Glorious Gardens of Cheshire Tour

4 nights starting from
£999

  • Historic Tatton Park Estate

  • Beautiful Ness Botanic Gardens

  • Stunning RHS Bridgewater designed by Tom Sturart-Smith

  • Dorothy Clive Gardens - setup by Colonel Harry Clive 

  • The award winning gardens at Arley Hall

For a plant and garden enthusiast, Cheshire has it all: formal parks and gardens, mountain, moorland  and estuary landscapes, exotic plants and arboretums – and we explore its myriad of botanical appeal on this superb tour. In the company of renowned plantsman and garden expert, Tony Russell, this tour will explore some of the most beautiful gardens in Cheshire, including the wonderful RHS garden at Bridgwater, subject of a recent BBC TV series, Ness Botanical Garden, historic Tatton Park and the award-winning gardens at Arley Hall.   

Available Departures

From

03 - July - 2025 £ 999.00 Travel Info Book Now

Provisional Timings

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive and dinner at the hotel
Arrive independently at Cottons Hotel from 15.00. This evening there will be a welcome drink, talk by tour manager Tony Russell and dinner with wine.

Day 2: Ness Botanic Gardens, Port Sunlight Museum and Garden Village
This morning visit Ness Botanic Gardens, created by a wealthy cotton merchant, Arthur Bulley, in the late 1800’s. Spread over 64 acres, this all-year botanical garden has a wide range of plants and plenty of wildlife in the summer. In July, the wildflower meadows should be in full swing, with the herbaceous boarders filled with Geranium, Astrantia and Eechinops. There will be free time to enjoy lunch (at your own expense) before departing for Port Sunlight. The village of Port Sunlight was founded by ‘Soap King’ William Hesketh Lever in 1888 and was built to house his factory workers. Today it is home to a fascinating museum, beautiful architecture, and stunning parkland. On arrival there will be a guided tour of the village followed by time to explore the museum, workers cottage and soap works. Return to the hotel with dinner in the restaurant this evening.

Day 3: Lovell Quinta Arboretum and Tatton Park 
Today we will start at Lovell Quinta Arboretum. The arboretum is home to a colourful range of around 2500 different plants. Following your exploration of this tranquil spot we will have an included lunch at the Swettenham Arms. This afternoon we visit Tatton Park, one of the most complete historic estates in the UK. It is home to a medieval Old Hall, Neo Classical Mansion, 50 acres of landscaped gardens and 1000 acres of deer park. Explore the mansion and gardens at your own leisure. Take in the treasured collections inside the 18th century mansion as well as the gardens including the Japanese garden, walled kitchen garden or the historic glasshouses. Dinner this evening will be in the hotel restaurant.

Day 4: Chester and Dorothy Clive Gardens 
Chester will be the first stop of the day. Independently explore the ancient city who has played host to Roman legions, Viking raiders and the Norman invasion. The city has the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, along with a 1000-year-old cathedral as well as its Roman and Medieval walls. There is plenty of to see. Later that morning transfer by coach to Dorothy Clive Gardens for free time at leisure for lunch (at own expense) before we have a guided tour of the gardens followed by free time for further exploration. The gardens were initially created by Colonel Harry Clive to provide his ailing wife, Dorothy, with a series of interesting walks as she battled with Parkinson's disease. The gardens today have many diverse areas of interest within its 12 acres including a winter garden, an edible woodland, woodland quarry with waterfall, alpine scree and pool, a rose walk plus amazing seasonal borders. Dinner this evening will be in the hotel restaurant. 

Day 5: RHS Bridgewater and Arley Hall Gardens
Today we start at RHS Bridgewater. There will be plenty of time to explore the stunning 11 acre restored walled garden, one of the largest Victorian walled gardens in the UK, as well as the Paradise Garden, Asiatic and Mediterranean gardens. Worsley New Hall Estate was taken on by the RHS to create RHS Garden Bridgewater and has been one of the largest gardening projects in Europe to date. In the afternoon travel to Arley Hall Gardens, one of the most interesting and charming estates. One of the outstanding features of Arley’s award winning gardens is the double herbaceous border, believed to be the first of its kind planted in England. Other highlights included the Walled Garden, Clock Tower and Tea Cottage set in a rose garden. Return to the hotel for approximately 17:30.

NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion 

Please note: Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 49 passengers.

INCLUDED

  • Four nights' bed and breakfast at the four-star Cottons Hotel, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
  • Welcome reception 
  • First night three-course dinner with wine
  • Three dinners in the hotel restaurant 
  • One lunch at the Swettenham Arms 
  • All talks, guided tours and admissions 
  • Coach transfers and tour manager throughout 

NOT INCLUDED

  • Transport to the hotel is not included
  • Double for sole use supplement - £188
  • Extra nights on bed and breakfast basis 
  • Holiday insurance 
  • Meals other than those stated 
  • Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc 
  • Porterage and gratuities

HOTEL

Cottons Hotel, Knutsford
Four-star spa hotel, with great facilities, owned by Thwaites Brewery and perfectly located to reach the places visited on this itinerary. Hotel facilities include restaurant, bar, indoor pool, gym and spa. Bedrooms are comfortable with all modern amenities including en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, free wifi and tea/coffe making facilities. 

Parking: complimentary

Hotel Website

MORE INFO - Please click here for more information on this tour 

Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.  

You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day. 

For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation. 

The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.


Tony Russell 

Tony Russell has worked in horticulture for almost 40 years, including 14 years in charge of Britain's National Arboretum at Westonbirt and 10 years as plant consultant to the National Trust. During this time Tony has also presented several television and radio programmes, as well as appearing as a panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners Question Time. He is the author of 20 published books on gardens, plants and trees and the editor of the annual publication Great Gardens to Visit.  Tony is currently consulting on a large, new arboretum being created at Rahanna House in Ireland and in 2024 will be leading a number of exclusive garden and plant-based tours, both in the UK and overseas. 

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Overall Impression

I had booked this Tour because I had had good reports of Tony Russell. He did not disappoint! I was a little apprehensive about staying at the Hotel (Cottons) because of adverse comments last year but I enjoyed staying here - apart from being on a Flight Path!

Review by Bray who travelled 04-July-2024


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Excellent trip very informative Tony Russell outstanding Hotel accommodation good, food and service could be improved. Staff didn't work as a team and lacked overall supervision.

Review by Brown who travelled 04-July-2024

Travel Editions feedback:

We are delighted that the tour was a success and your comments are noted, we will review them with the hotel.


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We were delighted with the trip. Tony Russell was so knowledgeable and a superb guide.

Review by Gibbs who travelled 04-July-2024


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An excellent tour in spite of the weather made all the more enjoyable by Tony Russell’s friendly and knowledgeable leadership. Perhaps a full day at Bridgewater would have been preferable. We enjoyed the mix of activities to allow for other than horticultural interests.

Review by Bardell who travelled 04-July-2024


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Please note hotel rating given as poor because of utterly unacceptable handling of inciden when fire alarm souded at about 12.50am please see the separate e.mail we have sent outlining what happened. Also food was of a rather poorer standard than we have experienced on tthe other tours we have been on with your company

Review by Roberts who travelled 06-July-2023


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Tony Russell excellent tour manager. Hotel obviously under staffed, so a bit slow. Food OK. Room comfortable and roomy. No Newspaper on two days, although ordered. No management apology for fire alarm on first night!

Review by Anonymous who travelled 06-July-2023


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The hotel dining room was incredibly noisy and it made it very difficult for those of us who don't hear so well.The food was very good but the service was very slow. Our room was ok and the bed comfortable, but areas of the bathroom were mouldy, the shower curtain in particular. Tony Russell was first rate and the coaches all right. On the whole a very enjoyable few days. Thank you.

Review by White who travelled 06-July-2023


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The hotel had poor administration and struggled to deal with the group. What with a fire alarm being activated in the middle of the night and being locked out of our rooms when we had confirmed with them an extra night we were not happy. Add to this being in the flight path of aircraft taking off we would not use this hotel ever again.

Review by Matthews who travelled 06-July-2023


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Review by Ashbee who travelled 06-July-2023


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The hotel was to say the least somewhat disorganised, when the fire alarm went off in the wee small hours someone on duty should have known how to reset it. Also many of us were there for an extra night only to find that we could'nt get into our rooms after the day out, all sorted out slowly. Service was very slow,but the staff were all very friendly. Tony was very good, of course!

Review by Anonymous who travelled 06-July-2023


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Tony Russell the nicest, most knowledgeable and friendly man. As patient with idiot questions as those more to his level. The itinerary was SO good and varied with 4 full days of interest. Absolutely one of the best ! Hotel had lovely feather pillows and comfortable beds with instant plentiful hot water and real baths. Perfect, but it suffered badly from short and inexperienced kitchen staff so the food and slow service left a lot to be desired.

Review by Batchelor who travelled 06-July-2023


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Haphazard arrangements in Hotel. Breakfast not always ready and very poor provision of breakfast items. Quality of certain cooked foods doubtful. Bread for toasting not best quality. Poor selection of fruit and cereal choice. Evening meal more acceptable. . Disappointed no pre-dinner talks of any depth or length. Coach travel excellent. Hotel under new General Management may have caused muddly administration. Wouldn’t wish to stay there again.

Review by Heasman who travelled 06-July-2023


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Review by Browning who travelled 06-July-2023


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We were disappointed by confusion between Travel Editions and hotel about timing of first evening. At hotel, dinner service was poor(2 hours for dinner), fire alarm was not handled in accordance with regulations and on return from final visit we were all unable to enter our rooms as key cards would not work. The group size was too large.

Review by Milligan who travelled 06-July-2023


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Hotel good. A couple of blips with the food plus breakfast could have included a wider choice. Everything else re hotel was good. Tour guide good. Would recommend for garden lovers.

Review by Anonymous who travelled 06-July-2023


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Too many clients on this trip !! Excellent Tony had to deal with everything!! Bus trips - trainee driver??? Second driver minor acccident??? Food - indifferent. Staff shortage (? ) at dinner and breakfast. Hotel desk also shortstaffed - could not manage key validity and therefore long walks back to the desk. I am going to look very carefully at you brochure offerings in future.

Review by Naylor who travelled 06-July-2023

Travel Editions feedback:

We were very disappointed to read your comments and will reply directly to you.


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