Cotswolds Exclusive with the Royal Gardens at Highgrove – sorry this tour is now fully booked. If you would like to go on the waiting list, please email tours@sisley.co.uk
Sunday 20th June – Friday 25th June 2021 (5 nights)
Join us on our exclusive garden tour to The Cotswolds – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with stone walls, open skies, rolling grasslands, beech woods and captivating villages. We will be staying at a sumptuous hotel from where we wend our way, each day to explore wonderful gardens and quintessential English towns and villages. We will enjoy private guided tours, many by the owners themselves and see all the gardens at the height of their summer glory.
- Visit to the Royal Gardens at Highgrove – HRH Prince of Wales’ private garden (please see note on itinerary page)
- Exclusive ‘after hours’ visit and dinner at Hidcote Manor Gardens
- Private visits to Througham Court, Rockcliffe Gardens, Coughton Court, Morton Hall and Upton Wold
- Lunch at Barnsley House, Rosemary Verey’s garden
- Explore the World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace
- Delightful hotel in the heart of Broadway with beautiful spa, pool and gardens
- Superlative Cotswolds scenery
Photo credits: Images courtesy of VisitBritain – Barnsley House; Kiftsgate Court; Upton Wold; Highgrove Enterprises or copyright Sisley Garden Tours.
After our morning pick up at Heathrow Airport, we head north to the superb 4-star Lygon Arms Hotel, our luxury base for this five-night tour. This newly refurbished, stylish hotel is located in the heart of the Cotswolds town of Broadway, and offers an elegant swimming pool, cosy seating areas and excellent customer service.
En-route we visit the picturesque Cotswolds town of Burford. We have exclusive access to four of Burford’s very best private gardens – some of which have featured in Gardens Illustrated and Country Life. We will meet our host, a renowned garden designer and enjoy coffee (included) at one of the gardens. There will be time for lunch in one of Burford’s excellent cafes or pubs (independent). In the evening join your tour director and travel companions for dinner at the hotel (included).
Monday 21st June
Today we explore the beautiful Elizabethan home of the Throckmorton family since 1409, Coughton Court. We enjoy a private guided tour of the gardens and lunch in the courtyard (included). The 25 acre grounds are considered some of the finest in England and have been described by the Royal Horticultural Society as ‘breathtaking’. The garden features it’s famous walled garden, a rose labyrinth boasting over 200 varieties of roses, a bog garden and a delightful courtyard garden, modelled on the traditional Elizabethan knot garden design.
In the afternoon we visit the superb garden at Morton Hall. This 8 acre historic garden has undergone an extensive make-over in recent years and is one of England’s most exciting private gardens to visit. We return to Broadway for dinner at Russell’s Restaurant (included).
Tuesday 22nd June
For many, today is a highlight of the tour as we visit the Royal Gardens at Highgrove, home to HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. These gardens have been created by the Prince of Wales during his thirty years of ownership and are widely regarded as some of the most inspired and innovative gardens in the UK.
After our tour we will enjoy lunch (included) in Highgrove’s Orchard Restaurant. Please see note below regarding tickets to the Royal Garden at Highgrove. In the afternoon we explore Cirencester, a delightful Cotswolds market town and there will be time to enjoy its independent shops, church and Roman heritage. Your evening is at leisure in Broadway.
Wednesday 23rd June
We begin today with a visit to Bourton House Garden. This privately owned garden is inspirational with colour combinations, superb topiary and exotic plants. We return to Broadway for lunch (independent) and time to visit the museums, galleries and and shops. In the afternoon we visit Kiftsgate Court Gardens, a delightfully laid out garden on top of a hill with magnificent views over the Vale of Evesham. The garden is the creation of three generations of women gardeners.
We end the day with an exclusive ‘after hours’ visit to the famous Hidcote Manor Garden. Major Lawrence Johnston is claimed to have been the originator here of the ‘garden room’. We will enjoy the gardens, as very few do, after closing. We’ll be guided through the gardens by one of the knowledgeable volunteers and then enjoy a private dinner at Hidcote (included).
Thursday 24th June
Today we see two superlative private gardens in the Cotswolds, the first being Rockcliffe Gardens. These beautifully laid out gardens surround an attractive Georgian house, which has the air of a French Chateau. Planting is carefully crafted and there are themes and plants that run throughout. One of the highlights is the Dovecote garden.
We make a stop in the Cotswolds market town of Stow-on-the-Wold where you’ll have time in the eclectic, high-quality shops and to look around the ancient church. A traditional English Afternoon Tea for lunch (included) will be served at The Old Stocks Inn in the centre of the market town.
From here we continue to the private garden of Upton Wold. We will be taken on a guided tour to explore this intriguing and rewarding garden featuring a fountain garden, rose garden, fruit and vegetable gardens, meadow, ponds and the national collection of walnut trees. We enjoy our final night dinner together in the hotel (included).
Friday 25th June
We begin our last day with a visit to the private garden of Dr Christine Facer, Througham Court which is recommended by Tim Richardson in ‘The New English Garden’. Througham Court is Christine’s personal ‘design laboratory’ to experiment with new ideas, materials and planting combinations. We will enjoy a guided tour of the gardens with Dr Facer.
From here we continue onto Barnsley House for lunch (included). A tour of British gardens is not complete without a visit to the late Rosemary Verey’s garden at Barnsley House. It is now a boutique hotel but the gardens have been beautifully maintained.
We will make one drop off at the Sheraton Heathrow Hotel and one at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3. From here, you can take the Heathrow Express train into central London (Paddington Station) or use free the inter-terminal transport to reach another terminal. We can advise on departure planning.
Please read our Tour Joining and Departure Arrangements information sheet here or to download a printable version of the itinerary, click here.
NOTES:
- The Royal Gardens at Highgrove: In February each year, the Prince of Wales’ office at Highgrove releases dates on which pre-booked visits to the gardens will be available for the period April – October. Dates are limited and dependent on the Prince’s diary. It is therefore not possible to guarantee tickets to Highgrove before these dates are released. Our itinerary may be re-ordered to accommodate the visit to Highgrove or an alternative garden will be included should tickets not be available.
- A visit to David Austin Roses is omitted in 2021. This is due to major renovation works at the rose garden which means they are unable to accommodate group visits. We wish our friends at David Austin all the very best during the improvement works and look forward to visiting in 2022.
Our Hotel
Our hotel is beautifully refurbished and has been selected for its high standard of comfort and service. All rooms are en-suite and offer free wi-fi access.
The Lygon Arms Hotel, Broadway (5 nights)
Awarded the ‘Best UK Newcomer or Back on the Scene Hotel’ in the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2019, the Lygon Arms is located in the heart of the picturesque Cotswolds town of Broadway. This renowned Cotswolds hotel is one of Britain’s most historic inns – its guest list has included both King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. Today the hotel offers stylishly comfortable rooms, numerous lounges and snugs, superb outdoor areas, gardens and an elegant swimming pool & spa.
| Tour cost per person (sharing twin or double room) | Single Supplement (for single occupancy of a double room) |
| £3,450 (GBP) | £350 (GBP) |
PRICES INCLUDE: Accommodation at our luxury Broadway hotel with en-suite facilities based on twin/double room share; buffet breakfast daily; 4 lunches and 4 dinners; admissions to gardens; deluxe coach travel with professional driver; guided tours as described in an information pack provided at the start of the tour; services of your Sisley tour director throughout; all tour gratuities; arrival transfers are included only if you are joining the tour at Heathrow Airport on the first morning of the tour.
PRICES EXCLUDE: Airfares; passport and/or visa fees; beverages; laundry; telephone calls; lunches and dinners (except where included in the itinerary); souvenirs and items of a personal nature.
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION: You can get an idea of the cost of the tour in your local currency by using a currency converter. Conversion rates are based on institutional or inter-bank daily rates. Retail conversation rates include fees and will generally differ from these rates.
We are delighted that you have decided to join us. It is straightforward to book places on our tours.
Firstly, please complete our booking form (link below). The booking form will ask you to indicate how you would like to book the tour from the following options:
- In $USD by check or credit card with our appointed travel agent in the USA, Worldwide Traveler
- In your local currency through your own travel agent. The booking form asks for their contact details so that we can contact them to progress your booking
- In £GBP by credit card via Paypal or by direct bank transfer directly with Sisley Garden Tours
Once we have received your booking form, we will confirm that places are available and ask you (or your preferred travel agent) for a 10% deposit to secure your booking. Tour balance payment is due 90 days prior to the tour.
BOOK NOWWe very much look forward to welcoming you, but please email tours@sisley.co.uk if you have any queries.
