Gardening

					Saturday 18th February SNOWDROPS AT PAINSWICK ROCOCO GARDENS £25.00 Situated outside the beautiful Cotswold town of Painswick, and famous for its snowdrop display, the Rococo Garden is a fascinating step back to a flamboyant and sensual period of English garden design. This gem of a garden, which was originally laid out in the early 18th century, is set in a hidden Cotswold valley with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. We also visit Regency Cheltenham Friday 23rd – Monday 26th March BOURNEMOUTH £219.50 The 4* Menzies Hotel Bournemouth East Cliff offers superb standards and spectacular sea views(HB). Cosmopolitan Bournemouth has something for everyone, seven miles of sandy beaches, beautiful gardens, promenade and a huge variety of shops. On the Return journey we visit Salisbury with its famous Cathedral. Wednesday 18th April TYNTESFIELD (NT) & BRISTOL £26.50 The Gothic revival extravaganza survives at Tyntesfield with its original Victorian interior intact. Also visiting Clifton with its art galleries, museum, restaurants and suspension bridge. Reduction for NT members! Tuesday 24th April TULIP FESTIVAL AT CERNEY HOUSE GARDENS £27.50 Step back into the past in the romantic secret gardens. Also visiting Cirencester, capital of the Cotswolds. Thursday 26th – Monday 30th April FLORIADE 2012 & THE DUTCH BULBFIELDS £329.50 During the five-day tour, spend a full day at Floriade, one of the largest gardening events in the world, staged every ten years with displays of flowers, plants, trees, fruit and vegetables. There is also a cultural programme of music and dance. Visit the ‘Bulbfields’, the world famous Keukenhof Gardens and Amsterdam with its art galleries, museums and Anne Frank House. We also visit Arnhem, location of ‘A Bridge Too Far’ and the superb Openlucht Folk Museum. The 4* Carlton de Brug near Eindhoven (BB) is ideally located for our visits. It offers superb standards of comfort and facilities and has the largest hotel leisure complex in Europe. For your convenience we have arranged dinner on the first night. Via Eurotunnel. Sunday 6th – Monday 7th May HISTORIC HOUSES AND GARDENS OF WESSEX £119.50 Downton Abbey’s Highclere Castle and Stourhead Gardens Stourhead’s world famous landscape garden is a ‘must see’ with its classical temples, mystical grottos and rare and exotic trees. The elegant Palladian mansion has a superb collection of Chippendale furniture and inspirational paintings. Highclere Castle is the setting for the hugely popular period drama ‘Downton Abbey’, a tale of scandal, intrigue and romance in an Edwardian country House. Tour the elegant castle before a stroll through the gardens designed by Capability Brown. Explore historic Winchester with its famous Cathedral and museums and Shaftesbury, with its famous Gold Hill. At the 3* Holiday Inn Winchester (HB) Sunday 6th May ABBEY HOUSE GARDENS, MALMESBURY & TETBURY £37.50 Includes entry to the famous gardens and afternoon tea. Sunday 13th – Wednesday 16th May CONSTABLE COUNTRY & SUTTON HOO £254.50 Suffolk is a county of pastoral views and picturesque villages with thatched, colour washed, timber-framed cottages. Constable’s greatest joy was painting his native Dedham Vale, the valley of the River Stour around Dedham and East Bergholt. Many of these scenes that Constable painted can still be appreciated today, as can Flatford Mill, owned by his father and Willie Lott’s Cottage immortalised in ‘The Hay Wain’. We also visit the charming Suffolk towns of Sudbury and Lavenham with their impressive streets of timbered buildings. A highlight of the tour will be a visit to Sutton Hoo, the Anglo-Saxon burial ground, where priceless treasure was discovered. The superb 4* Five Lakes Hotel, Country Club and Spa, near Maldon (HB), is set in its own extensive grounds and offers full leisure facilities including an indoor pool, sauna and steam-room. It has two 18 hole golf courses and we could arrange for a days golf if required. Thursday 17th May LYDNEY PARK SPRING GARDENS & THE FOREST OF DEAN £29.50 The enchanted spring gardens are set in a secluded, wooded valley with lakes, flowering shrubs and views over the Severn Estuary. Includes a scenic tour of the Royal Forest of Dean and afternoon tea at Bells Hotel. Tuesday 22nd May COMPTON VERNEY GALLERY & GARDENS “GAINSBOROUGH’S LANDSCAPES” £37.50 This is the first exhibition solely devoted to Gainsborough’s landscapes, bringing together a wonderful group of paintings and drawings from public and Private collections spanning his whole career. Our visit also coincides with ‘French & British Painting’, from Impressionism to the 1920’s – Boudin, Cezanne, Pissarro, Stanhope-Forbes and Wilson-Steer. Thursday 24th May CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW £79.50 The world’s best-loved and most vibrant annual flower show! Includes carvery lunch at the 4* Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge. Tuesday 5th June HIGHCLERE CASTLE – TVs DOWNTON ABBEY £43.50 Highclere Castle is the setting for the hugely popular period drama ‘Downton Abbey’, a tale of scandal, intrigue and romance in an Edwardian country House. Tour the elegant castle before a stroll through the gardens designed by Capability Brown. Includes an extended visit to the historic Wiltshire Market town of Marlborough with a two-course lunch at the Castle & Ball Hotel, a traditional Olde English Inn. Wednesday 6th June CHATEAU IMPNEY & DAVID AUSTIN – HOME OF NATIONAL COLLECTION OF ROSES £39.50 The Rose Garden at David Austin’s, Albrighton is considered one of the best in the world and consists of five separate gardens, each with their own style. They combine the charm and fragrance of old roses and the diverse colours of modern roses. After afternoon tea at the traditional French style Chateau Impney travel home via the Malvern Hills. Saturday 9th – Sunday 10th June CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL FLOWER FESTIVAL & WINCHESTER £109.50 The Flower Festival is held in the magnificent Cathedral at the heart of Chichester. It is the site of the shrine of St Richard of Chichester and its treasures range from medieval stone carvings to world famous 20th century works of art. Also visit Winchester with its magnificent cathedral, Great Hall and King Arthur’s Round Table and tempting array of independent shops. At a 3* Hotel (HB). Tuesday 12th June SUDELEY CASTLE & THE COTSWOLDS £34.50 Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Cotswolds, Sudeley Castle is steeped in history and with the new ‘Katherine Parr Exhibition’, celebrating the life of the Tudor Queen who lived, died and is entombed at Sudeley Castle. Our visit coincides with Rose Week, when the splendid gardens are in full bloom. Includes a cream tea. Sunday 17th June HESTERCOMBE GARDENS & TAUNTON £29.50 During the morning we visit Taunton before an extended visit to Hestercombe Gardens. Lose yourself in forty acres of walks, streams, temples, vivid colour and views that take your breath away. Thursday 21st June – ‘Day Tour’ LADIES DAY AT ROYAL ASCOT £119.50 Tuesday 19th June SIDMOUTH £19.50 Enjoy a day at the seaside at Devon’s Floral Resort with its superb gardens and promenade. Wednesday 20th June CROFT CASTLE & LUDLOW £34.50 Croft Castle is an imposing country house containing fine Georgian interiors and furniture, with family connections dating back to the Norman Conquest. There are restored walled gardens, a parish church, peaceful woodland, extensive parkland with a magnificent avenue of ancient Spanish chestnuts and spectacular panoramic views of the once turbulent border country. During the afternoon visit Ludlow and take a cream tea at the Gable’s Tearooms in Weobley. Thursday 21st – Monday 25th June NORTHUMBRIA £319.50 A five-day break at the 4* Marriott Sunderland Hotel (HB) overlooks Whitburn Sands, which offers good standards of comfort and facilities including leisure facilities and indoor swimming pool. We feature visits to Beamish, a vivid recreation of the North in the 18th and 19th centuries with costumed characters bringing to life the town, colliery, village and farm. Durham with its imposing cathedral, the garden at Alnwick, an enthralling mix of water sculptures, architecture and planting. View the iconic modern sculpture ‘The Angel of The North’. Saturday 23rd June SHOBDON CHURCH FLOWER FESTIVAL & BERRINGTON HALL £44.50 The exquisite Berrington Hall is a 18th-century mansion, set in parkland designed by ‘Capability’ Brown and contains beautifully decorated interiors complete with a nursery, Victorian laundry, Georgian dairy and an attractive garden. The walled garden contains a historic collection of local apple trees. During the afternoon visit Shobdon Church, which is the setting for the flower festival and is England’s finest example of Rococo architecture with its striking blue and white interior. Includes a cream tea at the Gables, Weobley. Friday 29th June – Monday 2nd July OXFORD ‘CITY OF DREAMING SPIRES & THE COTSWOLDS £249.50 Visit Oxford – ‘City of Dreaming Spires’ with its impressive University buildings and the Ashmolean Museum. Marlow is a charming historic town situated on the River Thames and surrounded by beautiful countryside, with the Chiltern Hills to the north. Also visiting the charming Cotswold town of Woodstock and Winston Churchill’s birthplace Blenheim Palace. Take a Thames River cruise to Windsor passing the houses of the rich and famous, Windsor Castle and Eton College. On the return journey visit Waterperry Gardens, which is a magical place where you are surrounded by beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers, classical borders, modern planting and secret corners. At the 3* Holiday Inn High Wycombe (HB) Thursday 5th July HAMPTON COURT FLOWER SHOW £57.50 The world’s largest event of its kind set in 25 acres of the glorious parkland of historic Hampton Court. Alternatively you may visit the Palace and Gardens only £43.50. Saturday 7th – Sunday 8th July HAMPTON COURT FLOWER SHOW £119.50 The World’s largest event of its kind set in 25 acres of glorious parkland with the backdrop of historic Hampton Court. On Sunday we visit Royal Windsor. At a 3* hotel near Windsor (HB). Saturday 7th – Sunday 8th July HAMPTON COURT PALACE & WINDSOR CASTLE £119.50 Visit Windsor Castle, the Queen’s favourite weekend home for the exhibition – ‘The Queen: Sixty Photographs For Sixty Years’ to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. Also visiting Hampton Court Palace and ‘The Pursuit of Beauty’, a new exhibition portraying beauty through royal history, a story of love, glamour, celebrity, lust and power of the residents of this palace from 1660 to 1714. At a 3* hotel near Windsor (HB). Saturday 7th July SNOWSHILL LAVENDER & THE COTSWOLDS £24.50 Visit the Lavender fields and visitor centre near Broadway and extended visits to the quintessential villages of the Cotswolds. Thursday 19th July POWIS CASTLE & GARDEN £36.50 A world famous garden and a medieval castle containing one of the finest collections of paintings and furniture in Wales. Reduction for NT members. Wednesday 1st August COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK Child £29.50 Adult £35.50 A day out for all the family with its wild and exotic animals from Africa, Madagascar and more, set in 180 acres of parkland. It is also an unexpected attraction for gardeners with its rich diversity of plants. Or a Cotswolds tour visiting Burford and Witney £23.50 Thursday 2nd August ABERGLASNEY & THE NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS £47.50 Includes entry to both spectacular gardens and lunch at the Garden Café at Aberglasney. Saturday 4th – Wednesday 8th August EASTBOURNE – SUMMER AT THE SEASIDE £269.50 The 3* Best Western Lansdowne Hotel, Eastbourne (HB) is located on the promenade and offers superb standards of comfort. Eastbourne is a classic British seaside resort with superb gardens and entertainment venues in its theatres or famous beachside bandstand. Everything is within easy reach with the seafront promenade virtually leading straight on to the foot of the beautiful Eastbourne Downs and Beachy Head and the town centre just a few yards walk from the centrally located Victorian Pier. Saturday 11th August SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW £39.50 The Flower Show’s unique formula for floral splendour together with continuous entertainment, makes it one of the outstanding summer events in the UK. Sunday 12th August HIGHCLERE CASTLE – TV’s DOWNTON ABBEY £43.50 Highclere Castle is the setting for the hugely popular period drama ‘Downton Abbey’, a tale of scandal, intrigue and romance in an Edwardian country House. Tour the elegant castle before a stroll through the gardens designed by Capability Brown. Includes an extended visit to the historic Wiltshire Market town of Marlborough with a two-course lunch at the Castle & Ball Hotel, a traditional Olde English Inn. Monday 13th – Friday 17th August EDINBURGH TATTOO £394.50 The Edinburgh Tattoo is one of the greatest shows on earth! Enjoy the colourful marching bands, displays of cavalry, highland dancers and so much more. An illuminated Edinburgh Castle is the ultimate backdrop to this show and will leave you with lasting memories. You will have time at leisure in Edinburgh to explore the charming streets of the old town with its various museums, restaurants, bars and we also tour the Royal Yacht Britannia. Visit Culzean Castle, Robert Adam's 18th-century masterpiece – a real ‘castle in the air’ – which is perched on a cliff high above the crashing waves of the Firth of Clyde and set in extensive grounds. Glasgow is one of the most cosmopolitan destinations in Europe and has been reborn as a centre of style and vitality set against a backdrop of outstanding Victorian architecture. Glasgow boasts world famous art collections and a must see is the splendour of Scotland's best known architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose style adorns many unique attractions throughout Scotland's largest and greatest city. At the superb 4* Menzies Hotel Irving, Ayrshire (HB) offer excellent standards and is located in one of Scotland’s most scenic areas. Thursday 16th – Saturday 18th August LIVERPOOL (Child – £119.50) £149.50 Birthplace of The Beatles! The tour gives you the opportunity to visit the Cavern, Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. The regenerated waterfront area at the award winning Albert Dock is well worth a visit with its many café bars, restaurants, shops and featuring ‘The Beatles Story’, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Museum of Liverpool Life and Tate Gallery with its special ‘Monet & Turner Exhibition’. We include a Beatles tour with a Blue Badge Guide Our hotel is The Adelphi (HB). Includes a half-day tour to the classic seaside resort of Southport. Entry to Internationally renowned Southport Flower Show is available at extra cost. Friday 17th – Monday 20th August FLORIADE 2012 & BRUSSELS CARPET OF FLOWERS £279.50 Spend a full day at Floriade, one of the largest gardening events in the world, staged every ten years with displays of flowers, plants, trees, fruit and vegetables. There is also a cultural programme of music and dance. Visit Brussels where the Grande Place is transformed into a ‘Carpet of Flowers’ containing more than a million begonias of all colours. The 4* Mercure Leuven Hotel (BB) is located at the heart of this ancient university city with a host of historic buildings, grand squares, superb shops, restaurants and art galleries. Via Eurotunnel. Saturday 18th August WESTBURY COURT GARDEN £24.50 Originally laid out between 1696 and 1705, this is the only restored Dutch water garden in the country. Visitors can explore canals, clipped hedges and working 17th-century vegetable plots and discover many old varieties of fruit trees. Afterwards take a tour of the Royal Forest of Dean and visit to Ledbury on market day. Wednesday 22nd August LUDLOW AND THE BLACK & WHITE VILLAGES OF HEREFORDSHIRE £24.50 Including cream tea at the Gables Hotel, Weobley. Friday 24th – Monday 27th August NORTH WALES £264.50 A four-day break based at the 3* Rossett Hall Hotel which is located on the English/Welsh border (HB). We include visits to Llangollen including a canal cruise across the famous ‘Canal in the Sky’ – Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Bettws-Y-Coed and the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonia National Park. The highlights of the tour will be an ascent via the cog railway to the summit of Snowdon with its 3560ft-high, ‘Summit Café’ and a visit Powis Castle and Gardens. Also visit the historic walled city of Chester.