mix of gardens and the added safaris were great. I look back on it now and still have to pinch myself that it wasn’t a dream. Great tour.
- Once again you have created a once in a lifetime experience for us.
adventures in New zealand:
gardens, wildlife & natural beauty
With Karen & Andy Chapman
October 30th-November 18th 2025
From parrots to penguins and roses to restios – this tour has it all.
New Zealand is world-renowned for its outstanding natural beauty, delicious wines, and abundant wildlife and this 19-day tour promises to be the adventure of a lifetime as we explore the highlights of it all.
Our journey will begin in Auckland with visits including Auckland Botanic Gardens, Omaio, Totara Waters and Ayrlies, one of the most celebrated gardens. An evening at the Hobbiton Movie Set is sure to be fun before we fly to Wellington. Visiting Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum will help us learn more about the shaping of this land and its peoples while nighttime at Zealandia will enable us to look for nocturnal birds including the kiwi and Pateke, a native forest parrot.
Riding on the historic Wellington cable car will afford a birds eye view of the harbor and city before we visit several gardens including Otari-Wilton’s Bush, the only botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated to natives.
For a change of pace, a 3-hour scenic cruise will transport us through Queen Charlotte Sound to Picton where we will transfer by coach to Blenheim, visiting gardens and wineries along the way. With Christchurch, the ‘Garden City’ as our next base we will explore several special gardens including the Giants House, an historic Akaroa house, and Fisherman’s Bay Garden.
Continuing south to Queenstown through spectacular scenery we have included a stargazing tour at Mt. John. From Queenstown we have planned a special overnight wilderness experience in the Fiordland National Park to enjoy the stunning scenery and marine life of Doubtful Sound.
Back on land we will travel across the rolling farmland of Southland and Otago on our way to Dunedin. Our final day will include a visit to Larnach Castle, the Royal Albatross Colony, and an evening outing to see the Blue Penguins as they return from the sea. Our tour services end with your transfer to Dunedin domestic airport for your connecting flight home. If you prefer, you may wish to extend your visit in Dunedin and explore further south at your leisure.
This tour is filled with the sights and sounds of New Zealand, one that is sure to leave you with memories that will forever become a part of your soul.
ONLY 1 SPACE LEFT
adventures in yorkshire & the lake district:
inspiring gardens, literary connections & scenic byways
With Karen Chapman
June 1st-13th 2026
Join me for an unforgettable personalized, small group tour through the quintessential English countryside of Yorkshire and the Lake District.
Our adventure begins in the Yorkshire Dales, much-loved for its rolling, heather clad hills and as the setting for the humorous James Herriott veterinary stories. Based initially in the medieval city of York before transferring to Harrogate, we will enjoy private, guided tours of hidden gems including Parcevall Hall Gardens and the moated Markenfield Hall in addition to world-class gardens including Scampston Walled Garden and RHS Harlow Carr. Yet it is often the private gardens our guests enjoy the most, so our tour will include the opportunity to peek over proverbial stone walls to visit several gardens rarely opened to the public and meet their owners.
From here we will head north west to the more rugged scenery of the Lake District, best known for its literary associations and hiking opportunities. We have a wide variety of exciting gardens to visit including Levens Hall, renowned for its artistic topiary, Rydal Mount (home of William Wordsworth), the reimagined garden at Lowther Castle, designed by Dan Pearson and Hill Top where the stories of Peter Rabbit were penned.
Yet to truly experience England, you need to do more than just visit gardens. There will be free time sprinkled in throughout the tour for you to explore museums, shop for souvenirs, indulge in a cream tea or simply relax. We will also learn about York Minster, visit Castle Howard (a Bridgerton location), eat in historic coaching inns, and end our adventure with a cruise on Lake Windermere.
This is a tour like no other: it will be a unique blend of treasured experiences.
Adventures Down Under: australia & tasmania
Fall 2026
Disclaimer
Le jardinet acts only as an agent for the various independent suppliers that provide hotel accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, activities, or other services connected with this tour. Such services are subject to the terms and conditions of those suppliers. Le jardinet and their respective employees, agents, representatives, and assigns accept no liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or any other incident which may be caused by the negligence, defect, default of any company or person in performing these services. Responsibility is not accepted for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to sickness, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws or other such causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws and regulations of the country in which they are provided. Le jardinet is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in the tours/trips arranged by Le jardinet. Individual travelers are responsible of purchasing a travel insurance policy, if desires, that will cover some of the expenses associated with the loss of luggage or personal effects.
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