England: Gardens of Rutland, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire 5205

We depart from our pick-up points (London, Luton) and head to Stowe Landscape Garden, where Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown joined Lord Cobham’s gardening staff as Head Gardener in 1741. Over the next few years Brown created one of the finest Georgian landscaped gardens, comprising valleys and vistas, narrow lakes and rivers with more than 30 temples and monuments designed by leading architects of the 18th century.  Many garden buildings have been beautifully restored and thousands of shrubs and trees have been planted in recent years. Lunch is available here (not included).

We then continue to our comfortable accommodation in Leicester. Dinner is served in the evening.

Today, following breakfast, we begin with Barnsdale Gardens, near Oakham. These gardens were designed and made famous by Geoff Hamilton, who presented BBC Gardeners’ World from 1979 until his death in 1996. Barnsdale was a Victorian farmhouse with five acres of pastureland when he found the property in 1984. Hamilton was interested in making gardening affordable by offering practical ideas for gardeners to recreate at home and encouraging the inventive reuse of materials. Barnsdale is now home to Britain's largest collection of individually designed gardens, the 38 plots ranging in style from traditional cottage plantings to modern gardens, allotments, woodlands and formal ponds and have been likened to a theme park for gardeners. Lunch is available here (not included).

Following our visit here we transfer to Rutland Water, England’s largest reservoir by surface area, where we will enjoy an hour-long cruise aboard the Rutland Belle.

We conclude today with a visit to a private garden, the Old Vicarage at Burley.  The garden sits on a hill, and when the current owners took over the garden in 1996, it was a wilderness of nettles, brambles and barbed wire. They have gradually worked out from the house creating hedges, paths, walls and terracing to manage the slope.  This wonderful garden is now divided into different areas including a pond, orchard, rose garden and walled garden.

After breakfast this morning our first visit is to Belton House, often cited as the perfect example of an English country house estate. Although built on a modest scale, it has a fine collection of porcelain and silver, a world-renowned library and architectural finesse that reflects the continued wealth and cultured tastes of its former owners, the Brownlow family.

Later we visit Easton Walled Gardens, which are at least 400 years old and were abandoned in 1951 when Easton Hall was pulled down. Since 2001 the 12 acres of forgotten gardens have undergone extensive renovation and today the 16th century garden with its Victorian embellishments can be enjoyed once again. There are also Italianate terraces and a yew tunnel; a cut flower garden, David Austin roses, meadows and sweet pea collections along with cottage and vegetable gardens.

Following breakfast, we check out of the hotel and before we leave Leicester we will call in at the King Richard III Visitor Centre, which tells the remarkable story of the amazing evidence gathering that led to the discovery of the long-lost remains of Richard III under a car park. In final homage to England’s last warrior king, you can see for yourself the very spot where King Richard III remained undiscovered for so long…

We break our journey back to London with a visit to Coton Manor Gardens, near Guilsborough. The 10 acre garden occupies a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house constructed of mellow Northamptonshire stone and is noted for its luxuriant borders using a wide range of unusual plants. Landscaped on different levels the garden slopes down from the house eventually giving way to unspoilt countryside. A number of smaller gardens within the overall site provide variety and contrast as they gradually unfold.  Beyond the confines of the main garden there is a bluebell wood, an established wildflower meadow and an apple orchard.

We then continue our journey to our original departure points, where we expect to arrive in the early evening.