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TOUR OPTION 1 & 2
DAY 1 Saturday 21 May Wisley RHS and Chartwell
Our 2011 tour begins with two of the most popular and iconic of England’s homes and gardens. Leaving London we head first to Wisley, the world-renowned home of the Royal Horticultural Society, where you will have plenty of time to explore the spectacular and varied gardens. We will see the stunning Glasshouse, housing over 5,000 varieties of tropical plant, the Fruit Orchard, the dramatic Rock Garden and a myriad of fascinating horticultural innovations. Winston Churchill's home of Chartwell requires no introduction. What makes it such a memorable visit is not only the view from the garden which inspired his painting, but the fact that the interior is almost as he left it. You can almost smell the cigars! Churchill loved the house, especially the view over the Weald of Kent, and he transformed the grounds with new lakes and brickwork built with his own hands. (D) Overnight: Kent
Day 2 Sunday 22 May Ightham Mote and Scotney Castle
Ightham Mote is deservedly one of the most popular small gardens in the region. Here you can explore 650 years of history in one of the most complete examples of a medieval moated manor house. Those of you interested in historical novels might remember it as the setting for Anya Seton’s “Green Darkness”. The house is surrounded by a beautiful garden with lakes and woodland, and the constant sound of running water creates a charming experience. Then on to Scotney Castle which has been termed England's most romantic garden, with Victorian terraces covered in a riot of coloured shrubs overlooking a 14th century moated castle. The estate, covering some 770 acres, is a delightful mix of woodland, park and meadows and colourful displays can be found through most of the seasons. (B) Overnight: Kent
Day 3 Monday 23 May Groombridge Place, Hever Castle and Sissinghurst
Our first visit today is Groombridge Place, whose beautiful and award-winning gardens provide a fascinating mix of traditional heritage garden and ancient woodland. The formal walled gardens are set against the romantic backdrop of a medieval moat. In complete contrast, on a hillside above lies the Enchanted Forest, where quirky and mysterious gardens have been imaginatively developed. Hever Castle is certainly a highlight today. Hever is many people's idea of what a “real” castle should be, from its gateway and courtyard to its surrounding moat. Though dating back to 1270, and being the family home of one of Henry VIII's ill-fated wives (Anne Boleyn), it also has a relatively contemporary feel provided by the Astors, who took over and restored the castle in the early part of the last century. With a 30-acre garden, including a unique Italian garden filled with roses and statues, there's plenty to admire here. Then we travel on to the fabulous Sissinghurst Castle and Vita Sackville-West's world-famous garden, which requires no introduction to garden enthusiasts. You'll have plenty of time to explore this intimate and intricate garden and to visit those parts of her home open to the public. (B, D) Overnight: Kent
Day 4 Tuesday 24 May Merriments, Great Dixter and Pashley Manor
This region is blessed with delightful homes and gardens. Merriments Gardens is, in the words of the RHS Garden Finder, “one of the best show gardens in England”. It is a stunningly beautiful four acres of densely-planted borders, where the plants grown in the nursery can be seen in an imaginative garden context. Another icon is Great Dixter, the largest half-timbered house in England. But it is the garden that really grabs the attention with its wild meadows and famed Long Border. A fabulous mix of yew topiary, meadow flowers, natural ponds and the wonderful Exotic Garden, it is one that cannot be missed. Then on to Pashley Manor, the very essence of an English Garden. Surrounding a wonderful timber-framed Tudor house dating from around 1550, the gardens are a fabulous blend of romantic landscaping, imaginative plantings, fine trees, fountains and springs, displaying many eras of English history. (B) Overnight: West London
Day 5 Wednesday 25 May Kew Gardens and Ham House
Our London day concentrates on some of the gardens and stately homes that run along the banks of the Thames to the west of the city like a string of pearls. We'll begin our day in the famed Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, which is responsible for the world’s largest collection of living plants. These living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plant. A world heritage site, the gardens and magnificent glasshouses are located in 121 hectares of stunning vistas, set in a beautiful landscape beside the Thames. A short distance away, under the watchful eye of Richmond Hill, sits Ham House. This magnificent Stuart mansion, with its lavish 17th century interiors, can boast one of the last-remaining formal Dutch gardens. The extensive and beautiful gardens include the much-photographed Cherry Garden, pots and tubs, colourful flower borders and an Orangery. (B, D) Overnight: West London
Day 6 Thursday 26 May Chelsea Flower Show
The world famous CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW is our central feature of the day. (B) Overnight: London
Day 7 Friday 27 May Savill Garden and Cliveden
Today we visit the Chilterns, a region of the UK that can truly be described as a hidden secret. The Savill Garden near Windsor is one of Britain’s greatest ornamental gardens, enjoyed by horticulturalists and enthusiasts alike, who come to explore its 35 acres of contemporary and classically-designed gardens and exotic woodland. Then on to Cliveden, known particularly for its links with the Astors, with its magnificent series of formal gardens overlooking the River Thames, each with its own style and character. The spectacular estate features roses, topiary, statuary, water gardens, formal parterres, with woodland and riverside walks. And glimpse the famous balustrade which graces the terrace of the house, acquired by the Astors from the Villa Borghese in Rome. Overnight: West London (B) Option 1: Overnight London
TOUR OPTION 2 ENDS LATE AFTERNOON TODAY IN LONDON AFTER THE DAY'S SIGHTSEEING
Day 8 Saturday 28 May Painshill Park and selected Hampshire garden
Our first visit of the day is to Painshill Park. Created in the 18th century by the Hon. Charles Hamilton, a painter, plantsman and brilliantly gifted and imaginative designer, it is a unique award winning restoration of England's Georgian heritage. Within its 160 acres its landscapes are a work of art that influenced the future of England's countryside and culture. This afternoon your guide will show you one, or maybe two, of the many delightful smaller gardens Hampshire has to offer. Many are privately-owned and, as members of the National Gardens scheme, are open to the public from time to time. (B, D) Overnight: Hampshire
Day 9 Sunday 29 May Queen Victoria’s Osborne House and Ventnor Botanic Gardens
The Isle of Wight sits a short ferry crossing from the Hampshire mainland and offers us a unique day out with some fabulous sightseeing opportunities. Our first visit of the day takes us to Ventnor Botanic Garden which is devoted to exotic plants, many if not most of which are from the southern hemisphere. This unique garden, lying in a remarkable microclimate and protected from the cold northerly winds by the chalk downs, boasts a stunning collection of subtropical plants growing unprotected in the open air. But the jewel in today's crown is Osborne House, where Queen Victoria chose to spend her summers. The house and gardens are national treasures. Inside you'll see how Queen Victoria lived (and also sneak a look “beneath stairs” to see how her staff worked and lived). In the wonderful 50 acre gardens that sweep to the Swiss Cottage, you'll walk amongst magnolias, Lebanon cedar, azaleas and other in-season blooms. There is also a perfect Victorian walled kitchen garden. (B) Overnight: Hampshire
Day 10 Monday 30 May Heale House and Mottisfont
Today we head first to Heale House and its eight acres of beautiful gardens, lying beside the river Avon just north of Salisbury. Much of the house remains unchanged since King Charles II hid here in 1651. On a sunny day Heale's formal gardens display spectacular colour while shade can be found in the walled garden and tranquillity in the Japanese water garden. Mottisfont, our final visit of the day, is a garden noted for its colourful herbaceous borders, grassy terraces planted with fruit trees and its sea views. The 16th and 17th century manor house lies at the heart of the Mottisfont Estate and offers delightful walks between the Downs and the coast. A former Augustinian priory, Mottisfont is also noted for its sweeping lawns, ancient trees and walled gardens. (B, D) Overnight: Hampshire
Day 11 Tuesday 31 May Wilton House and Exbury
First today we visit Exbury Garden, a spectacular 200-acre site world-famous for the Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias and rare trees and shrubs. Once described by a visitor as “Heaven with the gates open”, it is a garden for horticulturalists and enthusiasts alike, with its botanical rareties and spectacular colours. And so we reach our final attraction, Wilton House, one of England’s great treasure houses. Here, amidst nearly 500 years of history, you will experience living history at its very best as you wander through its magnificent rooms, marvel at its architecture, soak in its fine paintings and be swept off your feet by its spectacular gardens. A mix of open parkland in the style of Capability Brown and small formal gardens, there is also a woodland walk through many interesting trees from all over the world. There are many wonderful architectural features in the garden, including the famous Palladian Bridge. The tour ends back in London late afternoon at our tour hotel. (B)
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