With chocolate-box villages and golden limestone cottages the Cotswolds is one of the prettiest parts of the UK. Rivers flow through the pretty villages and there are lovely gardens of all sizes to visit, some grand others more modest but all filled with beautiful flowers.
We are able to create a bespoke garden group tour so you can follow your horticultural passions and here are a selection of our favourites to visit.
Of all the gardens Highgrove Gardens, Tetbury – the home of HRH Prince Charles, has got to be one of the best. The gardens demonstrate his belief in sustainable methods, encouraging both plants and wildlife to thrive. The gardens are a series of interlinked spaces each with their own theme. Tours of the garden must be booked in advance www.highgrovegardens.com
Another of the finest gardens in the UK is Hidcote Manor Garden, Chipping Camden. This world famous ‘Arts & Crafts’ garden has intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ which change in harmony with the seasons. Owned by the National Trust the garden is open all year www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote
Bourton House Garden is an award winning 1.2ha garden surrounding a fine 18th C manor house. The garden has wonderful terraces, wide herbaceous borders with stunning plant, texture and colour combinations. There is also some wonderful topiary which includes a knot garden, parterre and a topiary walk. The gardens are open April-October. www.bourtonhouse.com
Near Malmesbury is Abbey House Gardens, it is here that the 1st King of England – Athelstan is buried. These spectacular country house gardens beside the River Avon has a collection of over 2,000 roses and over 250,000 tulips. Open from April to September. www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk
Asthall Manor near Burford was once the home of the famous Mitford family. With 2.5ha of dramatic planting the gardens are a mix of contemporary and traditional, with scented borders, sloping parterres, wild flowers, a turf sculpture and a hidden lake. Check the website for details of opening dates www.asthallmanor.com
