Spring Awakening: Immersive Garden & Farm Experiences

March 5, 2025 by Hidden Doorways

The most sophisticated travelers understand that timing is everything. And while these ten exceptional destinations offer year-round allure, spring transforms them into something transcendent. Imagine sipping champagne in London’s most exclusive private garden as cherry blossoms scatter overhead or picnicking among a sea of scarlet poppies on a Provençal hillside where centuries of history meet botanical splendor. From Franklin, Tennessee to Fiji’s pristine shores, we’ve curated the definitive collection of spring’s most magnificent settings—places where natural beauty and human cultivation achieve perfect harmony, if only for a fleeting, magnificent moment.

Perfumed Mediterranean Gardens at Finca Cortesin

Head to the Costa del Sol’s magnificent Finca Cortesin and sure, travelers will be greeted with glittering blue beach waves and the picturesque village of Casares a stone’s throw away, but even closer still is the 530 acres of estate and undisturbed nature that the resort calls its own. Here, landscaped grounds are in abundance with meandering walks through all 250,000 square feet of its perfumed Mediterranean gardens to encourage guests to take it all in. A garden suite grants them their very own private green spaces where they can start and end every day in peace and privacy as they look onto the weeping lilac wisteria-lined walkways, rose arches and millennial olive trees that are never far from sight.

Provençal Picnics at Airelles Gordes, La Bastide

Perched on the sun-warmed limestone cliffs of one of France’s most beautiful villages, Airelles La Bastide de Gordes offers spring’s most enchanting tableau. As April unfolds into May, the surrounding Luberon Valley transforms into an artist’s palette of wild blooms—scarlet poppies dance between ancient stone walls, while pink valerian and purple irises emerge wherever the Provençal breeze has scattered their seeds. The 16th-century palace invites guests to embrace this ephemeral display with curated picnic experiences. Find your perfect spot overlooking undulating hills and century-old olive groves, then unpack a gourmet basket filled with regional treasures—artisanal cheeses, chilled rosé from neighboring vineyards, and seasonal delicacies that capture the essence of spring in Provence. As you dine beneath azure skies, surrounded by the intoxicating scent of wildflowers and panoramic views that stretch across the mesmerizing Luberon Valley, time seems suspended, offering a sensory feast that epitomizes the sophisticated charm of rural French luxury.

Experience Farm Life at Southall

A working farm in the historic region of Franklin, Tennessee, lush and rolling hills are there to greet every guest at Southall. 325 acres of expansive farmland play home to heritage crops and fruit-filled orchards but equally more manicured gardens and hardworking greenhouses to paint a full and honest picture of nature at play. Time spent at Southall is to be spent slowly, observing it all through richly deserved rest, but those staying are welcomed to interact as fully as they please with Mother Nature. Head to The Apiary to watch its 4 million honeybees create its award-winning honey or go for a guided walk through terraced hand-toiled kitchen gardens where heirloom vegetables grow in abundance. A perfect picnic spot is amidst its 1,300 apple trees that overlook Lake Mishkin, or for the more actively minded, why not try its aerial treetop experience to be fully immersed in its never-ending tree canopy as the sun sets.

A Secret City Garden at The Goring

City escapes enjoyed in spring mean dry pavements, periwinkle blue skies and typically a heat that’s on the less intense side. That’s certainly true of springtime visits to London’s elegant Belgravia where the five-star hotel, The Goring awaits as one of the loveliest, leafiest escapes in the city. Step through its famous doors – warmly welcomed by the hotel’s scarlet-clad footmen – and you’ll find something rather special: The Goring Garden. Hidden behind the hotel, this secluded retreat offers the kind of quintessentially English charm that makes you forget the city altogether, a rare haven that feels entirely your own. One of the largest private gardens in London, The Goring Garden is just the place to shake off the last of winter. Come spring, the borders are in bloom, the lawn is perfectly preened, and really, the only decision you need to make is whether to sip your Bollinger under the sun or retreat to The Veranda for a spot of Afternoon Tea should the clouds make an appearance. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering or simply looking for a quiet moment away from the city’s hum, The Goring Garden has a way of making you feel very much at home. And with Belgravia in Bloom just around the corner, spring is the perfect time to experience this glorious secret garden.

An Immersive Ecosystem at Herdade da Malhadinha Nova

Another European destination with more acres than the eye can see (1,100 to be precise), Portugal’s Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is an invitation to reconnect with nature. Tour the estate by foot with a backpack of foraged seasonal fruit to snack on or with one of its pureblood Lusitano horses to discover the riches of the estate. Stop by its vegetable gardens en route to learn about the property’s organic crops and sustainable agricultural practices, tasting fresh produce from the Alentejo as you go. Be sure to greet its black pigs, Alentejo cows, chickens and peacocks too to balance out the flora with the fauna. A must is sampling produce that keeps the Alentejo’s traditions alive, like olive oil and honey. Especially honey in fact — Malhadinha honey is heightened by the abundance of wildflowers in Alentejo after all.

Endemic Species and Unique Gardens at Ellerman House

‘An indigenous paradise’ is how South Africa’s Ellerman House describes its generous gardens. A fair description being positioned in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, recognized for its diverse plant life and thousands of endemic species that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. An oasis of natural heritage inspired by Cape Town’s world-renowned Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, its one-and-a-half acres are a showpiece and then some. From statuesque aloes from the Eastern Cape to succulents from the Karoo, garden wanders here are an educational feast for the eyes. On the sea-facing side of Ellerman House are its terraced lawns filled with pincushions, proteas, ericas, reed-like restios, scented pelargonium and buchu — not to mention endless ocean views and a captivating display of birds stopping by to visit the vibrant lion’s tail and strelitzias in front of the restaurant terrace.

Onto the Lagoon at Villa Bokéh

This colonial-style Antiguan getaway is nestled within gardens so lush and peaceful that guests may wish they were sleeping in garden hammocks rather than their luxurious suites. Magically manicured and the largest garden landscape of any hotel in Antigua, one of Villa Bokéh’s greatest features is its multiple fountains providing a soothing, trickling backdrop throughout the hacienda. Designed by Katy Jay in collaboration with Paliare Studio, these water features bring together sophisticated architecture, Guatemalan Colonial design, and modern details. The gardens create a charmingly formed sanctuary within which you feel completely safe and secluded. By foot isn’t the only way to enjoy these grounds, though—book the Notebook Experience and extend that feeling further by boating out onto its very own lagoon. With a picnic in tow, it’s heady in romance where guests can recreate their very own movie moment on the water.

Woodlands, Lakes and Gardens Aplenty at Heckfield Place

Hidden away in the green and pleasant lands of Hampshire in the UK is Georgian manor Heckfield Place whose grounds are as remarkable as the property (and its newly opened spa). Mother Nature shows her many faces here, from the carefully planted to the untamed and natural pools to play with in the way of its upper and lower lakes to the East of the house where boating and cold water immersion therapy takes place. Be sure to find time to wander through its Walled Gardens where fragrant lavender and English roses run wild amongst many a species more, offering contrast to the wilder heath and heather and leading guests to its Bothy Spa beyond the garden walls. As you wander through its woodlands, take in the ancient trees planted in the 18th-century by pioneering horticulturist William Wildsmith and follow the trails to Home Farm to interact with the vegetable garden, the livestock and the flowers that are grown, reared and harvested all from Heckfield’s mighty 400 acres.

Harvesting in Paradise at Kokomo Private Island

Nestled in the pristine Kadavu Islands of the South Pacific, lies Kokomo Private Island, a 140-acre tropical sanctuary where sustainability flourishes in splendid isolation. Here, amid this remote Fijian paradise, a 5.5-acre organic farm bursts with abundance. This agricultural achievement, surrounded by nothing but ocean for miles, provides a cornucopia of seasonal produce for visitors to feast upon. Vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and exotic fruits thrive under the equatorial sun, while a state-of-the-art hydroponics garden supplies fresh lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers year-round—a feat made all the more impressive by the island’s remote location. Wander through the vanilla plantation where fresh beans are cultivated for the pastry kitchen, past beehives producing crystalline honey, to a hen house where free-range eggs are gathered daily. Join a member of Kokomo’s food and beverage team for a guided farm tour to discover how this self-sufficient ecosystem operates. As you learn about their innovative growing practices and sustainability initiatives, you’ll gain a profound appreciation for this extraordinary agricultural oasis flourishing in one of the most pristine corners of the South Pacific.

Nature’s Warming Welcome with Nordic Luxury

As winter fades and nature comes alive, spring offers the perfect time to rejuvenate both body and mind in Iceland’s geothermal waters. Travel with Nordic Luxury and trust them to unlock access to spots such as the secluded Hvammsvik Hot Springs, where eight mineral-rich pools blend with the wild beauty of the ocean, or arrange a full Icelandic bathing ritual at Sky Lagoon – expect thermal soaks, invigorating salt scrubs, and the refreshing embrace of a cold plunge. Venture beyond Reykjavík and there’s the iconic Blue Lagoon inviting you to soak in its ethereal, silica-rich waters, surrounded by otherworldly lava fields. Whether nestled in nature or moments from the city, these geothermal sanctuaries promise relaxation, restoration, and a true awakening of the senses – there’s no better time to experience these sensations than the height of spring.