A Celebration of Roses in the Gardens of Shropshire

After meeting, we travel together by coach to Wollerton Old Hall Gardens, a delightful 20th-century garden around a 16th-century manor house. The garden boasts wonderful borders and a nursery where plants can be purchased, and is often described as one of England's best gardens. Following a light lunch at Wollerton, we visit the nearby gardens of Hodnet Hall, home of the Heber-Percy family, which feature a large border of hybrid musks as well as an extensive collection of roses used for cutting We then drive on to Brockencote Hall Hotel to settle in before an evening meal together.

In the heart of Shropshire, we find Preen Manor. Set in the ruins of a Cluniac priory, this beautiful garden is divided into numerous areas each with their own distinct character. Much of it is enclosed in a classic Arts and Crafts walled garden with superb views over towards Wenlock Edge. There follows an invitation to lunch.  Near Ludlow we discover Gardeners’ Cottage, home of Michael Marriott and his partner Rosie Irving, where a wide range of roses are grown alongside many other plants. Tea and cakes will be served. Next, we visit Stokesay Flowers. Set in a walled garden belonging to a large Arts and Crafts house, it contains a wide range of plants including many roses sent off daily to some of the country's top florists. We return to Brockencote Hall Hotel for dinner.

We start the day with a special visit to Coughton Court, home of the Throckmorton family. The walled garden was presented with the Award of Garden Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies and boasts over 75 different varieties of rose, beautifully grown in mixed borders. Here we are invited to lunch with an organic rosé wine tasting. In the afternoon we visit nearby Morton Hall Garden, a wonderful and newly restored garden surrounding a Georgian house. The garden is divided into different areas, most having a generous helping of beautifully grown roses. We then return to Brockencote Hall Hotel to dine together.

The romantic garden of Cruckfield House, our first stop today, has a rose and peony walk as well as a great variety of unusual herbaceous plants. Following coffee, we travel to Hatton Grange for lunch together before visiting the gardens, which were built for Plowden Slaney in 1764 by Thomas Pritchard, architect of Ironbridge. The bridge, incidentally, was built by Abraham Darby, who David Austin named a rose after. Hatton Grange remains within the same family today. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens including a rose walk, given to the present owners as a wedding gift by David Austin. Return to Wolverhampton Railway Station for 15:30 and to Brockencote Hall for 16:30 for those who have left cars. **Please note** David Austin’s Rose Nursery is currently not open for groups due to redevelopment. If you are keen to visit as part of your trip to Shropshire, you can arrange your visit before or after the tour by visiting their website: [www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/pages/garden-booking](http://The%20romantic%20garden%20of%20Cruckfield%20House,%20our%20first%20stop%20today,%20has%20a%20rose%20and%20peony%20walk%20as%20well%20as%20a%20great%20variety%20of%20unusual%20herbaceous%20plants.%20%20Following%20coffee,%20we%20travel%20to%20Hatton%20Grange%20for%20lunch%20together%20before%20visiting%20the%20gardens,%20which%20were%20built%20for%20Plowden%20Slaney%20in%201764%20by%20Thomas%20Pritchard,%20architect%20of%20Ironbridge.%20Hatton%20Grange%20remains%20within%20the%20same%20family%20today.%20It%20is%20surrounded%20by%20beautiful%20gardens%20including%20a%20rose%20walk,%20given%20to%20the%20present%20owners%20as%20a%20wedding%20gift%20by%20David%20Austin.%20%20Return%20to%20Wolverhampton%20Railway%20Station%20for%2015:30%20and%20to%20Brockencote%20Hall%20for%2016:30%20for%20those%20who%20have%20left%20cars.%20%20Please%20note:%20David%20Austin’s%20Rose%20Nursery%20is%20currently%20not%20open%20for%20groups%20due%20to%20redevelopment.%20If%20you%20are%20keen%20to%20visit%20as%20part%20of%20your%20trip%20to%20Shropshire,%20you%20can%20arrange%20your%20visit%20before%20or%20after%20the%20tour%20by%20visiting%20their%20website:%20www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/pages/garden-booking)