As Rudyard Kipling wryly noted “the Glory of the Garden lies in more than meets the eye”. On a Stancombe private garden tour you will be immersed in English gardens, their history, horticulture and the characters that created them giving you an in-depth experience of the glory of many gardens.
Staying within the secluded and historic landscape of Stancombe Park, you will have exclusive access to its fine herbaceous formal garden, woodland walks, secret tunnels and grottos and breath-taking views of lakes and hills, at dawn or dusk or in between. For the budding writer you might be inspired by the setting, as Evelyn Waugh was when he retreated to write Brideshead Revisited. Each week’s garden holiday will include a day at leisure when you can relax and explore the estate more fully, or visit nearby Bath with its historic sites and excellent shopping. Your hosts will be happy to advise and make any additional arrangements.
Within your newly refurbished and sumptuously appointed cottage, chefs will prepare breakfasts to set you up for the day and suppers to linger over as you share your memories of the days’ visits. On four of the days you will be met by your tour guide Marion Mako, and transported to some of the finest gardens via the gently rolling Cotswold landscape and its picturesque villages.
Gardens will range from eighteenth-century Rococo delights, sweeping landscapes and lakes, to grottos, Italianate fantasy, and Arts and Crafts refashioned into a mind-bending scientific story. Modern gardens featuring exceptional horticultural expertise and planting will offer something to delight and entice anyone, from the casually interested to the expert.
Each tour will include different gardens to reflect the wide variety of interest and seasonal changes. Mostly private and often introduced by their owners and creators you will discover more than meets the eye. We shall be sustained with delicious lunches and that staple of English garden visiting: tea and cake.
Tour Dates
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11th – 17th May 2025 (6 nights)
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29th June – 5th July 2025 (6 nights)
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7th – 13th September 2025 (6 nights)
Prices
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£4500 per person (sharing twin or double room)
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£650 single supplement ((sharing twin or double room)
What to Expect
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Visits to 2–3 gardens daily, including private estates and historic gardens.
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Two-course lunches with wine and light refreshments.
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Travel in a comfortable small coach.
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Expertly guided by Marion Mako, who will share stories, history, and horticultural tips.
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Marion Mako
Garden Designer, Historian, and Tour Guide
Each week is led by the highly experienced Marion Mako who is one of the most prominent and celebrated garden tour guides in the country, with over 20 years of touring history. Further to her career as a tour guide she has been a successful garden designer for over 25 years and holds a Master's degree in Garden History from the University of Bristol.
