I am delighted to introduce my England & Wales Garden Tour, a carefully curated journey through some of the most influential and inspiring landscapes in Britain.

Over the course of our time together, we will travel from London through the Cotswolds and into Wales, visiting iconic gardens, private estates, and culturally significant landscapes that have shaped the history of garden design. From the world-renowned Chelsea Flower Show on exclusive Member’s Day—when the show is at its absolute peak—to intimate Arts & Crafts gardens, from the productive beauty of The Newt to the sweeping countryside of the Welsh borders, this itinerary balances horticultural excellence with rich cultural context.

Our time in London coincides with the city’s most vibrant floral moment. During show week, the surrounding neighborhood comes alive with Chelsea in Bloom, when shopfronts, hotels, and restaurants create elaborate floral installations that transform the streets into an open-air celebration of design and creativity. Guests will have time to wander the area at leisure, taking in the displays and the lively atmosphere that extends well beyond the show gates. For those who wish, there will also be an optional visit to the historic Chelsea Physic Garden, one of Britain’s oldest botanical gardens, where medicinal and botanical collections offer a quieter, scholarly counterpoint to the exuberance of the Flower Show.

As a professional garden designer, horticulturist, and tour leader, I personally design and accompany each tour from beginning to end. This journey includes private coach transportation, an expert local guide, and admission to a thoughtfully selected collection of gardens and historic sites. We will experience both celebrated institutions and exceptional private gardens not always accessible to the general public.

We stay in carefully selected four-star properties that reflect the character of each region — from elegant London accommodations to refined country hotels in Wales and Windsor. Our accommodations are chosen not simply for comfort, but for atmosphere and location, ensuring that each evening feels like a continuation of the day’s experience.

Included meals highlight regional cuisine and provide time for conversation and reflection, while allowing space for independent exploration in charming villages and market towns.

I look forward to sharing it with you.

PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICY

A deposit of £500 is required to confirm your booking, with a further instalment due by 1st September 2026 and the balance due no later than 1st March 2027.

All deposits are refundable up to 1st August 2026.

Individual cancellations

(a) if received in writing after 1st August and on or before 31st August 2026; loss of £500.00 deposit

(b) if received in writing after 31st August 2026 and on or before 22nd February 2027 : 35% of the tour price;  

(c) if received in writing after 22nd February 2027 and on or before 5th April 2027: 50% of the tour price;

(d) No refund for cancellations received after 5th April 2027.

We do strongly recommend that all passengers take out some form of cancellation or curtailment and medical insurance.

Some policies require purchase soon after your first deposit. Unexpected events can disrupt your travel plans, either before you leave or during your trip. Consider purchasing travel insurance soon after making your first tour deposit. You can select the coverage best suited to your circumstances by comparing the options on websites such as Squaremouth.com or InsureMyTrip.com. If you travel more than twice a year, you may want to consider an annual policy instead of a per trip policy.

All contracts and agreements will be governed by English Law.

RESPONSIBILITY:

Pathfinders, a subsidiary of ST International Tourist Agency, is the tour operator and is responsible for the services provided. By the payment of a deposit and accepting these terms and conditions, the depositor thereby agrees to release and hold harmless Pathfinders and their respective officers, agents or representatives, from any and all liability arising from or in relation to this tour, and further agrees to be bound by the following limitations and conditions of tour operator's responsibility:

Limitations and Conditions of Operator's Responsibility:

Pathfinders, operator of the tour herein outlined, its subsidiaries and/or its associated agents act as agents only for all services and disclaim any and all liability for property loss or damage, and/or any and all damages resulting from death or personal injuries, including loss of services which may be sustained on account of, or rising out of, by reason of, or while engaged on any aspect of this tour whether due to the ownership, maintenance, use, operation or control of any vehicle, common carrier, inn, restaurant or other, or whether caused by failure or delay or by any transportation company due to any cause whatsoever occurring during this tour under its management, sponsorship, procurement or otherwise. All tickets, vouchers and orders are furnished and issued subject in all respects to these terms and conditions and to any and all terms and conditions under which the means of transportation or any other service provided thereby are offered or supplied by owners or operators for whom Pathfinders acts solely as agents.

Due to the unpredictable nature of travel, Pathfinders reserves the right in its discretion to alter any part of the itinerary or change any feature without allowance or refund.

Pathfinders reserve the right to cancel the tour and to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time for reasons of health, safety and/or general welfare of the tour group or of the individual participant. In such case, the refund will be based on actual costs of services remaining in the unfinished portion of the tour. 

The person promoting this tour is Claire Jones. She is not an agent or employee of Pathfinders. You further agree that this is a release of any claim that you may have against Pathfinders, as well as Claire Jones, Claire Jones Landscapes LLC (collectively "Claire Jones"), and tour co-sponsor organizations (Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland) (Horticultural Society of

Maryland), arising out of this tour from any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay, or expense resulting from events beyond their control, including without limitation: natural disasters, war strikes, incidents of politically motivated violence, sickness or quarantine, government or regulations, and in the absence of gross negligence, arising from the use of any vehicle or

from any act of omission by any bus company, airline, tour service, hotel, restaurant, or other firm, agency, company, or individual.

Passport

A valid passport is mandatory to leave the U.S. and/or enter Europe. Your passport must not expire within 6 months of your return from Europe, otherwise, it will be considered non-valid and need to be renewed. If you need a passport, or your passport needs to be renewed, please act now! It can take several months to receive a new or replacement passport.

ETIAS and ETA

In addition, launching in late 2026, ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System), will go into effect. American nationals will need to apply for travel authorization for short stays through the network before traveling to Europe.

If your flight connects through the United Kingdom, you will also be required to purchase an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization).

The success of a tour depends on each person's ability to participate fully and to cooperate with other tour members, the guides, the coach driver, and the tour escorts.

Tour participants must be capable of meeting the activity level for this tour, including:

• Board and disembark a coach without assistance

• Walk a mile or more each day and stand for 30-45 minutes at a time

• Climb and descend stairs

• Walk on uneven paths, paved and unpaved

• Handle your own luggage, including loading it on the coach and carrying it to your hotel 

Arrive in London and independently transfer to your hotel in Kensington, The Queens Gate.

Depending on arrival time, enjoy independent exploration nearby or a walk through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park or a possible visit on your own to Kew Gardens only a short journey away on the tube.

This evening gather for a welcome dinner.

Meals Included: Dinner

Overnight - Kensington, Queens Gate Hotel

Spend a full day at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on member’s day, the world’s most famous garden exhibition. Explore the show gardens, Great Pavilion displays and specialist plant nurseries.

Our time in London coincides with the city’s most vibrant floral moment. During show week, the surrounding neighborhood comes alive with Chelsea in Bloom, when shopfronts, hotels, and restaurants create elaborate floral installations that transform the streets into an open-air celebration of design and creativity. You will have time to wander the area at leisure, taking in the displays and the lively atmosphere that extends well beyond the show gates. For those who wish, there will also be an optional visit to the nearby historic Chelsea Physic Garden on your own, one of Britain’s oldest botanical gardens, where medicinal and botanical collections offer a quieter, scholarly counterpoint to the exuberance of the Flower Show.

Evening at leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Overnight — Kensington, Queens Gate Hotel

Travel into the gentle landscapes of the Sussex countryside for a full day of gardens and historic sites. Our first visit is to West Dean Gardens, one of England’s finest restored walled gardens, where productive kitchen beds, Victorian glasshouses, espaliered fruit trees, and beautifully maintained ornamental borders demonstrate the long tradition of English garden craftsmanship. The gardens combine formal structure with abundant planting and are set within the peaceful South Downs landscape. There will be time to explore the gardens at leisure, with lunch available either at the welcoming West Dean café or independently in nearby Petworth.

We then continue to the historic market town of Petworth, a quintessential Sussex village known for its antique shops, independent galleries, and charming streets lined with Georgian buildings. There will be free time for a short stroll and browsing before continuing our journey.

In the afternoon we visit Borde Hill Garden, a distinguished country garden renowned for its outstanding collection of champion trees and shrubs gathered from plant-hunting expeditions around the world. Sweeping herbaceous borders, woodland plantings, and open lawns combine to create a garden of exceptional variety and seasonal interest, all set within a classic English landscape framework.

In the late afternoon we return to Kensington for the evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Overnight — Kensington, Queens Gate Hotel

Travel into the heart of East Sussex to visit Great Dixter, the celebrated home and garden of Christopher Lloyd, internationally admired for its exuberant planting style and adventurous color combinations. This inspiring garden blends traditional structure with imaginative design, where richly planted borders, meadows, and topiary create a landscape full of movement and seasonal interest. There will be time to explore the garden at leisure, with lunch available independently at the Great Dixter café.

In the afternoon we continue to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, one of the most iconic gardens in England. Created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, Sissinghurst is renowned for its intimate series of garden rooms, each with its own distinctive character and planting palette. Carefully framed views, romantic plantings, and the famous White Garden combine to create a setting of exceptional beauty and influence.

We return to London in the late afternoon.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Overnight: Kensington, Queens Gate Hotel

Depart London for the rolling countryside of the Cotswolds, a region celebrated for its honey-colored stone villages and long tradition of garden making. Our first visit is to Kiftsgate Court Garden, a distinctive hillside garden developed over generations by three women gardeners and known for its exuberant planting, beautiful views across the Vale of Evesham, and the famous Kiftsgate rose. 

If available, this visit may be replaced with Highgrove Gardens, the private gardens of King Charles III. Widely regarded as one of the most influential gardens in modern Britain, Highgrove reflects His Majesty’s long-standing commitment to organic horticulture, biodiversity, and environmentally responsible design. Over several decades, the gardens have evolved into a richly layered landscape of formal structure, intimate garden rooms, meadow planting, and carefully restored traditional elements. The interplay of architectural hedging, exuberant borders, wildflower meadows, and productive spaces creates a garden that is both deeply personal and internationally admired.

Our visit would include guided access to the gardens followed by lunch on the estate, offering a rare opportunity to experience Highgrove in a relaxed and meaningful way. As the gardens are open to visitors only on selected dates, confirmation depends on the release of 2027 opening days, which are typically announced in February 2027. We will monitor availability closely and secure this exceptional experience if dates align with our itinerary.

At midday we pause in the picturesque village of Barnsley for a relaxed group lunch at The Village Pub, a traditional Cotswold inn known for its welcoming atmosphere and locally sourced food.

In the afternoon we visit nearby Hidcote Manor Garden, one of England’s finest Arts and Crafts gardens. Created by the American horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston, Hidcote is celebrated for its series of carefully composed garden rooms, intimate pathways, and richly planted borders that offer a succession of views and seasonal interest. Dinner is included this evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Cheltenham, The Queens Hotel

We begin at Sudeley Castle Gardens, a garden rich in both history and horticultural character. Best known as the final resting place of Katherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII, the castle is encircled by ten distinct gardens that weave together Tudor romance and Arts & Crafts structure. Intricately clipped topiary provides a strong architectural framework, framing long vistas toward ancient ruins and soaring towers, and creating a sense of depth and theatricality throughout the grounds. Herbaceous borders, formal knot gardens, and intimate garden rooms soften the stone architecture, offering a layered and immersive experience.

Lunch will be available at the castle courtyard café, allowing time to relax within the historic setting before continuing our afternoon explorations.

Continue in the afternoon to explore the idyllic Cotswolds village, Ilmington, an ancient hillside Cotswold village just two miles from the Roman Fosse Way, rich in charm and layered history. We stroll through a series of distinctive private gardens—roses, topiary, sculpture, orchard plantings, and intimate cottage borders unfolding along Grump Street, Frog Lane, and Foxcote Hill. The walk concludes with terraced gardens at The Dower House, overlooking the Manor ponds and orchard beyond. Refreshments are available in a nearby pub. 

Meals Included: Breakfast

Travel into the scenic Wye Valley, a landscape of wooded hills, meadows, and winding river views along the Welsh border. Our morning visit is to Rhodds Farm Garden, a distinctive private garden created by garden designer Elizabeth Whittle and known for its strong structure, imaginative planting, and harmonious relationship with the surrounding countryside. Carefully composed borders, architectural hedging, and sweeping views combine to create a garden of exceptional character. Our visit includes a private guided introduction followed by time to explore at leisure, and a relaxed garden lunch served on site.

In the afternoon we continue to the nearby book town of Hay-on-Wye, famous for its many independent bookshops and relaxed rural atmosphere. There will be free time to wander the narrow streets, browse the shops, and enjoy the cafés or riverside walks that make this small town such a memorable stop.

Later in the afternoon we travel to Abergavenny for a traditional afternoon tea at The Angel Hotel, long regarded as one of the finest tea experiences in Wales. Freshly prepared sandwiches, pastries, and cakes are served in an elegant setting, offering a relaxing pause at the end of the day.

Dinner is on your own this evening, with several restaurants and pubs within easy walking distance of the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea

Overnight – Abergavenny, The Angel Hotel 

Travel through the gentle landscapes of the Welsh border country, where small farms, wooded hills, and winding lanes reflect a long agricultural tradition. Our first visit is to Hergest Croft Garden, a distinguished garden created by five generations of the Banks family and set within a historic parkland landscape. The garden is celebrated for its sweeping views toward the Black Mountains, extensive collections of trees and shrubs, and beautifully composed seasonal plantings. Broad lawns, flowering borders, and woodland walks create a varied and peaceful setting, with changing color and texture throughout the seasons.

We then continue to the nearby market town of Kington, a small and characterful town close to the Welsh border. There will be time to enjoy lunch independently and to explore the town’s traditional shops, bookshops, and cafés.

In the afternoon we travel to St Fagans National Museum of History, one of Wales’s most distinctive cultural sites. Set within the grounds of St Fagans Castle, this open-air museum brings together historic buildings from across Wales that have been carefully dismantled and reconstructed to illustrate centuries of Welsh rural life. Traditional farmhouses, workshops, cottages, gardens, and chapels create an atmospheric village setting that offers insight into the social and agricultural history that shaped the Welsh landscape.

We return to Abergavenny in the late afternoon.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Overnight - The Angel Hotel

We begin the day with a visit to Alt-y-Bela, an Arts & Crafts–inspired garden where architecture and planting are thoughtfully interwoven within the Welsh landscape. Terraced levels, stonework, and carefully structured garden rooms create a strong sense of design intention, while generous herbaceous borders and softened edges allow the garden to sit comfortably within its rural setting. Long views across the surrounding countryside anchor the experience, reinforcing the dialogue between built form and natural landscape that defines the Arts & Crafts tradition.

Continue to Grosmont with free time for lunch and exploration in this tiny medieval border village where stone cottages, a Norman castle ruin, and a welcoming country pub create the feeling of stepping into timeless rural Wales.

Conclude with a private wine tasting at White Castle Winery, a boutique vineyard nestled in the rolling Monmouthshire countryside, where we sample locally produced Welsh wines while enjoying views across the surrounding hills.

Return to Abergavenny.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Wine Tasting.

Overnight - The Angel Hotel

Travel south through the varied landscapes of South Wales to Aberglasney Gardens, one of the finest garden restorations in Britain. Set within the Tywi Valley, this historic estate garden combines carefully restored cloistered garden rooms with flowing water features, productive areas, and imaginative contemporary planting. The famous cloister garden, with its arcaded walkways and sheltered planting spaces, creates a unique and intimate atmosphere, while the surrounding gardens offer a rich combination of structure and seasonal interest. There will be time to explore the gardens at leisure, with lunch available independently at the Aberglasney café.

In the afternoon we continue to Dyffryn Gardens, an outstanding Edwardian estate garden set within an extensive parkland landscape near Cardiff. Originally created in the early twentieth century, Dyffryn is celebrated for its grand terraces, formal lawns, and a remarkable sequence of themed garden rooms that showcase a wide range of planting styles and horticultural traditions. The garden combines architectural structure with richly planted borders and specimen trees, offering a memorable conclusion to our visits in Wales.

This evening we gather for dinner at The Angel Hotel, marking our final evening in Wales and an opportunity to enjoy time together after our day’s visits.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight - The Angel Hotel

Depart Wales and travel east into the gentle countryside of Somerset. Our late-morning destination is The Newt Estate, one of England’s most celebrated contemporary country estates. Set within a historic agricultural landscape, the estate combines beautifully designed gardens, productive orchards, kitchen gardens, and carefully restored farm buildings to create a modern interpretation of the traditional English estate. There will be time to explore the gardens and grounds, where formal design and working landscape are thoughtfully integrated.

An included lunch will be enjoyed on the estate, followed by a hosted tasting of traditional Somerset ciders, offering an introduction to one of the region’s most characteristic rural crafts.

In the afternoon we continue to Hauser & Wirth Somerset, a unique destination where contemporary art and landscape design are brought together in a rural setting. The garden, designed by Piet Oudolf, features naturalistic perennial and grass plantings that reflect the surrounding countryside while demonstrating Oudolf’s influential approach to modern planting design. Carefully composed drifts of perennials and grasses provide structure and seasonal interest throughout the year.

By early evening we arrive in the historic town of Windsor, beautifully situated on the River Thames and best known as the home of Windsor Castle, the oldest continuously occupied royal residence in the world. The town’s historic streets, riverside walks, and views of the castle create a memorable setting.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Cider Tasting.

Overnight — Sir Christopher Wren Hotel, Windsor

On our final day in England, we begin the day with a visit to RHS Garden Wisley, the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden and one of the most important horticultural centers in Britain. Set within expansive grounds, Wisley offers an exceptional range of garden styles and plant collections, from richly planted herbaceous borders and woodland plantings to formal areas, trial grounds, and innovative glasshouse displays. Seasonal plantings and ongoing horticultural trials ensure there is always something new to discover, making Wisley both an inspiring and educational garden experience. There will be ample time to explore at leisure, with lunch available independently at the Wisley café.

In the afternoon we return to Windsor for a relaxed final afternoon in this historic royal town. You may wish to visit nearby Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and an official residence of the monarch, stroll the famous Long Walk through Windsor Great Park, browse the shops and cafés of nearby Eton, or enjoy a peaceful walk along the riverside promenade beside the Thames.

This evening we gather for a farewell dinner, a chance to celebrate the gardens and landscapes we have experienced together during our journey.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight – Sir Christopher Wren Hotel, Windsor

After breakfast, transfers to Heathrow Airport