A Garden Lover's Voyage to England's Coastal & Channel Islands, France & Ireland

From Dartmouth, cruise south to the tiny island of Alderney and its only town, St. Anne. It has the old-world charm of a Normandy village with tiny squares, quiet lanes and pastel-colored cottages. Guernsey Island is but a few hours away, so an afternoon is set aside for exploring St. Peter Port or for an excursion to the house where Victor Hugo resided for 14 years, writing some of his best-known works.

Sark was Europe’s last feudal estate; there is an opportunity to visit the gardens of La Seigneurie, the official home of the government. The coastal scenery is breathtaking. During lunch, cruise to the island of Jersey. Explore the town of St. Helier independently or join an excursion that covers the island’s rich history and natural beauty.

Once a fortified island, St. Malo is now permanently attached to the French mainland. Inside its walls, you will find a lively center of galleries, shops and cafés. An optional excursion takes you to the nearby 12th-century Benedictine monastery of Mont St. Michel, perched dramatically atop a granite outcropping. An overnight cruise takes us to the Isles of Scilly and to Tresco. Walk from the beach, along pretty, traffic-free lanes to the sub-tropical Abbey Gardens.

From our dock in Waterford, drive across the Irish countryside to Mount Congreve. This privately owned, 70-acre garden is particularly stunning in June when the grounds are awash in color. Known for its deep harbor, Falmouth offers attractive shops, cafés and a harbor footpath. An optional excursion is planned for Trelissick Gardens, an extensive park and woodland known for its beautiful paths and wide-ranging plant specimens.