Past tours have been set in the evocative landscapes of the Cotswolds, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Sussex, Kent and Scotland. Scroll down for descriptions.
Sussex and Kent: The Legacy of Bloomsbury
June 2023 & June 2024
6 days | 5 nights
Between London and the South coast is rolling chalk downland, home to some of the most romantic gardens in the world. In the early 20th century writers and artists from the legendary Bloomsbury Group retreated here. Their fluid approach to integrating art and pattern throughout their homes and gardens inspired highly original designs such as we see at Charleston and Sissinghurt. Other notable gardens are also included, along with galleries that offer a fresh perspective on Modern British art.
Art and Gardens from Somerset to Cornwall
May 2022
7 days | 6 nights
This spring visit to England’s southwest peninsula began in rural Somerset with two nights in a sophisticated manor house hotel on the grounds of a secluded estate.
We traveled on to Cornwall, which is distinguished by its rugged coastline and subtropical microclimate. From our base in a charming fishing village, we spent four days exploring the extraordinary topography and the art and horticulture it inspired. Private visits at the Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum and Gardens spotlighted the modernist British artists who congregated in the area during the early 20th century.
Cotswolds Gardens: Classic & Contemporary English Designers
May 2022
6 days | 5 nights
This early spring tour of quintessential English landscapes ranged from 18th century Rousham to private gardens by influential contemporary designers Arne Maynard, Dan Pearson and Tom Stuart-Smith. The itinerary also included a day with one of England’s leading tulip specialists.
Spectacular in spring, the region is celebrated for an abundance of picturesque medieval villages, rolling countryside, and iconic country houses.
Scotland's Cultural Landscape: Ancient & Modern
June 2019
7 days | 6 nights
Beginning in the Highlands and then based in the architecturally acclaimed city of Edinburgh, our cultural tour of art and gardens in Scotland included private visits to the Royal Botanical Gardens, the new Victoria & Albert Design Museum in Dundee, Ian Hamilton Finlay’s whimsical Little Sparta and Jupiter Artland, a cutting edge sculpture park with works by Antony Gormley, Andy Goldsworthy and Charles Jencks. Scotland's spectacular natural landscape was highlighted at private gardens and country houses further afield.
Cotswolds Gardens: Contemporary English Designers & Visionaries of the Past
May 2019
6 days | 5 nights
Set in the heart of the Cotswolds, this tour of quintessential English landscapes ranged from 18th century Rousham by William Kent to private gardens by influential contemporary designers Arne Maynard, Dan Pearson and Tom Stuart-Smith. Spectacular in spring, the region is celebrated for an abundance of picturesque medieval villages, rolling countryside, and iconic country houses. Our relaxing five night stay was based at a favorite hotel that combines traditional comfort with a modern urban twist and locavore cuisine.
Gardens & Art in Devon and Cornwall
April - May 2019
7 days | 6 nights
This spring visit to England’s southwest peninsula began in a secluded valley from which we explored some of Devon and Cornwall's most extraordinary gardens. The region's distinctive subtropical microclimate allows for exotic plantings that flourish early in the season. Later we moved to the coast near the seaside town of St. Ives. A nexus for British modernist artists in the early 20th century, it is now home to a newly expanded branch of the Tate and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Gardens.
Gardens & Art in the West of England
April - May 2018
6 days | 5 nights
Private visits explored classic and contemporary gardens in Somerset and Devon where settings ranged from a medieval moated manor to a restored ancient stone farmhouse. Internationally acclaimed art galleries were also included. We relaxed first in a boutique spa hotel and then at a comfortable Elizabethan manor house nestled in a secluded valley. Both hotels specialize in seasonal farm-to-table dining from their own kitchen gardens.
English Kitchen Gardens in the Cotswolds & West Sussex
September 2017
6 days | 5 nights
For centuries most large country houses had a walled kitchen garden, supplying food, herbs and flowers for the household. Today, they are enjoying a renaissance. Highlights included Lord Rothschild's impeccably restored family garden at Eythrope, the expansive gardens at West Dean and a rarely seen private garden by Arne Maynard. Hotels ranged from a restored manor house to a comfortable boutique inn, both with celebrated farm-to-table restaurants.
From Intimate to Grand in the Cotswolds & Somerset
May 2017
8 days | 7 nights
Bluebells and flowering trees were at their peak as we traced the evolution of the country house and garden from the medieval to the modern day. Highlights included a 15th-century manor, breathtaking 18th-century landscapes, Italianate gardens and fine and decorative arts. Our stay in a luxurious Cotswold farmhouse hotel was followed by the rural splendor of a Somerset manor house.