THE GARDENS OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND GARDENS OF A PASSIONATE MIND JUNE 6-20, 2018 TOUR LEADER: MICHAEL TURNER

Overview ‘Gardens of a Passionate Mind’ is about the passionate men and women who, over the past three hundred years, have created or enjoyed some of the best-known and best-loved gardens in the south of England. It introduces a cast of professional garden designers – Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and Gertrude Jekyll among others; garden writers such as Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst and Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter; artists and authors who were inspired by the gardens they were creating: the Bloomsbury Group’s Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell at Charleston. Our 15-day tour, timed to see the gardens at their peak, takes you across the south of England and back again. We will visit a superb selection of estates from the magnificent 18th century Arcadian Landscapes at Rousham and Stourhead with their temples, lakes and grottoes, to Kelmscott Manor, the idyllic and inspirational country retreat of William Morris, to modern gardens created by Sir Roy Strong at The Laskett and Sir Simon Sainsbury at Woolbeding. As well as fine gardens, stately homes, country houses and castles, the itinerary takes in a broad range of sites, including picturesque villages and museums. From the exquisite countryside of early summer England, to the tranquil woodland of Kent, the scenery on this tour is a major attraction. Your tour leader Michael Turner, who lives in Sussex, will provide detailed background information on the estates and accompany all the excursions.

Your tour leader Michael Turner is a garden historian and classical archaeologist. The former Senior Curator of the Nicholson Museum (2005-2016), now lives in Sussex. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London and a member of The Gardens Trust. Michael has appeared regularly on television, radio, and in the press. In 2012, he was co-presenter of the 20-part ABC series

Extraordinary Curiosities and has been a featured guest on the ABC’s In Conversation with Richard Fidler and most recently on Classic FM’s Midday with Margaret Throsby about the 18th century English landscape architect Capability Brown. “Michael Turner was just great, his enthusiasm about all he showed us was infectious, we were excited every day!” Feedback from Academy Travel’s ‘Gardens of Southern England: Gardens of a Passionate Mind’, June 2016.

THE GARDENS OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND Tour dates: June 6-20, 2018

Tour leader: Michael Turner

Tour Price: $9,150 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $2,350 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Emirates

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Oxford (4 nights), Bath (3 nights), Royal Tunbridge Wells (3 nights), Lewes (4 nights)

Date published: June 5, 2017

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email kathy@academytravel.com.au

Tour Highlights

HIGHGROVE GARDENS Over 35 years in the making, the organic gardens at Highgrove are some of the most creative and innovative in the United Kingdom. We visit Highgrove, the private gardens of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, for a guided tour followed by a delightful champagne cream tea.

BLENHEIM PALACE Blenheim Palace is home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. A true masterpiece of 18th century Baroque architecture, Blenheim delivers an awe-inspiring experience for visitors. We discover the beauty of this World Heritage site set amongst over 2000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown parkland and Formal Gardens.

STOURHEAD With hills, water and classical architecture overlaid by a collection of trees and shrubs, Stourhead was described as ‘a living work of art’ when first opened in the 1740s. Meandering paths offer vistas through trees to classical temples and surprises at every turn. The centre piece is the lake, which dictates the path you take and the views you enjoy.

SISSINGHURST CASTLE The gardens of Sissinghurst Castle in Kent are some of the best known in England. They are the creation of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson, who arrived at the property in 1930. Over a period of 32 years they worked together on this gentle masterpiece, offering something new to see around every corner.

HEVER CASTLE There is much to discover at the magnificent award-winning gardens set in 125 acres of glorious grounds at Hever Castle. Marvel at the Pompeiian Wall and classical statuary in the Italian Garden; admire the giant topiary chess set and inhale the fragrance of over 4,000 rose bushes in the quintessential English Rose Garden.

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L , D and C for canapes

Wednesday June 6 Arrival

If you have booked your air travel through Academy Travel we will organise a transfer from Heathrow to our hotel. Please note that hotel rooms may not be available until early afternoon. In the early evening we gather in the hotel for welcome drinks and canapés. Overnight Oxford (C)

Thursday June 7 Oxford and the Botanic Gardens

After a talk in the hotel, we take a guided tour of the historic university town taking in the Ashmolean Museum and Christopher Wren’s superb Sheldonian Theatre. In the afternoon we visit the Botanic Gardens, situated in the heart of Oxford, a 5-minute walk from our hotel. They were founded in 1621 and are the oldest in Britain. Its monumental arched gateway was designed by Inigo Jones (1573-1652) and is one of the earliest Classical structures in Oxford. Today, with its nearly 5,000 different plant species, and in their delightful setting, the gardens are a source of inspiration for design, research, and conservation. This evening we celebrate our welcome dinner together at a local restaurant. Overnight Oxford (B, D)

Friday June 8 Blenheim Palace

The picture-perfect British stately home of Blenheim Palace is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture, sitting among more than 2000 acres of extraordinary landscaped Parkland and Formal Gardens. The inspired work of ‘Capability’ Brown has created a lasting legacy in the Park at Blenheim. The master landscaper constructed the Great Lake and planted thousands of trees in his ten-year tenure here. On our visit to Blenheim Palace today we explore the stunning UNESCO World Heritage site boasting a long and diverse history. It is the home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the birth place of Sir Winston Churchill. Overnight Oxford (B)

Saturday June 9 Kelmscott Manor AND Rousham

This morning we travel through the Cotswolds to Kelmscott Manor, the delightful and much-loved country retreat of William Morris from 1871 until his death in 1896. Situated on the Thames, Kelmscott’s Arts & Crafts garden was to have a profound effect on Morris. Several of his fabric designs are based exclusively on its flora and fauna, Strawberry Thieves for example. Afterwards we drive to Rousham, an 18th-century Arcadian Landscape garden. It is still lived in by the family who built the house and laid out the gardens, which remain largely as

Above: Radcliffe Camera at Oxford University, the first rotunda library built in Britain Below: a view over the stately home of Blenheim Palace, sitting among more than 2000 acres of extraordinary landscaped Parkland and Formal Gardens; and the graceful grounds at Rousham House and Garden

they were in the 18th-century. As well as its temples, glades and statues it has a Tudor/Stuart parterre, one of the largest dovecotes in the country, and the most perfect walled garden. Overnight Oxford (B)

Sunday June 10 Hidcote and Bath

We say farewell to Oxford as we head for Hidcote, one of the best-known Arts & Crafts gardens in the country. It was created out of bare Cotswold fields by the horticulturist and explorer Major Lawrence Johnston (1871-1958). Influenced by Gertrude Jekyll (as were Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson at the same time at Sissinghurst), Johnston combined a series of themed outdoor ‘rooms’, rare trees and shrubs, and magnificent herbaceous borders. Early afternoon we arrive in Bath, known for its natural hot springs and 18th-century Georgian architecture. This evening we gather for dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Bath (B, D)

Monday June 11 Iford manor and Stourhead

Our day begins with the Peto Garden at Iford Manor, one of the finest Italianate gardens in England. It was constructed and planted by architect, traveller and landscape designer Harold Ainsworth Peto between 1899 and 1933. In the Italianate manner, flowers play a secondary role to the more structural elements of cypress trees, statuary, broad walks and pools of water. The garden includes Peto’s delightful ‘Haunt of Ancient Peace’, a cloistered Italian style courtyard. We continue on to Stourhead is probably the most famous and most beautiful 18th-century Arcadian Landscape garden in England. Between 1740 and 1780, banker Henry Hoare (1705-1785) created an idyllic mix of the Classical and the Gothic. The walk around the lake, crossed at one end by its beautiful Palladian bridge, takes in Classical temples, a Gothic cottage, and one of the most dramatic Rococo grottos in England. Overnight Bath (B)

Tuesday June 12 The Laskett and Royal Highgrove

We head north into Herefordshire, crossing the mighty Severn Bridge. Our destination, for an exclusive and private visit, is The Laskett, the largest private formal garden laid out in England since 1945. Created over a period of 40 years by art historian Sir Roy Strong and his late wife, the designer Julia Trevelyan Oman. The iconoclastic Sir Roy is the former Director of both the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Typically, Sir Roy has threatened to have the garden destroyed on his death. Not to be missed in case it disappears! A delightful drive through the countryside brings us to Highgrove the private gardens of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Begun in 1980 and now run on the organic and sustainable methods of which the Prince is such a passionate advocate, the gardens include wild, formal and kitchen gardens. Throughout are busts of people who have inspired the Prince, including Sir Roy Strong

Above: the intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ at Hidcote Manor Garden, in the north Cotswolds; and Stourhead, probably the most famous and most beautiful 18th-century Arcadian Landscape garden in England

Below: Sir Roy Strong in his garden at The Laskett

who helped Prince Charles design the garden. Our exclusive guided tour is followed by a champagne cream tea. Overnight Bath (B, champagne cream tea)

Wednesday June 13 Woolbedding AND Tunbridge Wells

Our next garden is the little-known gem at Woolbeding. Created over a period of 40 years by the late philanthropist and supermarket supremo Simon Sainsbury and his partner Stewart Grimshaw, it opened to the public just five years ago. The house and gardens are set in countryside described by Benjamin Disraeli in the 19th-century as ‘the prettiest river and nicest valley in England’. Meticulous in matters of taste and detail, no expense was spared by Sainsbury in the creation of the garden. The finest gardeners and craftsman have all worked there over the 40 years. This evening dinner is in the hotel restaurant. Overnight Royal Tunbridge Wells (B, D)

Thursday June 14 Sissinghurst and great dixter

After a talk in the hotel, we travel to Sissinghurst, probably the best known and most popular of all 20th-century English gardens. It was created by the poet and garden writer Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat and author husband Harold Nicholson in the 1930s, both of whom were heavily influenced by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. The garden is laid out in the Arts & Crafts style as a series of rooms, each with its own distinctive theme and colour. There is a wonderful view of the garden and the surrounding countryside from the top of the Elizabethan Tower. In the afternoon we make the 30-minute drive through the rolling Sussex countryside to Great Dixter, the beautiful, yet provocative garden made famous by the gardener and author Christopher Lloyd (1921-2006). The garden was originally designed in 1910 by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Lloyd’s father in the Arts & Crafts style. In 1993, Lloyd controversially dug up Lutyens’ 80 year-old rose-garden planting in its place a now very popular Exotics Garden. Lloyd described the sound of the rose roots coming out of the ground as ‘music to my ears’! The garden is now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett. The tour includes the family house, parts of which date back to the 1400s. Overnight Royal Tunbridge Wells (B)

Friday June 15 Heaver Castle and Chartwell

This morning we head to Hever Castle, the romantic childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. Hever’s 13th-century moated castle acts as a dramatic backdrop for the gardens laid out for William Waldorf Astor between 1904 and 1908. The Italian Garden includes Astor’s large collection of mainly Roman classical sculpture. We spend the afternoon at Chartwell, the family home of Winston Churchill. Filled with treasures from every aspect of Churchill’s life, the house provides an opportunity to explore the home of one of Britain’s greatest leaders. We also visit the studio to see a collection of Churchill's paintings, before heading out to admire the wonderful

Above: looking through the white garden to the Elizabethan Tower at Sissinghurst Below: the historic house and garden at Great Dixter; and stunning topiary at Hever Castle - the romantic childhood home of Anne Boleyn

walled garden, several of whose bricked walls were famously laid by Churchill himself. Overnight Royal Tunbridge Wells (B)

Saturday June 16 Lewes via West Hoathly

Lewes is an old county town with a long history and lively present. This morning we explore the town on a walk to the Castle and Town Museum, Anne of Cleves’ House and the Priory Ruins. In the afternoon we travel to the village of West Hoathly, to visit Luctons, for a personal welcome from its owners, Hans and Ingrid Sethi and a chance to chat with them about the joys of one of the finest private gardens in Sussex. Afterwards, we take a private tour of The Priest House, once owned by Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Anne of Cleves, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. We also visit the Church of St Margaret of Antioch, dating back to Norman times. Opposite the church, we end the day with a drink and bite to eat at the 16th-century village pub, The Cat before continuing on to our hotel. Overnight Lewes (B, D)

Sunday June 17 Charleston and Nymans

This morning we see Charleston, the home of the Bloomsbury Group’s Duncan Grant (1885-1978) and Vanessa Bell (1879-1961), the sister of Virginia Woolf. The garden is a delightful mix of Mediterranean influence and cottage garden planting. In the early afternoon we visit the nearby Arts & Crafts garden at Nymans. High on a hill looking out across the Sussex Weald, Nymans was created by the banker Ludwig Messel, with help from close neighbour William Robinson, in the late 19th-century. In 1915, his son Leonard knocked down the Regency house and built an extravagant mock Tudor palace. This was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1947 leaving a romantic Gothic ruin that acts as a spectacular backdrop to the garden today. Leonard was the father of the theatre designer Oliver Messel and grandfather of Lord Snowdon. In the 1920s and 30s, Nymans was a playground for the rich and famous. Overnight Lewes (B)

Monday June 18 Arundel Castle

The beautifully situated one-thousand-year-old Arundel Castle is the largest occupied country house in England. The grounds, open to the public since 1800, now include The Collector Earls’ Garden, The Stumpery, The Cut Flower Garden, The Organic Kitchen Garden, as well as the hot and cool herbaceous borders. The Fitzalan Chapel also has its own ‘white garden’. Overnight Lewes (B)

Tuesday June 19 Bluebell Railway and Gravetye

Nestling on a hillside on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, the 16th-century Gravetye Manor is the quintessential English country house. Its most famous occupant, until his death in

Above: Sir Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine, at Chartwell; and borders of perennials and annuals line an intimate garden at Nymans

Below: The southern frontage at Nyams today – the ruined house remains a garden feature

1935, was the garden designer William Robinson. A contemporary of Gertrude Jekyll, Robinson was the guiding light of what was to become known as the Wild Garden. Gravetye remains today almost as he planted it, a romantic evocation of woods and garden. After our farewell lunch at Gravetye, we take the historic Bluebell Steam Railway through the Sussex countryside to nearby Sheffield Park. The historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) was a frequent guest at Sheffield Park, writing much of his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in the library. Despite his dislike of the great outdoors – ‘Gib is a mortal enemy to any person taking a walk’ – it was he who introduced the 1st Earl to ‘Capability’ Brown. Both Brown (1716-1783) and Humphry Repton (1752-1818) were responsible for beginning the transformation of the Park into the delightfully informal landscape garden that it is today. Overnight Lewes (B, L)

Wednesday June 20 Departure

Gatwick Airport is close to Lewes, and there will be a transfer for those departing from Gatwick. Depending on group members’ travel plans, there may also be transfers to the centre of London and/or Heathrow Airport. (B)

Hotels These four-star hotels have been selected principally for their central location. Oxford, Hotel to be announced (4 nights)

Bath, Francis Hotel (3 nights)

www.francishotel.com

Tunbridge Wells, The Spa Hotel (3 nights) www.spahotel.co.uk

Lewes, Pelham House Hotel (3 nights) www.pelhamhouse.com

Above: the quintessential English country house - Gravetye Manor Below: the historic Bluebell Steam Railway; and a portrait of English landscape architect Capability Brown, which can be found in London’s National Portrait Gallery

Tour Price The tour price is $9,150 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $2,350 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price All accommodation in selected four star hotels All breakfasts, lunches and dinners as indicated in this

itinerary Land travel by air-conditioned coach Extensive background notes Background talks Services of a tour leader and a tour manager throughout

tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Porterage of one piece of luggage at all hotels

Not included International airfares (competitive quotes available) Travel insurance Meals and activities not stated as included in this

itinerary Personal expenses

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. Emirates offer daily flights to London. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email kathy@academytravel.com.au

Weather on Tour June is a great time to visit England. The days are long, rainfall is low and temperatures are mild to warm. Nevertheless, you should bring a light jacket and jumpers for the evenings. As we all know, English summers can sometimes be a bit damp, so bring an umbrella!

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

GRADE TWO

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,

humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,

which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.