fbpx

Long Barn

RHS Wisley

Kiftsgate Court

Hidcote Manor Gardens

Hever Castle

Town Place Garden

Sissinghurst Castle

Sissinghurst Castle, Kent

Royal Gardens at Highgrove

RHS Wisley

Hampton Court Palace

Great Dixter

Town Place Garden

Hever Castle

Discovering England’s Iconic Summer Gardens

This tour is now FULLY BOOKED. If you would like to join the wait list, please register here.

Wednesday 3rd – Thursday 11th July 2024 (8 nights)

Tour highlights:

This spectacular high-season tour explores some of England’s very best gardens in the delightful Cotswolds and in Kent − known as ‘the Garden of England’. We will enjoy gardens in their full profusion, private tours, fascinating historic houses and attractive scenery, not to mention members-only day at the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival.

  • Members-only day at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival.
  • Pre-opening visits to Great Dixter and the iconic Sissinghurst Castle Garden
  • Private tour of His Majesty King Charles III’s own garden at Highgrove.
  • The famous ‘garden of rooms’ at Hidcote Manor Garden.
  • Sir Winston Churchill’s home at Chartwell
  • Tour of RHS Wisley with private lunch
  • A four night stay at the romantic Hever Castle – enjoy these wonderful gardens out of hours.
  • Three superb private gardens with the opportunity to meet their owners.
  • A visit to the historically important Painswick Rococo Garden.
  • Lunch and garden visit to Gravetye Manor – former home of William Robinson.
  • Explore the Cotswolds with time to explore Stow-on-the-Wold, Cirencester & Painswick
  • One year’s membership to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)

Photo credits: Hever Castle & Hampton Court Palace copyright VisitBritain; Long Barn & Great Dixter copyright Claire Takacs; other images copyright Sisley Garden Tours.

Highgrove Garden

Wednesday 3rd July

Our tour departs the Sheraton Heathrow Hotel at Heathrow Airport mid-morning and heads straight to the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. You have time to explore the show gardens, fabulous floral displays, talks and music and have lunch (independent).

In the late afternoon we check in to the 4-star King’s Head Hotel in the heart of the historic Cotswolds market town of Cirencester. Dinner is in the hotel (included).

Thursday 4th July

After a leisurely start, we stop at one of the most attractive towns in the Cotswolds, Stow-on-the-Wold, where there is time for lunch (independent) and shopping.

We then go on to Kiftsgate Court, a delightfully laid out plantsman’s garden on the Cotswolds escarpment 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 garden, as very few do, after closing with an introductory talk, a stroll through the garden and drinks on the terrace. Before returning to the hotel, we stop off at a local bistro for dinner (included).

Friday 5th July

Today we visit the Royal Gardens at Highgrove, the private home of HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla. These gardens are widely regarded as some of the most impressive in the UK. After our tour of the gardens, we have lunch in the private Garden Room (included).

In the afternoon we visit Rodmarton Manor, one of the finest Arts & Crafts houses in Britain. We enjoy a private tour of the house followed by time to explore the gardens.

We return to Cirencester where your evening is at leisure for dinner (independent).

Please note: Visits to Highgrove 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.

Saturday 6th July

We begin today with a visit to a wonderful private garden located close to Cirencester.

We then head to the pretty town of Painswick for lunch (independent) and a visit to Painswick Rococo Garden, an important historic garden which is a delight. We return to the hotel for dinner (included).

Dinner is in the hotel (included).

Sunday 7th July

After check-out we travel south-east to Kent. We make a stop at Chartwell House, the fascinating home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill, the British wartime Prime Minister. There is time for lunch (independent).

In the afternoon, we check in to the very special Astor Wing at Hever Castle. We have a private tour of this romantic, double-moated medieval castle followed by dinner in the Tudor Dining Suite (included).

Monday 8th July

This morning we enjoy time at leisure at Hever Castle to explore the extensive gardens and have lunch (independent).

In the afternoon we visit Town Place Garden. This private 3-acre garden, set around a 17th century Sussex farmhouse features over 600 roses.

Afterwards we continue onto a superb, private 6-acre garden that is divided by hedges into smaller gardens, reflecting different periods of English garden design. We are treated to dinner in the Coach House (included).

Tuesday 9th July

The morning starts with a pre-opening tour of Sissinghurst Castle Gardens − the epitome of the English garden with its series of garden rooms, each filled with different planting schemes and unique designs.

In the afternoon we have lunch (included) and time to explore the exquisite gardens at Gravetye Manor – former home of the celebrated gardener, William Robinson. It is a riot of colour and features a wonderful oval walled garden. We return to Hever Castle where we enjoy English Afternoon Tea (included). 

Wednesday 10th July

Today we have a pre-opening guided tour of Great Dixter a cottage garden on a grand scale created by the late gardening writer and lecturer, Christopher Lloyd.

There is free time for lunch (independent) and shopping in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Later we enjoy an exclusive visit to Long Barn, the garden developed by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson before they moved to Sissinghurst. We return to Hever for our final night’s dinner in the Great Hall (included).

Thursday 11th July

Our last day is spent at RHS Wisley , the home of the Royal Horticultural Society. We will enjoy a guided tour so you will be sure to see the very best of these impressive gardens. Lunch is (included) in the private Tulip Room. 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 train travel into London.

Note: This tour includes one year’s individual membership of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

Please read our Tour Joining and Departure Arrangements information sheet here. To download a printable version of this itinerary, click here.

Hampton Court Palace Flower ShowHidcote Manor GardensKiftsgate Court Hever Castle copyright VisitBritainSissinghurst Castle, KentGravetye ManorGreat DixterLong BarnWisley resized for web

Our Hotels

Our hotels are 4-star and are selected for their high standards of comfort and service. All rooms are ensuite and offer free wifi access.

The King’s Head, Cirencester (4 nights)

The King’s Head is an elegant boutique hotel dating from the 15th century with 45 stylish bedrooms, located in the heart of the historic Cotswolds market town of Cirencester. Today it is a haven of style and comfort. It is brilliantly located for exploring the shops, museums and restaurants in this lovely town.  

Hever Castle, Kent (4 nights)

The luxurious, exclusive-use Astor Wing is attached by an enclosed bridge over the moat to Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn − 2nd wife of King Henry VIII. The well-appointed accommodation offers antique furnishings and original features along with all modern comforts. Guests are able to explore the grounds at Hever Castle after the castle closes. There is an outdoor heated pool, tennis court and billiards room for your exclusive use. NB: This hotel does not have a lift due to the historic nature of the building and some rooms are accessed via a staircase.

Hever Castle

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)
£5,250 (GBP) £700 (GBP)

PRICES INCLUDE:

  • 8 nights’ accommodation at a 4-star hotel and at Hever Castle’s Astor Wing with en-suite facilities.
  • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 7 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).
  • Members-only day at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival.
  • 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.

Sissinghurst Castle, KentGreat Dixter 2016

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.

BOOK NOW

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.

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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.

Great Dixter DahliasWisleyLong Barn

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.

Grapefruit Digital SEO Agency