England & Ireland 2015

We oriented our flower tour around the Chelsea Flower Show in London.  Each day we marveled as Chelsea in Bloom emerged in the floral decorations on the shops surrounding our hotel. We had a private tour and workshop in the Covent Garden Flower Market. We also took a lovely workshop at a flower school in a quaint mew in Kensington.  We went to Sissinghurst in Kent where toured the estate and historical garden. We had a workshop and lovely lunch on a neighboring flower farm of a garden author and celebrity.  We had fabulous meals including a dinner on the top of The National Portrait Gallery overlooking London.  The second part of the tour we ventured to the northwest coast of Ireland taking in the spectacular Cliffs of Mor and breathtaking coastline.  We stayed in cottages on a private estate overlooking Clew Bay and with its own beautiful gardens. We invited Irish designers to teach us workshops in its converted barn foraging in the property for local materials.  Local Irish chefs cooked us wonderful meals served by the roaring fireplace.  We ventured into the picturesque town of Westport for shopping a pub evening of Irish music.  We ended our trip in Dublin with a city tour and visit to a exquisite private home garden.