The Secret Garden Glamping

In the great lockdown of 2020, lots of things were cancelled: work, holidays and ITV’s hit show, Love Island, among them. You might wonder what that has to do with Merseyside glamping site, The Secret Garden. The answer? Almost everything. You see, when dad-of-two, Derry Green, found himself stuck at home facing the prospect of a summer with no holidays, he decided to spruce up his garden. But what started out as a bit of decking at the side of his house, ended up as a super-luxe glamping getaway. It’s been hailed as Merseyside’s answer to the Love Island villa – and it’s only a slight exaggeration to say it’s proved almost as popular.

With a private hot tub, sauna, and fire pit all under a canopy of festoon lighting, the first hand-built accommodation at The Secret Garden, The Hideout, is as Instagrammable as it comes. It was supposed to be somewhere for Derry and his kids to use but, after friends and family showed interest, he decided to try letting it out. It certainly struck a chord with people who were missing holidays (and, perhaps, their favourite TV programme) and it wasn’t long before the ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ started racking up on social media. Soon it was even featuring under excited headlines in national newspapers. “Dad transforms ‘scrubland’ garden into Love Island replica”, read one.

Thankfully, this place lives up to the hype. While The Hideout is essentially a luxury glamping pod; it’s appeal is ramped up significantly by the outdoor space. The pod and all of its facilities are in a fully-fenced and decked secret garden. The combination of self-contained accommodation, superstar style and private spa facilities was just right for 2020 and will continue to wow those who want secluded luxury in the north west.

You may have gathered by now that Derry is not a man to do things half-heartedly and, as a result, The Hideout is now just one of the accommodation options on offer. The rest are a little further from the house, spread across his four acres of rural and wooded land. Each is hand-built and unique but has the same sense of style and seclusion; a private outdoor space with its own hot tub, sauna and fire pit. There’s The Lodge, a timber cabin on the edge of the woodland with views over fields, and The Retreat, a yurt, tucked among trees with a free-standing bath.

Most people who visit are here to relax and don’t venture far during stays. As such, all you really need to know about the local area is that there are shops and a good pub within a ten-minute drive. Everything is designed to make chilling out easy: gas barbecues, Smart TVs and the all important high-speed wifi that makes sharing images of this photogenic place a little too tempting to ignore; a not so secret garden after all and, due to its popularity, one to book well in advance.