History & Horticulture

Hampton Court & the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

4 Days From £975pp Departing Sep ‘21 Activity Level

Our love of horticulture has a long history and can be retraced for thousands of years. We have combined the old and new with visits to the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which will be held in September for the first time in its 108-year history, and Hampton Court Palace, where the first small knot garden was laid out in the early 1500s by Cardinal Wolsey.

Tour Highlights

• Discover the latest garden designs and enjoy uplifting displays at RHS

Chelsea Flower Show • Admire the Triumphs of Caesar – nine huge Renaissance paintings that are on display at Hampton Court • Explore, relax or lose yourself in the world-famous maze during a visit to

Hampton Court Gardens

Day One | London We arrive independently in London at our hotel. This evening, we come together as a group for dinner. Day Two | Hampton Court We spend the day exploring the house and gardens at Hampton Court. There really are two palaces at Hampton Court – the original palace built for Cardinal Wolsey but appropriated by Henry VIII in 1529 is a Tudor masterpiece of red brick, tall chimneys, and wooden panelling, while the second, attached to the older building, is an elegant Christopher Wren-designed celebration of the Baroque. We will explore both parts of the palace before venturing into the gardens. Embedded with 500 years of history, primarily formal in nature, there are over 60 acres to explore including the Privy Garden and Orangery, The East Front Fountain Garden, the Wilderness and Tiltyard, the Rose and Kitchen Gardens. Highlights include the long herbaceous borders, world-famous maze and Great Vine. Day Three | RHS Chelsea Flower Show A full-day visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show awaits, which holds a rare position as a great British tradition and is an exciting source of inspiration and advice. One of the highlights of the horticultural calendar, the show was once described as ‘the World Cup of Gardening’ and has run almost every year since 1913 – and one or two of those original contributors are still exhibiting today. In successive years, Chelsea has continued to mirror changes in society and horticultural thinking, from minimalist design to wildlife gardens and sustainability. This year there will be a new RHS category: Sanctuary Gardens, which seeks to highlight the positive impact plants have on our health and well-being. Day Four | London Our tour ends and we make our journeys home, or instead choose to stay on and explore London independently.

Guided by a professional Tour Manager

This short tour will be led by an experienced Andante Travels Tour Manager, who will accompany the group throughout the tour.

Price includes

• Professional Tour Manager • Entries to all sites & museums • All taxes & gratuities Accommodation

• Accommodation at the Grange Beauchamp Hotel or similar Culinary inclusions

• 3 breakfasts & 3 dinners • Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 22nd - 25th Sep ‘21 £975 £355