Garden Gems of Cornwall, Devon & the Isles of Scilly
Thursday 8th – Thursday 15th May 2025 (7 nights)
This tour is now fully booked. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please click here.
Join us on our tour of Cornwall and Devon, the charming and picturesque south-west corner of the British Isles. We visit private and world-famous gardens: RHS Rosemoor, Glendurgan, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Hestercombe, and make a fabulous trip to the Isles of Scilly to visit Tresco Abbey Garden.
- Visit to the Isles of Scilly and Tresco Abbey Gardens.
- Superb hotels, one on the picturesque Cornish Coast and one in the beautiful Dartmoor National Park.
- Enjoy the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Rosemoor.
- World famous Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- Four delightful private gardens with the opportunity to meet their owners.
- Private lunch with the owner and tour at Glendurgan Garden.
- Lutyens/Jekyll masterpiece at Hestercombe Gardens and Castle Drogo – the last castle to be built in England.
- A free afternoon in the Cornish seaside town of St. Ives, famous for its artists and Tate St Ives Art Gallery & Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden.
Images: ©VisitBritain; ©Isles of Scilly; Rosemoor ©RHS. All other images copyright Sisley Garden Tours.
We meet at London Paddington Train Station and take the mid-morning, scenic train journey to Cornwall. There will be time for lunch (independent) on the train.
Our first visit is to The Lost Gardens of Heligan. The gardens were rediscovered 33 years ago and underwent a ground-breaking restoration project.
In the late afternoon we check in to the 4-star Carbis Bay Hotel & Spa, St Ives. Dinner is in the hotel (included).
Friday 9th May
Today we begin with a visit to wonderful private garden on the Lizard Peninsula. The gardens surround the elegant Georgian house and have been skilfully developed over the last 20 years. We meet the owner who will take us around the gardens and then give us lunch (included).
We spend the afternoon in the pretty seaside town of St Ives where there is time to explore the shops, harbour and galleries. Tickets are included for Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden. Your evening is at leisure (dinner independent).
Saturday 10th May
We take a short flight to the Isles of Scilly, an outstandingly beautiful archipelago which lies just 35-miles off the coast of Cornwall. An inter-island boat transports us to Tresco island to visit the world-famous Tresco Abbey Gardens − a glorious 19th century sub-tropical garden, home to 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries. We have a tour of the gardens followed by lunch (independent). We return for dinner in the hotel (included).
NB: Flights (in small planes of approx. 15 seats) are subject to fair weather conditions. If travel is not possible, another garden visit will be substituted. If you prefer not to join the tour this day, please let us know at the time of booking and we may be able to adjust your tour price.
Sunday 11th May
This morning we visit Glendurgan Garden, a valley garden with outstanding spring displays of rhododendrons. We enjoy a tour with the owner followed by an exclusive lunch (included) in his home.
In the afternoon we visit a beautiful private garden on an ancient Cornish estate. We walk through the gardens with the delightful and characterful owner before returning to the hotel for dinner (included).
Monday 12th May
After check out, we wend our way into Devon and visit The Garden House in Dartmoor National Park. The ten-acre garden was developed in the 1940s and is viewed as one of the finest in Britain. We enjoy a tour with the head gardener followed by lunch (included).
Wildside Garden is our next stop. This is the private garden of Keith Wiley, an inspiring proponent of the ‘new naturalism’ movement in gardening.
We arrive in the late afternoon at the 5-star Bovey Castle Hotel to check in. Dinner is in the hotel (included).
Tuesday 13th May
This morning, enjoy time at leisure to use the hotel’s facilities and amenities which include the indoor pool, spa, deer park, falconry, archery and over 275 acres of beautiful grounds to explore. There is time for lunch in the hotel (independent).
In the afternoon we make a visit to nearby Castle Drogo. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, it was the last castle to be built in England. We enjoy the superb gardens and castle before heading into the pretty Dartmoor town of Chagford for dinner (included).
Wednesday 14th May
Today we begin with a visit to RHS Rosemoor. Gifted to the Royal Horticultural Society by Lady Anne Berry in 1988, and known for its many garden ‘rooms’, RHS Rosemoor now spans 65 stunning acres. We enjoy a guided tour followed by free time for lunch (independent).
Later we visit a fascinating private garden. Developed over 30 years by an art historian, this thought-provoking garden is filled with classical references and vistas. We return to the hotel for dinner (included).
Thursday 15th May
After check-out, we make a visit to Hestercombe Gardens. The formal Edwardian garden has been described as ‘Lutyens at his best’. We have a tour of the gardens followed by a private lunch (included).
After lunch, we board the train at Taunton Station for the return journey to London Paddington Train Station where we expect to arrive in the late afternoon. From here, you can take the Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line trains to the airport if needed.
Note: This tour can easily be combined with one of our Chelsea Flower Show tours to make a longer holiday. During train travel you will be responsible for managing your own luggage on and off the train. Some garden visits await final confirmation at the time of publication.
Please read our Tour Joining and Departure Arrangements information sheet here. To download a printable version of this itinerary, click here.
Our hotels are 4 and 5-star and selected for their high standards of comfort and service. All rooms are en-suite and offer free wi-fi access.
Carbis Bay Hotel & Spa, St Ives (4 nights)
This superb coastal retreat offers its own 25-acre beach, breathtaking views of Carbis Bay, individually designed bedrooms, award-winning dining and a luxurious spa with an outdoor heated pool. The 4-star hotel offers four restaurants and two bars, all with wonderful sea views. The coastal footpath passes alongside the hotel offering lovely coastal walks. NB: This hotel does not have a lift due to the historic nature of the building and most rooms are accessed via a staircase.
Standing within 275 acres of beautiful countryside, 5-star Bovey Castle first opened as a hotel and golf resort in 1930. The 60 individually-designed bedrooms, both in the main manor house and the mews, offer luxurious surroundings with breathtaking views out across Dartmoor National Park. The hotel also has an indoor pool, sauna and spa.
| Tour cost per person (sharing twin or double room) | Single supplement (for single occupancy of a double room) |
| £5,600 | £950 |
PRICES INCLUDE:
- 7 nights’ accommodation at 4 and 5-star hotels with en-suite facilities.
- Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 6 dinners.
- Assistance with luggage at the hotels.
- All garden visits including tours with garden owners and head gardeners.
- Deluxe coach travel with professional driver.
- Flights and boat transport to and from the Isles of Scilly.
- First-class train travel to and from London at the start and end of the tour.
- An information pack with detailed booklet about the gardens we will be visiting.
- Services of your Sisley tour director throughout.
- All tour gratuities (driver, tour director and hotels).
PRICES EXCLUDE:
- Airfares (Isles of Scilly flights are included).
- Passport and/or visa fees if applicable.
- Meals not included in the tour, drinks, laundry, and telephone calls.
TOUR PAYMENT: A 10% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place(s) on the tour. Your balance payment is due 120 days prior to the tour departure.
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 conversion rates include fees and will generally differ from these rates.
To book your place(s) please complete our online booking form at www.sisley.co.uk/booking-form/ or click the BOOK NOW button below. As soon as we receive your booking form, we will confirm availability on the tour of your choice and arrange collection of your deposit which secures your booking.
BOOK NOWHOW TO PAY
There are three ways to pay for your tour and you will be asked on the booking form which you prefer:
With our travel partner in North America: You can book your tour in USD$ or CAD$ by credit card or check with our partners at DHTour – a London and UK specialist travel agent who can assist with all aspects of your trip. Find out more about DHTour here.
With Sisley Garden Tours: All clients are welcome to book a tour directly with us. We can accept payment in GBP£ by bank transfer or by credit/debit card.
With your own travel agent: We are happy to work with your preferred travel agent. Just provide us with their contact details on the booking form and we will take care of the rest.
TRAVEL INSURANCE AND BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS
It is mandatory for all overseas visitors to the UK to have travel insurance before joining our tours. Full details of our booking terms & conditions can be found at www.sisley.co.uk/terms-and-conditions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section on our website for further information www.sisley.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/
We very much look forward to welcoming you, but please email tours@sisley.co.uk if you have any queries.
