Join Christine Walkden on an exploration of the Cotswolds’ finest gardens
ITS grand houses, quaint market towns and honeycoloured villages make the Cotswolds a stunning place to visit at any time of the year – but in autumn, when its gardens become a riot of oranges, browns and reds, it’s even more dazzling.
On this four-day tour you’ll have a chance to discover the gardens of some spectacular homes, from cottages to magnificent country houses, as well as meeting Christine Walkden, The One Show’s popular resident gardening expert.
Christine will join you for a visit to the Arts and Crafts-inspired garden at Hidcote Manor before giving a private talk and answering your gardening questions in a special Q&A.
You will also be able to explore the historic estate of Highgrove House, the Prince of Wales’s country home; Rodmarton Manor and its eight-acre garden; the Knot Garden at Cerney House; beautiful Broughton Grange in north Oxfordshire; Sezincote’s ‘Hindu’ garden, inspired by 18th Century landscape designer Humphry Repton; and Batsford Arboretum. Our exclusive tour is the perfect UK break for anyone who loves gardening.
REASONS TO BOOK
Meet Christine Walkden: Knowledgeable and engaging, Christine is the ideal special guest to join you on this memorable tour. She will give a private talk about her career as a broadcaster, author and horticulturist and you’ll have an opportunity to ask her your own questions during a Q&A.
Explore Hidcote House: Christine will also join you for a tour of the lovely and intricately designed Arts and Crafts gardens at Hidcote Manor, near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.
Tour Highgrove Gardens: Since buying Highgrove in 1980, Prince Charles has redeveloped the garden, taking on a new project each year. Helped by his friend Lady Salisbury, the Prince has surrounded the house with scented wisteria, honeysuckle, jasmine and thyme, as well as creating an experimental wildflower meadow of more than 30 varieties of endangered native plants.
Wonderful gardens: You will also explore Broughton Grange, with gardens designed by multiple Chelsea Flower Show gold medal-winner Tom Stuart-Smith, and Rodmarton Manor’s ‘outdoor rooms’, each with its own individual character.
Beautiful setting: You will be staying throughout the trip at the delightful four-star Oxford Witney Hotel, which is just a short walk from the centre of Witney. Relax in the elegant bedrooms, take a dip in the pool or unwind in the spa.