KIFTSGATE GARDENS & EVESHAM

In the morning we head over to the town of Evesham, a peaceful medieval town on the river Avon.

Take a wander into the heritage quarter set alongside the award winning Abbey Park, which takes its name from being the site where Evesham Abbey once stood, reportedly at one time the third largest in England.

A good place to orientate yourself is the Almonry Museum and Tourist Information Centre, a 14th Century building which was once home to the Almoner, one of the monks from the Benedictine Abbey. The Almonry also houses an eclectic collection that tells the story of Evesham from the prehistoric to the 20th Century.

In the afternoon we visit one of the most romantic gardens in Briatain and home to the famous Kiftsgate Rose. 

Kiftsgate is the creation of three generations of women gardeners with many unusual plants and shrubs, tree peonies, hydrangeas, abutilons, species and old-fashioned roses including the largest rose in England, Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate'.

The upper gardens around the house are planted to give harmonious colour schemes, whilst the sheltered lower gardens recreate the atmosphere of warmer countries and a modern water garden provides an oasis of tranquillity and contrast to the exuberance of the flower gardens.