English Garden Tour 2011
The tour of a life-time!!
Ainsworth House is organizing a magnificent trip to England to tour Historic Castles and Gardens - September 2011
The group is limited to 40 passengers and will be escorted throughout, with specialist garden and history guides at each stop. We have 5 nights in London, 3 in each of Harrogate and Matlock, and 2 nights in Cambridge.
Though normally closed in September, Althorp House, resting place of Princess Diana, will be open for us for tea and a private tour.
For more information email: Kevin@AinsworthHouse.net or call (503) 656-1894
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This magnificent tour, including all accommodation in 3-star or better hotels, all breakdfasts, entrance fees, including private tours, guides and much more - $3,495 per person (double occupancy) excluding air fare.
DAY 1 – Arrive
Arrival London (Heathrow) Airport where the group will be met by your Tour Director.
Guests will then be escorted to the coach which will be your vehicle for the duration of the trip.
DAY 2 – London
AM
A short drive will take guests to Kew Gardens where, after an introduction, guests can unwind and enjoy 300 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens that sit beside the River Thames between Richmond and Kew in south-west London. The Gardens are a World Heritage Site with six magnificent glasshouses, and are home to a remarkable collection of plants from all over the world including over 14,000 trees. There are plenty of opportunities for refreshments and lunch and new to Kew is the Xstrata Treetop Walkway that offers a birds-eye view of the gardens.
PM The afternoon will include a visit to nearby Syon Park. Within the 200 acres of parkland designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown from the 1750s to 1770s, there are 40 acres of gardens and an ornamental lake. The crowning glory of Syon Park's gardens is the Great Conservatory. It was originally designed to act as a show house for the Duke's exotic plants and inspired Joseph Paxton in his designs for the Crystal Palace.
Transfer from Kew/Syon to central London hotel passing some of the great parks and gardens that were designed by or influenced by the design of “Capability” Brown.
The Magnificent Chatsworth House
DAY 8 – Matlock - Peak District
After a leisurely breakfast, a short drive takes you to Chatsworth House one of England’s greatest treasures. Built by Bess of Hardwick in 1552 the house has been the home of the Cavendish family, Duke of Devonshire ever since. The gardens are magnificent and include the Emperor fountain the tallest gravity fed fountain in the world. You can tour the house independently and enjoy a specialist garden tour. There are five miles of walks with rare trees, shrubs, the kitchen, cottage and rose gardens, temples, sculptures, fountains, streams and ponds.
Chatsworth House and Gardens are extensive and deserve a full day’s visit. After this visit, guests will return by coach to explore Matlock and dine out at leisure
The Green House at Kew
DAY 3 – London
Wisley Gardens, the flagship garden of the RHS. Wisley captures the imagination with richly planted borders, luscious rose gardens and a state-of-the-art new Glasshouse. The huge cathedral-like glass structure covers an area equal in size to 10 tennis courts and rises to 12m (40ft) in height. It has three climatic zones, recreating tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate habit.
The gardens at Wisley are vast and include trial areas where the finest flowers and vegetables are identified from the countless new introductions. Cultivation techniques and environmental conditions are tested in other areas. An excellent restaurant, café and well-stocked gift and plant shop are just some of the other distractions!
Chatsworth Park
DAY 9 – Matlock - Peak District
A day exploring the beautiful Peak District scenery as you travel through the National Park. First a drive to one of the areas best private gardens. Here guests can meet the owner who created this inspirational garden from a field. What you see today is 25 years of continual development creating a magnificent series of garden “rooms” containing all kinds of plants from climbers to specimen alpines. There are many other features and the owner will be divulging the trials and tribulations experienced over the years! Morning coffee/teas will be included during this visit.
Then a drive through the scenic countryside to Haddon Hall, perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Wye. In contrast to the earlier visit of the day, this remains very much a historic garden – the south garden is terraced with views to the river below. It is a haven for roses that grow up against the massive house walls and buttresses and although June and July are peak times for the display there are many that continue late into the season. Haddon Hall is considered to have one of the most romantic gardens in Britain and is the epitome of an English Country Garden.
The Hall is a fortified medieval Manor house dating from the 12th century, and is the home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners whose family have owned it since 1567. You can also visit the house which has changed very little over the years and offers a unique insight into early English life and history.
Wisley is a perfect example of the English Garden on a grand scale
Day 4 – London
A day visiting a number of beautiful private gardens in and around central London. If this is not for everyone they can spend the day sightseeing in London.
DAY 10 – Harrogate - Yorkshire
Depart for York, first stopping to tour the magnificent Harewood House near Leeds. There are so many treasures within the house – from Chippendale furniture to Old Master Paintings – and the extensive parkland include formal gardens and gentle woodland walks, a Bhutanese Stupa, waterfall and Himalayan Garden. The spectacular landscaped grounds were much improved towards the end of the 18th century by “Capability” Brown and painted by Turner. Brown’s interpretation of the Classical landscape, naturalistic planting of trees and classical serpentine lake form the idyllic setting for the subsequent garden development. In 1993, David Hicks created a simple and sophisticated modern garden.
From Harewood, continue to your hotel in the Yorkshire Spa Town of Harrogate which has its own renowned “Valley Gardens”, open to the public daily. A free evening to explore the city and dine at one of the numerous restaurants.
DAY 11 – Harrogate – Yorkshire
The RHS Garden at Harlow Carr is a beautiful informal Yorkshire garden which delights and inspires. After an introduction to the Harlow Carr, admire the innovative and dramatic borders, the streamside garden and "Gardens through Time", the scented garden and extensive kitchen gardens. Visit the RHS Shop & Plant Centre, and discover delicious refreshments in Bettys Café Tea Rooms.
After visiting Harlow Carr, the day is balanced by a visit to an intimate private garden with a guided tour and "meet the owner" experience before returning to the hotel.
DAY 5 – Cambridge
AM Check-out of the hotel and travel to Cambridge, with a stop at Audley End, a splendid house with varied gardens that is one of the most significant Jacobean mansions in England. This visit begins with a guided tour, by one of Audley End’s gardeners, of the house’s colourful parterre garden, splendid Capability Brown parkland and walled organic kitchen garden. After free time for lunch guests can explore the house and its varied interiors and famous picture collection.
PM Next, it’s a short drive to the picturesque town of Saffron Walden where there will be time to browse in the town’s antique shops and visit its famous parish church, one of the largest in Essex. The tour then continues to Cambridge where you will check in to your hotel for a two night stay.
DAY 6 – Cambridge
AM This morning there is a private garden visit and tour at Elton Hall, less than an hour’s drive from Cambridge. This Historic Grade ll Garden surrounds the house, parts of which date back to 1475. It is very much an English country garden with herbaceous borders, neat lawns, steps, clipped low yew hedges, an ornamental garden, orangery and the distant sound of water.
DAY 12 – Harrogate – Yorkshire
First a drive east to Scampston, a peaceful and beautiful location in North Yorkshire where guests can view the stunning contemporary garden and traditional gardens surrounding Scampston Hall. In addition to this there is the beautiful “Capability” Brown parkland. The Walled Garden, created by the renowned garden designer Pier Oudolf, is internationally acclaimed and visited by people from all over the world. The Head Gardener will be in attendance during the visit to introduce the gardens and answer any questions.
Before returning to Harrogate, there will be an opportunity to explore the City of York and to have a guided tour of York Minster. Guests can then dine at leisure in York.
DAY 13 – London Via Leicestershire
Today guests leave Yorkshire and return to London. En route there is a visit to Belvoir Castle. The Castle has been the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland for over one thousand years and is currently the home of the 11th Duke and Duchess and their five children. The castle will not be open but the extensive grounds and formal gardens are well worth touring.
The present Duchess of Rutland is passionate about restoring and developing the gardens but only has a handful of gardeners compared to the 40 gardeners that tended the grounds in Edwardian times. The original gardens were designed to reflect and integrate with the breathtaking views across the Vale of Belvoir.
PM Return to Cambridge with some free time to spend in the city and to have a spot of lunch before rejoining your guide to view one or two of the college gardens. It is hoped that St John’s College Garden will be one of these - Capability Brown was thought to have influenced the avenue of tall limes, with one hundred metres of yew hedges on either side that lead down between the Fellow’s Garden and Fellow’s Wilderness.
Later in the afternoon, guests take their place outside King’s College Chapel for Choral Evensong, sung most evenings by the world famous Kings College Choir. King's College Chapel is arguably the most magnificent example of late medieval English architecture in the entire country and the experience of attending Choral Evensong is not to be missed.
DAY 7 – Matlock - Peak District
AM Check-out of the hotel and visit the highly acclaimed University Botanic Garden, a diverse and impressive garden covering 40 acres in total. The garden has the best collection of trees in the south east of England including exotic trees. Over 90 families of flowering plants can be seen flourishing in gardens with varying conditions – dry gardens, sandstone rock gardens, an alpine garden and glasshouse. Lunch and refreshments can be purchased in the café.
PM From here drive on to Althorp House and Estate. Althorp is closed to the public during September. However, we are able to arrange an exclusive opening for your group to include a private tour and afternoon tea.
Built in 1508 Althorp has been home to the Spencer family for nearly 500 years. It became the focus of world attention following the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 1997. The present grounds were designed by the architect W.N. Teulon and date from 1860. More recently, one of England's most prominent garden designers, Dan Pearson, has taken on the redevelopment of the gardens with the aim of lifting the visitors' eyes to the wider landscape with its magnificent and rare collection of trees.
Afternoon Tea takes place in the opulent State Dining Room, which is not normally open to the public. It is modelled on the ballroom at Buckingham Palace, lit with crystal chandeliers and decorated with mirrors and rare paintings. From Althorp you travel to the hotel in the Peak District.
DAY 14 – London
After breakfast you will be transferred to London (Heathrow) Airport in good time to check-in for your homebound flight. Your tour leader and driver will wish you ‘Bon Voyage’ once you are safely checked-in.
END OF PROGRAMME
For more information please email Kevin@AinsworthHouse.net
below: Walking in the grounds of Belvoir Castle.
