Highgrove Gardens and English Paper Piecing

Today we include a full-day hand-sewing workshop with Janet in the hotel.

Refreshments will be served morning and afternoon and a sandwich lunch is also included.

Set within the beautiful surroundings of Claverton Manor, the American Museum is a distinctive institution celebrating the history and culture of the United States. Its outstanding collection includes American decorative arts, textiles, quilts, and folk art.

During our visit, we meet with the museum’s textile specialist for an engaging introduction to the history of quilting in America, tracing its development from the colonial era to the present day. The session explores the cultural significance of quilts – their practical use in everyday life, their role in community and social traditions, and their symbolic meaning – before offering a rare opportunity to view quilts not usually displayed to the public.

This afternoon we will explore the gardens at Claverton Manor, a beautifully designed series of landscaped spaces overlooking the Avon Valley, complementing the elegance of the manor itself. They include a formal Terrace Garden with sweeping views, a tranquil Walled Garden rich in colour and structure, and a distinctive American Garden inspired by planting styles and species from across North America. Thoughtfully designed to reflect both British and American horticultural traditions, the gardens offer a peaceful and inspiring setting that changes with the seasons.

Today our final workshop will take place with Janet in the hotel.

Refreshments will be served morning and afternoon and a sandwich lunch is also included.

Highgrove House is the private country home of King Charles III near Tetbury. Bought in 1980, this former Georgian house is known for its personal, eco-focused character – especially its gardens, which Charles designed and developed over decades.

Led by an expert guide, you will get a real sense of the King's personal vision and involvement in creating the gardens as the tour leads through a series of carefully designed garden “rooms.” You’ll explore highlights like the wildflower meadow, the organic kitchen garden, the arboretum, and the striking stumpery – each reflecting Charles’s commitment to sustainability and traditional craftsmanship.

We then step into the heart of the Arts and Crafts movement with a visit to Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire, the much-loved country retreat of William Morris. The house and its setting embody Morris’s ideals as a visionary designer, writer, and social thinker, celebrating craftsmanship, nature and the dignity of handmade work. We will explore the rooms where he lived and worked, furnished with original furniture, textiles, and decorative objects, as well as view significant examples of his wallpapers, fabrics, and personal possessions, offering rich insight into his daily life, creative process, and deep connection to the rural landscape that inspired much of his work.