This morning we will visit the (ten!) gardens at Sudely Castle. First laid out in the 15th century, Sudeley was largely abandoned and reclaimed by nature until Emma Dent launched a major 19th century restoration. More recently, a number of distinguished gardeners have worked with Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe to re-imagine and maintain the gardens in keeping with the historic and magnificent backdrop of Sudeley Castle.

After lunch at the classic, tiny 5 North Street, in Winchcombe, we have an invitation to Sezincote, the astonishing Moghul palace created by Colonel John Cockerell, who made a fortune in the East India Company. 

This morning we will visit the gardens at Asthall Manor, designed by I & J Bannerman to flow into the Windrush Valley landscape. The gardens blend open views with secret spaces. tranquil walks bordered with sharp wedges of yew, vast beeches enclosing a hidden lake, orchards sloping down to the mill stream, stone tubs overgrown with roses and a formal box-bordered parterre.

Lunch will be at Bruern Abbey Cottages.

In the afternoon we will visit the exquisite garden at Dean Manor, a quintessential English garden of six acres, comprising complex yew hedging and herbaceous borders, a kitchen and cutting garden, areas of wildflower meadow, an orchard and water gardens, surrounded by stone walls supporting roses, clematis and hydrangeas.

This morning we will visit the incomparable Rousham, perhaps England’s loveliest and most romantic garden set against the backdrop of the Carolingian house. 

We will have a splendid picnic lunch in the Rousham grounds, and go on to absorb the ancient atmosphere of the enigmatic Rollright Stones, perhaps the key to the Cotswolds’ exquisite man-made landscape, before returning to the cottages for tea and dinner. 

This morning we stay close to Bruern Cottages’  gardens, gym and swimming pool, with an invitation to visit the gardens laid out at Bruern Abbey by Angel Collins.

After lunch at The Hare in nearby Milton-under-Wychwood, we move on to two of the Cotswold’s must-see gardens, Kiftsgate and Hidcote, finishing the visit with a champagne tea in the Hidcote belvedere.

This Arts and Crafts-inspired garden was created in friendly rivalry with neighbouring Kiftsgate by the passionate plantsman and designer, Major Lawrence Johnston. Over ten acres of gardens, with the smaller, more formal garden ‘rooms’ near the house giving way to more natural areas that blend in with the surrounding countryside. 

Famed for its roses – and in particular the eponymous scented climbing rose which is shade-tolerant and vigorous – and for its intimate and ever-evolving views, the hillside garden at Kiftsgate was shaped by three generations of women gardeners. 

A special day to enjoy the energy and wit of the celebrated gardener, designer and watercolourist Matthew Rice at his beautiful home, Ham Court, in Bampton.

Matthew designed our lovely G&T logo, and aside from showing us around the moats, woodland, lawns, gravel planting and vegetable kingdom at Ham Court, he’ll be delving (after a fabulous al fresco lunch) into the secrets of good botanical drawing.

For a rousing finale we return for a valedictory dinner at Bruern cottages.

Depart Bruern, for Kingham station.