Our England trip of June 2000 was delightful! It surpassed our highest expectations, with fabulous gardens, food, weather, and timing. We visited 21 gardens in ten days, with the gardens at their absolute peak of bloom. Hadspen and Hestercombe were favorites, yet the roses at Mottisfont were unforgettably lovely. Stonehenge was dramatic on the morning of the summer solstice, right after a nighttime storm. Images were captured with our cameras, but live best in our memory. And when it seemed that our senses began to overload from the beauty, we took time to stroll the city streets and shop a bit.

The best part of the trip, without question, was the people. Our group was comprised of clients, their guests, Samuel's daughter, Jill, and several garden designers. We enjoyed our guide, driver and our garden hosts - but also delighted in each other's company to the point of being practically inseparable! Everyone had a wonderful time together, far better than ever could be imagined by those of us who usually go "solo".

Sabrena Schweyer