Tour Code

Arrive London

Depart London

HAM

your choice

your choice

Price depends on number travelling and time of year.
Indicative price based on a minimum of six travelling is GB£

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TENTATIVE ITINERARY - HAMPTON COURT

DAY ONE

Arrival day.  You’ll be met at the airport by your Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd representative and be transferred to our London hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and unwind. This evening, all tour participants will gather for our welcome dinner, hosted by your guide-companion for the tour. It’s a great opportunity for getting to know one another and for your guide-companion to run through our programme and for you to let them know your interests and visit priorities.

DAY TWO

We leave London behind and head into the beautiful Cotswolds countryside and the first of our garden visits.

Sudeley Castle, with its connections dating back 100 years or more, has seven enchanting gardens. Amongst these are a Tudor Knot garden with water features and a delightful mosaic, and a lovely rose garden (which may be in bloom).

Seizencote is one of the most English of parks with a distinct feel of Repton influence. It’s an ideal garden for our first day. Highlights include an orangery and an exotic oriental water garden.

DAY THREE

Another of the areas many pretty gardens is Kiftsgate Court near the lovely Cotswolds village of Chipping Campden. This will also afford us the opportunity of spending some time in the village itself. Like many of these honey-coloured, picture postcards scenes, life appears to have stood still.

One of the village's main advantages is its proximity to Hidecote Manor Gardens - one of the most delightful in England. Created by horticulturist Major John Lawrence, this garden consists of a series of small gardens within the whole, separated by walls and hedges of different species. It's famed for rare shrubs, trees, herbaceous borders, and interesting plant species.

DAY FOUR

Today, we have two 'formal' gardens, some informal ones and as a contrast, a visit to the wonderful mediaeval city of Gloucester.

We'll enjoy a late start to the day, with perhaps some local scenic touring before visiting Painswick. This is a most attractive Rococo garden; a unique 18^th century restoration in a hidden 6 acre Cotswold's combe (valley).

Thence to Gloucester where we'll lunch and tour the magnificent cathedral.

This afternoon we'll concentrate on one of the earliest formal water gardens laid out in England at Westbury Court Gardens in Westbury-on-Severn.

Hopefully, there will also be a number of informal gardens visits today. We'll make our decision based as to which based on the weather and which private gardens are open today as part of the National Gardens Scheme.

DAY FIVE

Our first visit is a private one to see a recreation of George Washington's Mount Vernon garden at Claverton Manor. We'll also take the opportunity of enjoying a brief tour of that jewel of Georgian architecture, Bath.

Our next two days are spent discovering homes and gardens in two of England's more 'hidden' counties, Dorset and Wiltshire. This lovely corner of Britain was where Thomas Hardy set many of his novels and it not only retains a timeless feel but some exquisite sightseeing opportunities. It's a wonder that it's not overrun with the tourist herd, but thankfully apart from Stonehenge, it isn't and we'll enjoy unhurried visits at the sights we choose.

However, en route, we'll stop at the marvellous Barrington Court. Here there's the magnificent white garden, influenced by Gertrude Jekyll, iris garden and rose garden. It has also a working kitchen garden.

Forde Abbey provides for our last visit. Founded by Cistercian monks over 900 years ago, you can enjoy real peace in over 30 acres of garden featuring an arboretum, 5 lakes and a Bog garden.

DAY SIX

We've something of a choice today; in fact, we're spoilt for one.

Athelhampton House and Gardens is a 15^th century manor house surrounded by one of the great architectural gardens of England. This is a garden of vistas and glorious surprises.  Mapperton is a Jacobean (1660) house with an Italianate garden.  Parnham House is interesting as much for its interiors and exhibitions of contemporary work in glass, textiles and wood, as it is for its garden.  Minterne Gardens is a landscaped garden of over 30 acres with rare rhododendrons, magnolias, stream and water cascades.

We've also Thomas Hardy's cottage to consider and the ancient town of Dorchester! This is probably a day when some advice and guidance from your guide-companion will be welcome!

DAY SEVEN

Stourhead has a landscaped garden laid out between 1741-80. There are classical temples, lakes, rare trees and plants. The house is another that tempts us with examples of Chippendale furniture and many fine paintings.

There's only time today for one other property as both demand our full attention. The second is the magnificent Wilton House. Here there's one of the finest art collections in Europe (including Rubens, Van Dyke, Breughel) housed in magnificent state rooms. Outside, there are 21 acres of landscaped parkland.

DAY EIGHT

Our main highlight of the tour is kept for the last wonderful day. We spend today at The Royal Horticultural Society flower show at Hampton Court.

This superb show, growing in international importance and prestige year on year, could not be run in grander settings than Henry VIII’s Thames-side palace. In addition to the show itself, Hampton Court boasts several historical garden styles, one stands out in particular its authentic renovation having only comparatively recently been completed.

DAY NINE

Alas, it’s time to bid farewell to fair England. All good times must come to an end and you’ll be transferred to an appropriate airport – unless, of course, you’re staying on to join another memorable Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd tour!

© As we publish full tour descriptions, you may find others offering our unique itineraries.  But, just as you find when others sing the songs of Paul McCartney, they're often not quite as good as when sung by the original composer!