Discover beautiful gardens spanning centuries of garden design in one of Britain’s best-loved landscapes
Explore Kiftsgate Court Gardens, the creation of three generations of female gardeners
Visit some of the world’s finest Arts & Crafts-inspired gardens, including at Hidcote Manor and the Miserden Estate
“An excellent thoughtfully planned study tour which encompassed a variety of gardens, [enabling] an understanding of their sense of place”
- ACE customers on the 2022 Gardens of the Cotswolds tour
For garden enthusiasts, the Cotswolds offer a truly unparalleled experience. Exquisite planting schemes are bathed in the glow of golden stone, and rolling hills – the ‘wolds’ – form an idyllic backdrop to some of the world’s most famous garden designs. Through exploring a handpicked selection of these remarkable spaces, alongside dedicated lectures by our Tour Director and talks with Head Gardeners, we will gain a full appreciation of their design, planting styles, horticulture and history.
The influence of the Arts & Crafts movement will be felt at visits to Miserden Park Gardens and Hidcote. Situated at the heart of a family-run estate that takes a particular interest in environmental sustainability, Miserden features stunning flowering beds, shrubs and topiary, with elements of design by Edwin Lutyens. Meanwhile, Hidcote’s carefully crafted ‘garden rooms’ are famous across the world for their beauty, intricacy and impact upon subsequent garden design. The garden features numerous plants collected by Johnston – an American horticulturalist – on his travels.
Kiftsgate Court Gardens are the creation of three generations of female gardeners. Famous for its roses, Kiftsgate also features a sunken white garden, a double border comprising shrubs, small trees and herbaceous plants in shades of pink, mauve and grey, and stunning views towards the Malvern Hills, as well as a wild garden.
Sezincote, located near Moreton-in-Marsh, features a notable 19th-century garden. Set on a vast private estate, the Humphrey Repton landscape provides the backdrop for an 'Indian palace'-style house and the gardens themselves display Mughal motifs and plantings that evoke a sense of paradise.
We also hope to include a visit to Highgrove, the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Highgrove is renowned for its beautiful and innovative gardens, which have been designed and regenerated over the past 40 years with passion and skill. Offering a variety of intriguing and beautifully kept landscapes, the gardens and estate are managed in accordance with organic and sustainable principles.
We will stay throughout at the boutique four-star Malmaison in the spa-town of Cheltenham. Located in the heart of the fashionable Montpellier district, this hotel boasts modern design with traditional regency architecture. Offering charm, tranquillity and character, this hotel is welcoming, comfortable and is ideally situated in town centre and to the nearby Montpellier Gardens.
Special Visits
Throughout our tour, we will benefit from exclusive insights into many of the Cotswolds most beautiful gardens from owners, head gardeners as well as the Tour Director. In particular, on our visit to Cerney House we will be thrilled to be welcomed by the owner who will provide an introduction to their garden over tea, coffee and cake. A Victorian walled garden, it is part of the family home and has been lovely developed over the years. Also at Sezincote, head gardener Greg Powers is delighted to be welcoming ACE travellers to this magnificent estate.
David Hurrion
David has worked in gardens and nurseries around the UK and has travelled extensively abroad discovering plants and gardens.
This tour will be led by David Hurrion. With over four decades of gardening knowledge, practical experience and botanical and scientific training, David has worked in gardens and nurseries around the UK and has travelled extensively abroad. As a trained teacher, he has taught a range of subjects from botany, soil science and plant identification to propagation, garden design and crop production. Standing out as one of Britain's most respected growing authorities, David has also published for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and appeared on TV and radio. He has also designed, built and planted show gardens and display stands at many major garden shows, including the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show, for which he was a Show Judge in 2025.
5
£1995
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