The Spalding Festival is one of the highlights of any garden lover’s year and we have combined a full day enjoying the parade and entertainment, with visits to some truly beautiful gardens at Waddesdon Manor and Renishaw Hall, and a visit to Batsford Arboretum.

ITINERARY

Day 1 After meeting your taxis, the coach makes its way north to Waddesdon Manor Gardens near Aylesbury, where we have time to visit the extensive gardens, the aviary and have some lunch. We continue to Nottingham, reaching our hotel late afternoon.

Day 2 Today we head for the beautiful 38-acre Springfields Festival Gardens, where the centrepieces will be the fabulous floral floats for which Spalding has become famous. Decorated with half a million or so flowers, it’s your chance to see the floats close up and to marvel at the fact that each tulip head would have been pinned on individually. ‘Food Glorious Food’ is the theme in 2012 and as well as watching the parade, you can explore the stalls, stores and gardens, and enjoy a full entertainment programme including carnival performers, dancers and marching bands.

Day 3 Today we travel to Renishaw Hall, home to the Sitwell family for nearly 400 years. You can explore more than eight acres of Italianate gardens, several garden rooms, the Sitwell Museum and the Gallery Café.

Day 4 Leaving our hotel after breakfast, we travel down into the Cotswolds and to Batsford Arboretum. This rare and beautiful collection of trees, shrubs and wild flowers is located in 55 acres of spectacular Cotswold countryside. Wander through the spring foliage and maybe have tea at the Garden Terrace Café. In the afternoon we continue to the local area and our homes.