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ITINERARY

Come with us to an England up to its knees in spring blossom, carpets of bluebells and meadows of wildflowers. Our England tour includes the beautiful Cornish Coast, Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath and London. It’s a mix of heavenly gardens with special tickets to Opening Day at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Check into your hotel. Late afternoon stroll down Sloane Street to see ‘Chelsea in Bloom’, where luxury shops decorate their facades in elaborate floral designs. Welcome Dinner tonight.

Accommodation: Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington

‘Opening Day’ at the Chelsea Flower Show is reserved for VIPs and members of the Royal Horticultural Society. We have arranged tickets so that you can enjoy it without the crowds that flock on public days. Take an orientation stroll with Sandra to see the winning show gardens, into the Great Pavilion, the Artisan Gardens and the retail avenue. Meet our favourite designers and exhibitors. Sip a Pimm’s in the shade and gasp at the flower displays in the Great Pavilion. You have the whole day to enjoy the exhibits. Late afternoon transfer back to your hotel with the evening free.

Accommodation: Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington

We are heading to Oxford today with a lunch stop in Hampshire at West Green House, the home and garden of famous Aussie expat Marylyn Abbott. While the garden pays homage to its 18th-century origins, Marylyn’s sense of fun is given plenty of room to play. The latest ‘Garden of the Five Bridges’ solves the problem of water draining from fields beyond with a 190m serpentine windrush draining water into the lake; all with exquisite planting scheme. The potager is beautiful and productive with two soft fruit cages at its heart and roses, clematis and honeysuckle smothering the walls. Travel on to Oxford and check into the Randolph Hotel for the next 4 nights.

Accommodation: Randolf Hotel, Oxford

Travel up into the Cotswolds today to visit Kiftsgate and Hidcote. Heather Muir created the garden at the 19th century Kiftsgate House from sloping woods and was helped by her lifelong friend Lawrence Johnston who created Hidcote just 1 mile away. Its manificent location on the steep edge oif the Cotswolds, makes Kifsgate so magical. Hidcote Manor is almost next door. We’ll discover why this Arts and Crafts garden of Lawrence Johnston, made between the two World Wars, has been so influential. We’ll lose ourselves in the ‘scratch and sniff’ series of garden rooms and learn how evergreen hedges define these garden rooms. Lunch included today.

Accommodation: Randolf Hotel, Oxford

Back into the rolling hills of the Cotswolds today to Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. The castle is surrounded by 1,200 acres of estate and ten award-winning gardens. The centrepiece is the Queens Garden, so named because four of England’s queens – Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I – once walked upon the original Tudor Parterre. After lunch we will travel across the Cotswolds to Pettifers, the stylish and influential garden of Gina Price in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Afternoon tea in Gina’s cleverly planted her borders will be memorable. Ribbons of bulbs and perennials flow through the borders, creating a glowing tapestry of colour. Travel back to Oxford with the evening free.

Accommodation: Randolf Hotel, Oxford

Waterperry Gardens is an exciting complex of Formal Garden, Waterlily Canal, herbaceous borders, long colour border, and rose garden. Once a horticultural college for women, Ross travellers love it because plants are well labelled.Wander through this exquisite series of spaces for lots of inspiration. Travel back top Oxford with a walking history tour this afternoon that will finish at our hotel. Option to attend Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral this evening.

Accommodation: Randolf Hotel, Oxford

Travel through Somerset and into Devon to Hestercombe Garden. It’s a remarkable example of the collaboration between Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Lutyens was probably the most famous British architect since Sir Christopher Wren. His hallmarks are everywhere: iris choked rills, semi-circular steps, pergolas and his sympathetic use of local materials. Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) was a multi-talented artist, craftswoman, writer, photographer, nurserywoman and garden designer. Her collaboration with Lutyens here at Hestercombe, on his only garden commission, is arguably the greatest example of their work. As an artist first and foremost, Jekyll worked in many mediums before turning her hand to gardening when her eyesight began to deteriorate. She often selected vibrant colours and textures and her planting style reflected her understanding of colour theory, carefully blending colours and planting swathes of plants to soften and complement Lutyens’ architectural features. After lunch in the historic stables and cart house,travel into Cornwall to Saint Austell. Check in to our hotel in its spectacular setting on a clifftop on the Cornish Coast

Accommodation: Carlyon Bay Hotel, St Austell

Discover The Lost Gardens of Heligan, asleep for 70 years under a blanket of ivy, bramble and rampant laurel. It’s the largest garden restoration project in Europe. Heligan, the seat of the Tremayne family for more than 400 years, became neglected during the First World War. The chance discovery of a door in the ruins led to the triumphant restoration by Sir Tim Smit (of the Eden Project). We’ll see enormous tree-like rhododendrons that were part of the original Victorian pleasure garden, grown from seed collected by Sir Joseph Hooker (one of the great plant hunters). The Lost Gardens have been put back where they belong, in pride of place among the finest gardens in Cornwall.

To Caerhays this afternoon, a castle by the sea! This treasure trove of plants gathered in 19th century expeditions through China includes camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas and viburnum. Picturesque in its sublime location on the Cornish Coast.

Accommodation: Carlyon Bay Hotel, St Austell

The revolutionary Eden Project is first this morning with an area under glass the size of 30 football fields, growing the plants of each climatic zone in each environmentally controlled space. These biomes are the massive backdrop for exciting contemporary gardens.

The great house at Lanhydrock stands in its magnificent estate above the River Fowey with a splendid suite of gardens: formal parterres of intense colour bedding, circular perennial garden, herbaceous borders, woodland plantings of magnolias, rhododendrons and carpets of bluebells. Take time to explore the winding woodland and you will see some impressive flowering trees.

Accommodation: Carlyon Bay Hotel, St Austell

Head south today through Somerset and Devon to Bath, stopping in North Devon to visit RHS Garden Rosemoor in Great Torrington. This garden was handed to the RHS in 1990 and has been developed as a sophisticated series of garden spaces. There’s lots to see; formal gardens, herbaceous borders, fruit and vegetable potager, arboretum, stream and bog garden and Alpine house. But the oldest part, Lady Palmer’s house and garden are the most charming. Rosemoor hosts the National Collection of dogwoods, which should be in peak flower. This afternoon we’ll travel onto Bath and check into our hotel. Dinner included this evening.

Accommodation: McDonald Hotel and Spa, Bath

First stop this morning is Claverton Manor, home to The American Museum in Britain, located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and takes full advantage of the spectacular views over the Limpley Stoke Valley. Stroll through ancient meadows with majestic cedars and discover Mount Vernon Gardens with its quintessential white picket fence, box hedges, rose bushes and seed house. Next stop is 18th century Prior Park, set in a lush green sweeping valley. The gardens have panoramic views of Bath and are home to one of only four Palladian Bridges of this design in the world. Next stop is Royal Crescent, one of Bath’s most iconic landmarks, the Royal Crescent is one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture anywhere in the United Kingdom. Last stop is Parade Gardens, with picturesque views of Pulteney Bridge and weir, Parade Gardens and bandstand makes a grand finale to our day in Bath. Farewell Dinner at hotel tonight.

Accommodation: McDonald Hotel and Spa, Bath

Morning visit to Iford Manor, built by Harold Peto above the River Frome. It’s a gem, highly structured and well planted. Travel into London Heathrow for your homeward flight.

HOW TO BOOK

To secure your booking and make your deposit, please complete our online booking form. You will be contacted by a Ross Tours Travel Manager to confirm your details and preferred method of payment.

CANCELLATIONS

Cancellations received 180-120 days prior to departure will incur loss of deposit.

Cancellations received between 119-60 days prior to departure will incur a 50% cancellation fee.
Cancellations received between 59-30 days prior to departure will incur a 75% cancellation fee plus any non-recoverable costs incurred.
Cancellations received within 30 days prior to departure will incur 100% cancellation fee.
Cancellations must be sent in writing.
Cancellation fee is based upon the total amounts paid including tours, airfares and all other travel arrangements.

Please refer to the Ross Garden Tours standard terms and conditions.

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