If your passion is Horticulture and Gardens, then why not combine this love with a luxury cruise on Magna Carta? Cruise the Royal River Thames, tour many interesting gardens and visit the world famous Chelsea Flower show. Alternatively our Garden Cruise visits the Hampton Court Flower Show.
Sunday, Gardens cruise Day 1 London to Cookham
Meet a crew member at the Stafford Hotel in London at 3pm for an English Afternoon Tea, before being transferred at 4pm to the Magna Carta. On board there will be a Champagne reception and welcome whilst being moored in the little village of Cookham, once described as ‘Heaven on Earth’ by artist Stanley Spencer, one of England’s greatest and most eccentric painters. Dinner aboard.
Monday, Gardens cruise Day 2 Cookham to Cliveden
A morning cruise, which brings us to one of the most beautiful reaches on the river and our mooring at Cliveden Estate and Gardens. This magnificent estate, former home of Lord and Lady Astor, boasts amazing views and incredible gardens. First laid out in the 18th century they include a formal parterre, a wonderful water garden with a restored Pagoda made for the Paris Exhibition of 1867, a long garden with topiary and 18th century Venetian statues, truly stunning. Dinner aboard.
Tuesday, Gardens cruise Day 3 Cliveden to Windsor
A morning cruise past fabulous waterside homes through the spectacular open English countryside. After lunch we make a visit to Eton College, founded in 1440. Here a beautiful footbridge not only allows splendid views of the collect and river but takes you to Luxmore’s Garden, an island garden created by an Eton Housemaster in 1880. There is also time to view the Provost’s and Fellow’s Gardens. Return to Magna Carta for dinner on board.
Wednesday, Gardens cruise Day 4 Windsor to Runnymede
Today commences with a cruise to Runnymede followed by a visit and morning coffee at the stunning Saville Gardens. Saville Gardens comprises of over 1,500 hectares of Windsor Great Park and is maintained by the Crown Estate and contains a diverse range of land uses. Over 60% of the Great Park is open to the public and it is estimated that more than 3 million visits are made each year. The Gardens Department is responsible for 600 hectares of the Great Park including the Saville Gardens. There is also an optional visit to the nearby Wisley Gardens, which is 200 acres of botanic gardens, famous for their trials of new varieties. Dinner on board.
Thursday, Gardens cruise Day 5 Runnymede to Hampton Court
An early morning cruise to Hampton Court takes us to the Chelsea Flower Show, the most famous flower show in the world. Here nurseries, societies and charities create colour filled stands and amazing arrangements in a huge marquee outside the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. In addition to this there are wonderful and innovative display gardens, both traditional and contemporary, created by the brightest and best of Britain’s garden designers. Months of work go into these beautifully staged displays which only last a week. After this heady and colourful assault on your senses we return to Magna Carta for dinner on board.
Friday, Gardens cruise Day 5 Hampton Court to Teddington
This morning we visit the famous Kew Gardens, with the new Bonsai collection, Palm House where all the plants have their first flush of new growth and tropical water lilies are opening their exotic blooms in the nearby Waterlily House.Plants of a smaller stature or scale can be seen in the Rock Garden and here plants from the world’s mountain ranges are grown alongside Mediterranean species, both enjoying the open, sunny position and free-draining soil. Return to Magna Carta and continue our cruise to our final mooring at St Katharines Dock in London. Captain’s Farewell Dinner aboard.
Saturday, Gardens cruise Day 6 London
Following breakfast, disembark at 9.30am and return to London or Heathrow Airport.
This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.