Royal Gardens, Chelsea Flower Show and the Cotswolds

Sunday 18th May

After our morning pick up at the Sheraton Heathrow Hotel at Heathrow Airport, we head to the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden at RHS Wisley. We enjoy a guided tour so you’ll be sure to see the very best of these impressive and extensive gardens, which cover some 240 acres and inspire in any season. We have lunch (included) in the Tulip Room.

In the afternoon we check in to the 4-star Castle Hotel, Windsor. Dinner at the hotel (included).

Monday 19th May

Today we visit three properties created by the very talented Stuart-Smith family. Tom Stuart-Smith may be best known for his award-winning gardens at Chelsea Flower Show, but today we have the opportunity to see his own garden, The Barn Garden on the Serge Hill estate. A significant recent addition is The Plant Library, part of the Serge Hill Project to promote gardening, creativity and health. We will also enjoy lunch (included) and a tour of Tom’s sister’s garden, Serge Hill.

In the afternoon, we return to Windsor for some free time, before walking across to Windsor Castle for a private guided tour. Your evening is at leisure (dinner independent).

Tuesday 20th May

We head to central London to enjoy the first members-only day at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Marvel at the magnificent floral displays by the best nurseries and specialist growers in the main pavilion. Be inspired by the extraordinary show gardens created by the leading lights in horticulture and enjoy the extensive array of gardening tools and gifts. There is time for lunch (independent).

Dinner is in the hotel (included).

Wednesday 21st May

After checking out, we head west to visit the Royal Gardens at Highgrove. This is the private home of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It is widely regarded as one of the most innovative gardens in the UK and is managed on the strictest sustainable and organic principles. After our private guided tour, we enjoy lunch at Highgrove (included).

Please note: Visits to Highgrove and Windsor Castle are limited and dependent on the King’s diary. Dates are released in early spring each year, therefore it is not possible to guarantee a visit before this time. Our itinerary may be re-ordered to accommodate the visit, or an alternative garden will be included should a visit not be possible.

In the late afternoon, we check into the 5-star Ellenborough Park Hotel in the Cotswolds. Dinner at the hotel (included).

Thursday 22nd May

This morning we have time to enjoy the facilities at the hotel which include an outdoor heated pool and delightful grounds. We depart late morning to make a visit to the charming Cotswolds market town of Broadway for lunch (independent) and shopping.

In the afternoon, we visit Kiftsgate Court, a delightfully laid out plantsman’s garden created by three generations of women who have all left their individual mark on the garden. It is located on top of a hill with magnificent views over the Vale of Evesham.

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 stroll through the garden and have drinks on the terrace. We return to Broadway for dinner in a local restaurant (included).

Friday 23rd May

This morning we begin with a tour of Sudeley Castle, a romantic estate, with ten distinct gardens, a history stretching back over 1,000 years and the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within the grounds – Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII.

Later, we have time in the pretty market town of Stow-on-the-Wold for lunch (independent) and shopping.

For our final visit of the day we are treated to a garden tour at one of the Cotswolds’ most beautiful private gardens. The garden surrounds an attractive Georgian house with carefully crafted planting. Dinner in the hotel (included).

Saturday 24th May

After checking out we visit the World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. It is a monumental and historic palace with fabulous formal gardens and ‘Capability Brown’ landscaped grounds stretching over 2,000 acres. We enjoy a final lunch (included) overlooking the private gardens.

In the afternoon we drop off at the Sheraton Heathrow Hotel and Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 for inter-terminal transport links and the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line trains into London..

Note: This tour includes one year’s individual membership of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). This tour can easily be combined with our Garden Gems of Cornwall, Devon & the Isles of Scilly tour. 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.

The Castle Hotel, Windsor (3 nights)

Windsor Castle is just across the road from this historic 4-star hotel. Parts of the hotel date back to the 1520’s and the interior design reflects this wonderful heritage. The rooms are superbly appointed with calming colours, modern bathrooms and comfortable beds. The restaurant focuses on locally sourced ingredients and has an attractive outdoor terrace.

Ellenborough Park, near Cheltenham (3 nights)

Ellenborough Park, an ancient house dating from the 1500’s on the site of the original Cheltenham racecourse estate, has been restored as an exceptional luxury 5-star country house hotel, located just 10 minutes from the Cotswolds town of Cheltenham Spa. Set within 90 acres of parkland the hotel comprises 62 rooms and suites with an Indian-themed spa and outdoor heated swimming pool. There are lovely lounges to relax in and a wood-panelled dining room.

TOUR PRICES: Prices are per person, based on twin/double room share, with single supplement (solo occupancy of a double room) shown separately. Tours are priced in £GBP.

Tour cost per person (sharing twin or double room)	Single Supplement (for single occupancy of a double room)
£5,350 (GBP)	£750 (GBP)

PRICES INCLUDE:

• 6 nights’ accommodation at 4-star hotels with ensuite facilities.
• Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 5 dinners.
• Assistance with luggage at the hotels.
• All garden visits including tours with garden owners and head gardeners.
• One year’s membership of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
• First members-only day at Chelsea Flower Show.
• Deluxe coach travel with professional driver.
• Transfers to and from the hotel and Heathrow Airport 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.
• 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.

BOOK YOUR TOUR

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.

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HOW 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.

If you would like to complete our online booking form, please click the Book Now button.

Please contact us if you have any queries about the tour or would like to arrange for us to call you back.

To download a PDF of the tour itinerary to print out or send to friends, please choose the Print Itinerary button.

Read through our Frequently Asked Question section to find out more about our tours, dress code, average day, tips etc.

To assist you in pre and post tour planning, you might wish to read our tour Joining and Departure Arrangements. Click opposite for further details.