English Garden Tour

Join gardening expert Anne Slade on an 8 day tour of England's gardens. Enjoy some of the finest gardens, large and small, that the country has to offer. Immerse yourself in the gardens and countryside of England - the meadows and villages of Yorkshire, the countryside made famous by James Herriot, author of All Creatures Great and Small...the cottages and classic English scenery of the Cotswolds...the rolling fields of Surrey. You'll have the time of your life!

Your experienced guide will escort you on a trip to 8 gardens, chosen for their variety and appeal, ranging from small, intimate cottage delights to the enormous formal designs of the great houses, these colourful gardens will thrill you and inspire you to your own creations. Included for our group to see in the company of tour guide Anne Slade, and in many cases, private guides, are:

SUMMER TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1 ~ Sunday May 25 ~ gather at Polesden Lacey. Tour the house and gardens and lunch at Polesden Lacey. Enjoy a city tour of the historic university town of Cambridge. Overnight at Arundel House in Cambridge

Day 2 ~ Monday May 26 ~ Visit Chatsworth House. Overnight at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate (for five nights)

Day 3 ~ Tuesday May 27 ~ Visit Newby Hall house and garden, then it is on to the village of Masham. Visit Constable Burton Hall garden.

Day 4 ~ Wednesday May 28 ~ Enjoy a tour of James Herriot's Yorkshire, then visit the village of Richmond. Visit Millgate Gardens in Richmond.

Day 5 ~ Thursday May 29 ~ A day in York, with a City Tour and free time throughout afternoon and dinner.

Day 6 ~ Friday May 30 ~ A full day at picturesque Castle Howard, with special insider's tours of the house and gardens. Dinner at The Boar's Head in Ripley Castle.

Day 7 ~ Saturday May 31 ~ Driving Tour of The Cotswolds. Visit Hidcote Manor Gardens. Overnight at Hatton Court in Gloucester.

Day 8 ~ Sunday June 1 ~ More Cotswolds - a drive through the classic English scenery of this delightful area of small villages and honey-toned cottages. Visit Westwind Organic Garden. Farewell dinner at The Copthorne Inn. Overnight at Travel Inn Gatwick Airport

Day 9 ~ Monday June 2 ~ Individual departures

Itinerary is subject to change

Overview

Polesden Lacey

Polesden Lacey - Dating to 1761, this is the country estate where the Queen Mum spent part of her honeymoon. The 1920s Regency villa offers panoramic views over a wooded valley.

Chatsworth House - The home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire since 1552. Its maze, rookeries, and water gardens were first landscaped in the 1760s. The 26-room Great House has been twice voted the British Public's Favourite House. We will enjoy a private tour led by one of the family's gardeners. More about Chatsworth.

Newby Hall

Newby Hall and Gardens - A magnificent late 17th century house built in the style of Christopher Wren, with interiors by Robert Adams. We will tour the magnificent 40 acre formal gardens, laid out in a series of garden "rooms" planned to provide colourful blooms in every season. A former "Garden of the Year" award-winner.

Castle Howard - Location for the film adaptation of Brideshead Revisited. Designed in 1699, the house is situated between two lakes, with extensive formal gardens. We will receive special tours of the Rose garden and the Temple of the Winds.

Hidcote Manor Gardens - Created in 1907, this Cotswold garden is famed for its old roses and its series of orderly formal spaces. More about Hidcote.

Westwind Organic Garden - a couple esteemed for their garden photography worldwide created this organic garden from the cuttings and memories of their travels, including the Prayer Garden, Italian Terrace, and sections for roses and vegetables.

James Herriot's Yorkshire

Our tour will include drives through the countryside of the Cotswolds and James Herriot's Yorkshire, known worldwide for their pastoral beauty and quintessential English scenery. You will have time to explore in detail the towns of York and Harrogate, full of historic architecture, shops, and pubs. Known as "England's Floral Town", Harrogate itself is replete with masses of flower beds throughout the city.

The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate

The accommodations selected for the tour have been selected for their charm and ambiance, including the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, famous as the hotel where mystery writer Agatha Christie reappeared after her mysterious disappearance more than 70 years ago!

Full English breakfasts are included every morning, as well as six lunches, most at the garden sites themselves or in charming tea shops. Four dinners will be with your touring companions, each in an elegant and impressive setting. Transportation from beginning to end will be in our chartered luxury motorcoach.

Accommodation venues:
Arundel House, Cambridge (1 night)
The Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate, Yorkshire (5 nights)
Hatton Court, Gloucester (1 night)
The Travel Inn, Gatwick, Surrey (1 night)

Your Tour Leader:
A native of Lancashire, Anne Slade has lived in Dallas, Texas, since 1985. She has worked with an English antiques importer and later with a specialist in the sale and repair of rare books. She is the founder of Lakewood House Antiques, specializing in Victorian Lace, During the past 4 years, Anne has worked at Redenta's Organic Garden Centre in Dallas, where her knowledge of vegetables and herbs and her expertise in container arrangements has been well recognized. With her 30 years expertise of natural, now known as organic gardening, and as many years with English antiques, Anne has a "knowledge combination" that proves invaluable when visiting not only the gardens, but also the Historic and Stately Homes of England.

Includes: All land transportation, full breakfasts daily, seven lunches, four dinners, all site tours as listed in the itinerary.

Dates: May 25 - June 1, 2003
8 nights and 8 days
Cost: $2095.00 US per person, double occupancy(approx. equivalent £1326 UK, $3305 CDN)
$2295.00 US per person, single occupancy (approx. equivalent £1453 UK, $3621 CDN)
Deposit is $500 US per person (approx. equivalent £317 UK, $789 CDN)
Includes 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners.
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Registration deadline: March 31, 2003
Please register soon to be sure of your spot!

See also: Fall Gardens Tour

For further information and registration, please contact us either by email, fax, or phone: Telephone: Texas International Tours at 1-214-265-7782 Fax: 1-214-265-7782

The English Gardens Summer Tour is a cooperative venture between Britain Express, UKation, and Texas International Tours.

Texas International Tours

HIGHLIGHTS Chatsworth House Polesden Lacey Castle Howard Constable Burton Hidcote Manor Garden Westwind Garden ACTIVITIES City of York Tour City of Cambridge Tour James Herriot's Yorkshire Tour Cotswold Driving Tour  WE'LL VISIT Castles Villages Countryside Formal Gardens Informal Gardens Historic Houses TESTIMONIALS "I had a wonderful time on the tour. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I cannot think of a thing that could have been changed." Gayle Kesinger, Hospital Administrator REGISTRATION For further information and registration, please click here, or contact us by , phone Texas International Tours at 1-214-265-7782 or use our printable tour registration form.