From the glamour and excitement of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to the laid-back charm of the Great Comp Summer Show, our round up of this year’s best flower shows, festivals and events. 

We’ll be updating this article through the year so be sure to check back for what’s new. Bookmark it for quick and easy re-finding!

So let’s make some plans and make the most of what’s going on. Here’s what you’ve got to look forward to for 2023:

Gardens Illustrated events and show guide 2023

12 March 2022 – 16 April 2023: Robert Indiana: Sculpture 1958-2018

Discover the work of the late American pop artist Robert Indiana as Yorkshire Sculpture Park hosts the first UK exhibition of his sculptures. Spanning six decades of his work, it includes his iconic Love sculpture series, including LOVE (Red Blue Green), shown above right. 12 March – 8 January 2023, 10am-5pm. £6. Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 4LG. Tel 01924 832631, ysp.org.uk

FEBRUARY

4 February: Terrariums – Success with Succulents

Make your own hanging glass globe terrarium from a selection of plants, stones, shells, sand and gravel. Led by horticulturalist Sue Jeffries.

Open 10.30am – 12pm and 1-2.30pm
Tickets £45
Location RHS Garden Bridgewater, Occupation Road, Off Leigh Road, Worsley, Salford, Greater Manchester M28 2LJ
Web rhs.org.uk

4 February – 5 March: Orchid Festival

The Orchid festival returns to Kew Gardens inspired by the biodiversity of Cameroon. Expect horticultural displays and living plant sculptures throughout the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

Open 10am – 5pm (6pm from 1 March)
Tickets Free with garden ticket
Location Kew Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE.
Web kew.org

5 – 26 February: Snowdrop Weekends

See carpets of snowdrops in the sub-tropical Logan Botanic Garden in south-western Scotland.

Open Saturdays and Sundays only
Tickets Entry by donation
Location Logan Botanic Garden, Port Logan, Stranraer DG9 9ND
Web rbge.org.uk

10 February: Garden Design Drawing Skills

This one-day course led by Andrew Wilson, director of the London College of Garden Design, will help you hone your drawing technique, an essential skill for successful garden design.

Open 10.30am – 4pm
Tickets £105
Location RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB
Web rhs.org.uk

10 February: Introduction to Creating a Cutting Garden

A one-day course for anyone looking to start a cutting garden. You will learn to sow seeds, support plants and care for them, and how to cut for and create natural displays.

Open 10am – 4pm
Tickets £75
Location One Garden Brighton, Stanmer Park, Lewes Road, Brighton, BN1 9SE
Web onegardenbrighton.com

14 February: Sustainable London and the Energy Garden

Learn how the greening of three of London’s Overground stations has been achieved by joining this online talk by Agamemnon Otero, director of The Energy Garden, for London Parks and Gardens

Open 6-7pm
Tickets £5
Location online
Web londongardenstrust.org

16 February: Winter and Snowdrops Walk – Breakfast and a Guided Walk

A winter walk in the company of Nick Hamilton at Barnsdale Gardens, created by his father Geoff, is an immersion in coloured bark and berries, hellebores and some 9000 snowdrops, all individually planted.

Open 9.30am-12.30pm
Tickets £40
Location Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8AH
Web barnsdalegardens.co.uk

19 February: Peckham Grown and Thrown – Plants and Ceramics Market

The organisers at Green Rooms Market have collaborated with The Independent Ceramics market to create a shopping experience filled with houseplants and handmade pots and vases from talented ceramicists.

Open 11am-5pm
Tickets £1
Location Unit 8, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, SE15 3SN
Web greenroomsmarket.com

25 February: Willow Garden Structures Workshop

Learn to create beautiful and unique garden structures for the garden using natural willow stems from weaving expert Helen Lomberg.

Open 10am-4.30pm
Tickets £115
Location Waterperry Gardens, nr. Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England, OX33 1JZ
Web waterperrygardens.co.uk

MARCH

2 March: Silent Earth – Saving Our Insects

Book now for Silent Earth: Saving Our Insects, a winter lecture by Professor Dave Goulson organised by the Oxford Botanic Garden.

Open 7-8pm
Tickets £15
Location Lecture Theatre 1, Maths Institute, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG.
Web obga.oex.ac.uk

7 March: Gardening in the Dolfor Hills

An online talk given by Dr Wolfgang Schaefer for the NGS that covers the major landscaping and gardening projects undertaken over the past 30 years at his garden of just under 3 acres near Newtown, Montgomeryshire.

Open 7-8.30pm
Tickets £10
Location Online
Web ngs.org.uk

7 & 28 March: Designing for a Small Garden

Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist Kate Gould leads a 2-day course, Designing for a Small Garden, at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey. The course will show you how to deliver maximum impact while still meeting all your requirements for the garden. The course takes place over two days, 7 March and 28 March, and includes a light lunch.

Open 10.30am-4pm
Tickets £195
Location RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, GU23 6QB
Web lcgd.org.uk

10 March: Creating a Woodland Garden by John Grimshaw

Upton Wold is welcoming John Grimshaw, director of Yorkshire Arboretum, to give a lecture on the many layers in a woodland garden and how to create a multi-season planting scheme. Tickets include entry to Upton Wold Garden.

Open 10.30am arrival
Tickets £50, payable by cheque or bank transfer
Location Northwick Estate, Upton Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 9TR.
Web uptonwold.co.uk

13 – 17 March: Dazzling Daffodils at Hever Castle

Over 70,000 daffodil bulbs are set to bloom this month at Hever Castle. For the full experience book one of their twice-daily tours given by head gardener Neil Miller and daffofil expert Johnny Walkers.

Open 11.30am – 2pm
Tickets TBC
Location Hever Castle, TN8 7NG.
Web hevercastle.co.uk

17-21 March: Australian Landscape Conference

Take part in garden tours and masterclasses at the biennial Australian Landscape Conference.

Web outlandishventures.au

19 March: Rare Plant Fair

Find unusual plants from a range of specialist growers including Hilltop Plants, Avon Bulbs and Potterton’s Nursery while wandering the 14 acres of gardens at The Bishop’s Palace in Wells.

Open 10am-4pm
Location The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2PD.
Web rareplantfair.co.uk

21 March: Coastal Gardens with Mark Laurence

Designer Mark Laurence delivers an online masterclass on the challenges and opportunities of creating a successful coastal garden, many of which are likely to be on clay rather than sandy soil.

Open 6-7pm
Tickets £24
Location Online
Web gardenmasterclass.org

22 March – 4 June: Private and Public – Finding the Modern British Garden

An exhibition of paintings of gardens and public green spaces by artists painting during the interwar period in Britain opens this month at the Garden Museum. It includes works by Charles Mahoney, Evelyn Dunbar, Eric Ravilious and Ithell Colquhoun.

Open 10am – 5pm
Tickets Museum admission £14
Location  Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB.
Web gardenmuseum.org.uk

25 March: Yeo Valley Early Spring Plant Fair

The Hardy Plant Society will be visiting Yeo Valley Organic Garden for an Early Spring Plant Fair. Shop from some of the south west’s top nurseries.

Open 10am-3pm
Tickets £5
Location Yeah Valley Organic Garden, Bath Road, Blagdon, BS40 7SQ
Web yeovalley.co.uk

27 March: Botanical Art with Metal

Create botanical artwork from metal in this hands-on workshop at Kew. Tutor Jess Wheeler will show you how to transform recycled sheet brass and wire into delicate everlasting florals.

Open 10.30am-12.30pm
Tickets £90
Location Nash Conservatory, Kew Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE.
Web kew.org.uk

29 March: Lino-printing Inspired by Nature

Join Juliet Sargeant’s Sussex Garden School in a lino-printing workshop at Pitfield Barn Cut Flower Farm. You’ll learn cutting and inking techniques from designer and crafter Wendy Darby and everyone will take home several completed images. The day includes refreshments, lunch and a tour of the flower farm.

Open 10am-3.30pm
Tickets £106
Location Pitfield Barn Cut Flower Farm, Chalkers Lane, Hustpierpoint, BN6 9LR.
Web sussexgardenschool.com

APRIL

1 – 2 April: Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show

Specialist nurseries with dramatic displays of flowers and shrubs.

Open 10am – 5pm
Tickets £10
Location Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge PL27 7JE
Web cornwallgardensociety.org.uk

1 – 2 April: Great Dixter Spring Plant Fair

Specialist nurseries including Avon Bulbs, Beth Chatto Gardens and Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.

Open 11am-4pm.
Tickets £13
Location Great Dixter House & Gardens, Northiam, Rye, TN31 6PH
Web greatdixter.co.uk

2 April: Artisan Fair and Spring Walk

Visit Kelmarsh Hall for a fair hosting craft stalls, homewares, antiques and gifts and explore the historic gardens. The gardens are open for the season from April to September.

Open 11am-3pm.
Tickets £10 per car
Location Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens, Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, NN6 9LY
Web kelmarsh.com

8 April: Easter Wreath Making Workshop

Join an immersive masterclass and learn the art of wreath making using an abundance of woodland materials.

Open 9.30-11.30am
Tickets £130
Location Petersham Nurseries, 2 Floral Court, WC2E 8JD
Web petershamnurseries.com

14 April: Wildside – The Story of a Garden Film Premiere

A film following Keith Wiley at his innovative garden, Wildside, throughout the year. Premiering at Yeo Valley Organic Garden.

Open 3-9.30pm
Tickets £48
Location Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Blagdon, BS40 7SQ.
Web gardenmasterclass.org

14-16 April: Fête des Plantes de Printemps

Over 200 exhibitors offer specialist plants and advice within a beautiful château garden (also held in autumn).

Open 10am-6pm
Tickets €15
Location Château de Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard, Rue de Château, 91940 Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard, France
Web chateaudesaintjeandebeauregard.com

15-16 April: Green Rooms Plant Market

Green Rooms plant market returns to Margate.

Open 10am-4pm
Tickets Free entry
Location Foyle Rooms, Turner Contemporary, Margate, CT9 1HG.
Web chateaudesaintjeandebeauregard.com

17 – 23 April: Tulip Celebrations

Visit Hever Castle to see 40,000 tulips blooming and join a free tour with head gardener Neil Millar.

Open 10.30am – 4.30pm
Tickets From £17.15
Location Hever Castle and Gardens, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7NG
Web hevercastle.co.uk

18 April: Spring Flower Arranging Workshop

Join Thomas Broom-Hughes at Peterhsam Nurseries in Richmond for a workshop in spring flower arranging.

Open 11am – 1.30pm
Tickets £95
Location Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB
Web petershamnurseries.com

21 April: Spring Photography Workshop with Jason Ingram

Award-winning photographer Jason Ingram will share his in-depth knowledge and help you capture amazing images from York Gate garden in Leeds.

Open 10am-4.30pm
Tickets £220
Location York Gate, Back Church Lane, Leeds LS16 8DW
Web gardenmasterclass.org

20 – 23 April: Harrogate Spring Flower Show

Inspiration from show gardens, a plant nursery pavilion, floral art, garden shopping, expert advice and live entertainment.

Open TBC
Tickets From £21.50
Location Great Yorkshire Showground HG2 8NZ
Web flowershow.org.uk

22 April: RHS Chelsea Preview at Gaze Burvill

Join Gaze Burvill for a panel discussion with some of the UK’s leading garden designers, including Charlotte Harris and James Smith, and a tour of the company workshops.

Open 10.30am-3pm
Tickets £25
Location Gaze Burvill, Lodge Farm, GU34 3QH
Web gazeburvill.com

22 April: Glyndebourne Open Gardens

Explore 12 acres of expertly managed gardens and purchase refreshments and lunch from the restaurant.

Open 11am – 4pm
Tickets From £10
Location Glyndebourne, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5UU
Web glyndebourne.com

23 April: Cyanotype Workshop

Learn the nineteenth century photographic process of producing blue prints using chemicals and exposure to sunlight. Create prints using leaves and flowers.

Open 9.30am – 11.30am
Tickets From £50
Location Forest, Deptford High Street, London, SE8 4NS
Web forest.london

23 April: Spring Plant Fair

Attend a Plant Fairs Roadshow at Arundel Castle. Purchase plants directly from growers and receive free advice.

Open 10am – 5pm
Tickets From £14
Location Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9AB
Web arundelcastle.org

25 April: Spring Pickling and Kefir Workshop

Learn a variety of preserving techniques inspired by seasonality and superb ingredients.

Open 10am-1pm
Tickets £125
Location Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AB
Web petershamnurseries.com

28 April: Polyculture workshop

Join Alys Fowler for an in depth workshop in polyculture, a holistic approach to edible gardening.

Open 10am-4pm
Tickets £120
Location Damson Farm, Northend, Somerset, BA1 8ES
Web alisonjenkins.co.uk

28 April: Capturing the Garden – Photographic Masterclass

Join internationally renowned garden photographer Eva Nemeth for an exclusive masterclass capturing the beauty of the garden through the camera lens.

Tickets £185 + VAT
Web ysgd.co.uk

28 – 29 April: Toby’s Garden Festival

Garden festival in Devon bringing together nurseries from the West Country and beyond, with gardening talks, arts and crafts, street food and music.

Open 10am – 5pm
Tickets From £11
Location Powderham Castle, Kenton EX6 8JQ
Web tobygardenfest.co.uk

28 – 30 April: BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair

Shopping and inspiration set in the grounds of Beaulieu.

Open TBC
Tickets From £24
Location Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire SO42 7ZN
Web bbcgardenersworldlive.com

28 – 30 April: Beltane retreat

28 April – 6 May: Japanese Week at Compton Acres

Visit the Japanese garden at Compton Acres and shop for plants native to Japan alongside Japanese-style statuary and ornaments.

Tickets Standard garden entry fee
Location Compton Acres, 164 Canford Cliffs Road, Poole, Dorset, BH13 7ES
Web comptonacres.co.uk

28 April – 27 May: Beans & Menhirs

Artist Hanne Westergaard will be exhibiting her collection of ceramic beans and pods, inspired by her time spent gardening at the allotment, in a solo show at Cupola Gallery in Sheffield. All works will be for sale

Open 10am-6.30pm
Tickets Free
Location  Main Gallery, Cupola Contemporary Art, 178a Middlewood Road, Sheffield S6 1TD
Web cupolagallery.com

MAY

4, 5 & 6 May: Taking Inspiration from the Wild Landscape of Sicily

A three day event held in partnership with Radicepura Garden Festival. Day one you will spend botanising on Etna, day two will be lectures and workshops from James Hitchmough and Sarah Eberle and day three will be local garden visits including Piante Faro nursery before joining the press preview of the festival.

Open 10am-5pm
Tickets €400
Location Sicily
Web gardenmasterclass.org

5 May: Biodynamics workshop

Join Robin Snowdon of Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard to learn all about the principles of biodynamic growing.

Open 10am-4pm
Tickets £120
Location Damson Farm, Northend, Somerset, BA1 8ES
Web alisonjenkins.co.uk

7 May: Specialist Spring Plant Fair

Plant Fairs Roadshow returns to Borde Hill. Shop from a wide range of UK nurseries.

Open 10am – 3pm
Tickets Included in garden admission
Location Borde Hill, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1XP
Web bordehill.co.uk

9, 10 & 11 May: Designing with Plants

Three day introductory course to dip your toe into the world of planting design. Learn about the mechanics and artistry behind some of the world’s best planting compositions.

Open 10am – 4pm
Tickets £450+VAT
Location Harewood House
Web ysgd.co.uk

9, 10 & 11 May: How to Make a Garden

Visit the Garden House for a 3-session course on how to revamp your garden. You will learn how to optimise the space, hone you rideas, plan a garden for year-round interest, assess your site and put your ideas into practice. Lunch, cake and refreshments included.

Open 10am – 4pm
Tickets £325
Location The Garden House, 5 Warleigh Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 4NT. 
Web gardenhousebrighton.co.uk

11 – 14 May: RHS Malvern Spring Festival

Set against the backdrop of the Malvern Hills, enjoy the RHS Spring Festival.

Open 9am – 6pm
Tickets From £25.85
Location Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcester, WR13 6NW
Web rhs.org.uk

12 – 14 May: Beervelde Gardens Days, Belgium

240 exhibitors at a three-day garden garden festival on a family estate in Flanders. Expect a wide selection of culinary specialities, artisan craft items, antiques and musical entertainment.

Open 10am – 6pm
Tickets From €12
Location Beervelde Park, Beervelde-Dorp 75, 9080 Beervelde
Web parkvanbeervelde.be

12 – 14 May: Les Journées des Plantes de Chantilly, France

France’s leading garden event (also in autumn)

Open 10am-7pm
Tickets €16
Location Domaine de Chantilly, 7 Rue du Connétable, 60500, Chantilly, France
Web chateaudechantilly.fr

13 – 21 May: Temps de Flors, Spain

Spectacular displays around the historic centre of Girona.

Location Girona, Spain
Web tempsdeflors.girona.cat

19 – 21 May: The National Flower Show

Celebrating the best of homes and gardens with flower displays and exhibitors.

Open 9am – 5pm
Tickets From £13
Location Hylands House, London Road, Writtle, Chelmsford CM2 8WQ
Web thenationalflowershow.co.uk

20 May: Meadow Arrangement Workshop

Create your own meadow-style arrangement with flowers from the Cutting Garden. All materials provided including coffee and cake.

Open TBC
Tickets £75
Location Pod & Pip, Ebble House, Stratford Tony, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP54 4AT
Web podandpip.co.uk

23 – 27 May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show returns in 2023. Explore cutting-edge garden designs and shop from specialist nurseries and sellers.

Open 8am-8pm, Friday also late from 5.30pm-10pm, Saturday 8am-5.30pm
Tickets From £48.85
Location London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR
Web rhs.org.uk

Don’t miss our Chelsea Flower Show hub and everything you need to know about Chelsea Flower Show 2023

26 – 29 May: Manchester Flower Festival

Celebrate the start of summer with the Manchester Flower Festival. Shops, windows, doorways, balconies and public squares will be brought to life in this floral trail.

Location Manchester city centre
Web visitmanchester.com

JUNE

1 – 5 June: Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland

Ireland’s largest gardening event.

Open 9am – 6pm
Tickets From €20
Web bordbiabloom.com

2 – 4 June: Hex Garden Festival, Belgium

Garden and plant show.

Open 10am – 6pm
Tickets From €10
Location Castle Hex, Hoogstraat 1, B3870 Heks-Heers
Web hex.be

3 – 4 June: The Plant Fair, Sculpture by the Lakes

Showcasing a range of exhibitions offering a spectacular array of plants and garden must haves as well as expert talks and advice.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington Lakes, Dorchester DT2 8QU
Web sculpturebythelakes.co.uk

10 June: Royal Windsor Flower Show

Flower show raising funds for the charitable work of the Royal Windsor Rose & Horticultural Society.

Open 10am – 6pm
Tickets TBC
Location Windsor Great Park, SL4 2BS
Web rwhs.com

15 June: Yeo Valley Organic Garden Workshop

The theme of this Organic Garden Workshop is ‘Garden Detox’ where you will learn to live in peace and harmony with all the insects in your garden.

Open 10am – 12.30pm
Tickets £38
Location Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Blagdon, BS40 7YE.
Web yeovalley.co.uk

15 – 18 June: BBC Gardeners’ World Live

Gardens inspiration, stands, exhibits and expert advice.

Open 9am – 6pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm
Tickets From £25
Location NEC, North Avenue, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT
Web bbcgardenersworldlive.com

16 – 18 June: Handmade in Oxford

150 makers will be exhibiting their wares at Waterperry Gardens for the third edition of Handmade in Oxford.

Location Waterperry Gardens, Oxford OX33 1LA
Web handmadeinbritain.co.uk

23 – 25 June: Blenheim Palace Flower Show

Shop from exhibitors for plants and arts and crafts in the setting of Blenheim palace.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location Blenheim Palace. Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1PP
Web blenheimflowershow.co.uk

30 June – 2 July: Jekka’s HerbFest

Celebration of herbs with talks, gardening workshops and cookery demonstrations from experts headed up by Jekka McVicar.

Open 9.30am – 4.30pm
Tickets £45
Location Jekka’s Herb Farm, Rose Cottage, Shellards Lane, Alveston, Bristol BS35 3SY.
Web jekkas.com

JULY

4 – 9 July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Shop for plants from specialist nurseries and be inspired by gardens.

Open 10am – 6.30pm, Sunday 10am – 5.30pm
Tickets From £28.85
Location Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU
Web rhs.org.uk

13 – 16 July: Charleston Festival of the Garden

Four days of talks, demonstrations and entertainment bringing together pioneering gardeners, designers, writers, artists and activists. Day and festival tickets available.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location Charleston, Firle, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6LL. 
Web charleston.org.uk

15 & 16 July: Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show

Inspiring garden designs, horticulture talks, sculpture artists, nurseries, garden tools, furniture and crafts.

Open 9.45 am – 4.30pm
Tickets From £12.50
Location Ladies Field, Belvoir Castle, Grantham, NG32 1PE
Web belvoircastleflowerandgardenshow.co.uk

19 – 23 July: RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

Floral displays set in magnificent parkland.

Open 10am – 5pm
Tickets From £29.85
Location Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN
Web rhs.org.uk

AUGUST

2 – 6 August: RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show

Specialist plant nurseries, expert tips and mouth-watering food.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8A
Web rhs.org.uk

12 & 13 August: The Great Comp Summer Show

Specialist plant nurseries, artists and crafts people.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location Great Comp Garden, Comp Lane, Platt near Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 8QS
Web greatcompgarden.co.uk

18 – 20 August: RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show

Specialist plant nurseries, floral displays, demonstrations and live music.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH
Web rhs.org.uk

SEPTEMBER

3 September: Sussex Prairie Late Summer Plant Fair

Specialist plant nurseries.

Open 12-5pm
Tickets £10
Location Sussex Prairie Garden, Morlands Farm, Wheatsheaf Road, nr Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9AT.
Web sussexprairies.co.uk

5 – 10 September: RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show

Specialist plant nurseries, floral displays, demonstrations and exhibitors.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB
Web rhs.org.uk

15 – 17 September: Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

Inspiration from show gardens, a plant nursery pavilion, floral art, garden shopping, expert advice and live entertainment.

Open TBC
Tickets TBC
Location Newby Hall & Gardens, Estate Office, Newby Hall, Ripton, North Yorkshire HG4 5AE
Web flowershow.org.uk

22 -24 September: Malvern Autumn Show

Flower show, shopping and giant veg growing displays.

Open 9am – 6pm
Tickets From £20
Location Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW
Web malvernautumn.co.uk

28 September – 1 October: Orticolario

Show located on the shores of north Italy’s Lake Como highlighting gardens, plants and craftsmanship.

Location Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti 4, 22012 Cernobbio, Italy.
Web orticolario.it

OCTOBER

16, 17 & 18 October: An Introduction to Garden Design

Students will be given first-hand insights into the founding principles of spatial design, the art and craft of planting design, drawing techniques and designing with a range of hard materials.

Open 10am-4pm
Tickets £550+VAT
Location Yorkshire School of Garden Design 
Web ysgd.co.uk

Dates and prices correct at time of publication. Please check details for each show prior to travelling.

The concept of artists’ gardens can be interpreted in many ways, especially as the creation of all gardens can be considered an art form. For this tour, we’re homing in on gardens that have been owned or created by many different artists, examining how these gardens play a role in the artist’s work. We’ll visit Monk’s House, where Virginia Woolf penned many of her novels in the garden writing lodge, and nearby Charleston, the country home of her painter sister Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, where the Bloomsbury Group gathered and found inspiration in its beautiful gardens. We also visit the gardens of contemporary artists, including Balmoral Cottage, where we’ll discover how Charlotte Molesworth’s topiary work has influenced her paintings; Fairlight End with its wildflower meadows that provide Robin Hutt with the plant material for her extraordinary photographs; and Sussex Prairie Garden where boldly planted swathes of perennials are interspersed with modern sculptures. 

Our base throughout the tour will be Ockenden Manor Hotel, a charming and tranquil Elizabethan Manor House that offers good food and warm hospitality, as well as a new spa and swimming pool.

Booking details

Tour dates 30 May – 2 June 2023

The tour will be hosted and led by garden historian and garden designer Marion Mako  along with horticulturist and specialist in historic gardens Sophie Piebenga.

Booking details Price per person, based on two people sharing, is £3,250 (a single supplement of £190 is levied by the hotel). The price includes three nights’ dinner (with wine), bed and breakfast accommodation at Ockenden Manor, plus four lunches as stated in the itinerary and transport from Haywards Heath railway station. Please note that Boxwood Tours uses hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms and styles. The price does not include extras at the hotel, or travel insurance. For more details and for an in-depth itinerary with details of day-to-day visits, meals, etc, please contact Boxwood Tours.

To express an interest or to book please contact Boxwood Tours, 1 West Street, Buckingham HK18 1HL, UK. Tel +44 (0)1341 241717. Email mail@boxwoodtours.co.uk Website boxwoodtours.co.uk

The tour has been arranged exclusively for readers of Gardens Illustrated by Boxwood Tours Quality Garden Holidays, a specialist garden tour company set up in 1990. Please note that itineraries may be subject to change for reasons beyond Gardens Illustrated’s control. The tour is financially protected by the ATOL scheme. Please see booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go
to: arenatravel.com/why-arena/financial-protection

From fossil-stacked cliffs to rolling chalk hills and rich pastures, the rural county of Dorset has inspired countless creatives, both historic and contemporary.

With expert plantsman Keith Wiley as your host, the tour highlights some lesser-known gardens, including the garden at The Old Rectory at Litton Cheney, designed in part by Arne Maynard, and the richly planted garden at Upper Sydling House, originally laid out by the Bannermans.

Other gardens are more historic, including the walled kitchen garden at Pugin Hall, which was designed by Victorian architect Augustus Pugin, and Chideock Manor, a Regency manor surrounded by varied gardens including a parterre and rose arches.

We visit River Cottage HQ, the creation of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his knowledgeable team, for a tour of the productive ‘no-dig’ walled garden before sitting down to a delicious home-grown lunch.

There’s the chance to peruse the plants at Charles Chesshire’s Rare & Special Plant Nursery, which includes a range of clematis, hydrangeas and intersectional peonies. Your hotel for the tour is 5-star Georgian Summer Lodge Country House Hotel in the heart of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex.

Booking details

Tour dates 3-6 July 2023.

The tour will be hosted by Keith Wiley who was head gardener for 14 years at The Garden House, a ten-acre garden on the edge of Dartmoor, before moving to his garden Wildside, where he has created one of Britain’s most innovative gardens.

Booking details Price per person, based on two people sharing, is £3,500 (a single supplement of £400 is levied by the hotel). The price includes transportation from Yeovil Junction railway station, three nights’ bed and breakfast in the four-star Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Dorchester, and three evening meals with wine at the hotel, plus four lunches. Please note that Boxwood Tours uses hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms and styles. The price does not include extras at the hotel, or travel insurance. For more details and for an in-depth itinerary with details of day-to-day visits, meals, etc, please contact Boxwood Tours.

To express an interest or to book please contact Boxwood Tours, 1 West Street, Buckingham HK18 1HL, UK. Tel +44 (0)1341 241717. Email mail@boxwoodtours.co.uk Website boxwoodtours.co.uk

The tour has been arranged exclusively for readers of Gardens Illustrated by Boxwood Tours Quality Garden Holidays, a specialist garden tour company set up in 1990. Please note that itineraries may be subject to change for reasons beyond Gardens Illustrated’s control. The tour is financially protected by the ATOL scheme. Please see booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: arenatravel.com/why-arena/financial-protection

LANDSCAPE looks to continue the success with a brand-new seminar programme. Taking a much more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach, you can enjoy topics ranging from The Future Design Business, ‘All the World’s a Stage’ – Garden Design as Theatre, Getting Going on Green Roofing and How the Landscape Sector can Play Their Part in Nature’s Recovery.

Over the two days visitors can enjoy two different seminar programmes, over 48 seminars and 100 top industry professionals sharing their thoughts and experience on the leading topics of 2022. The seminars will inspire, educate and connect people to new ideas and solutions to take towards future projects. There is no better place to network with professionals at the top of their game.

Back again at the central bar LANDSCAPE will be playing host to a series of Meet the Designer opportunities. If you have questions to ask, now is the chance to ask garden designers directly. Run in conjunction with the SGD – Society of Garden Designers, visitors will have the freedom to be part of the conversation and talk to high profile designers about their work and working life.

Also at the central bar area, LANDSCAPE will be hosting their incredibly popular PechaKucha 20×20 on the afternoon of Day 1 on Wednesday the 28th September. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat” – it’s a storytelling platform that celebrates people, passion, and creative thought. The perfect format for speakers to share ideas and connect with others visually, concisely and memorably. The PechaKucha 20×20 presentation style is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and speakers have got just 400 seconds to tell their story, with visuals guiding the way. In a very informal setting you can get an insight into the worlds of five Landscape Architects and the things that make them go “wow!”. Held at the central bar, it’s the perfect way to finish off a day of learning with some insight, inspiration and a free drink!

LANDSCAPE’s Women in the Industry Day was so well received in 2021 that it’s back again, bigger and better than before, plus it’s all free to attend! Join ladies from all aspects of the industry as they come together on the 29 September in Hall 3 at the NEC Birmingham, to support, talk, share and celebrate their achievements and continued drive to push forward. Start off day two of the Show at the Women in the Industry networking morning at 10.15am, run proudly in conjunction with #YesSheCan! Enjoy a coffee and a catch up as you network and listen to shared stories from others championing diversity throughout all areas of the industry.

The networking morning will be followed by a full day of interviews led by #YesSheCan and leading women from different specialties. With so many amazing career opportunities in the landscaping industry, come and listen to inspirational women as they talk about their experiences, how they push forward in their respective fields and what they hope for the future.

Alongside the much-loved educational seminar programme, LANDSCAPE provides a platform for over hundreds of exhibitors to showcase their cutting-edge products, technology and solutions for the design, build and management of exterior and interior landscaping projects. There will be thousands of products on display for you to find what you need to bring your project to the next level. LANDSCAPE is proud to say that 86 per cent of visitors are very likely to recommend and use an exhibitor for a future project, and the exhibitor list continues to go from strength to strength. The extensive exhibitor list ensures that when they say that there is “something for everyone”, they really do mean it!

Head on over to LANDSCAPE and enjoy two days of inspirational talks, unlimited networking and gain inspiration for your next project from the thousands of products on display. Entry guarantees you access to the exhibition hall, the Women in the Industry event, as well as all of the seminars taking place at LANDSCAPE. With so many features and reasons to visit, LANDSCAPE 2022 is the trade event you will not want to miss, and the best part is – it’s all free! The LANDSCAPE Show is the chance of the year to network with professionals at the top of their game at the most valuable landscaping design event of the year. Register for your free entry today at www.landscapeshow.co.uk/register and be part of the conversation.

See you there!

Further information can be found online: website: www.LandscapeShow.co.uk, email: info@LandscapeShow.co.uk, phone: +44 (0)20 7821 8221, twitter: @LandscapeEvent #LANDSCAPE2022, instagram: @Landscape.show #LANDSCAPE2022

The tour starts with a visit to the internationally celebrated contemporary gardens of Tokachi Millennium Forest, designed by Dan Pearson and situated on Japan’s most northerly island, Hokkaido.

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You’ll learn about the spirit of nature and sense of place from head gardener and international speaker Midori Shintani, as well as enjoying a cultural workshop and foraged forest lunch prepared by the gardeners. Returning to the mainland you will delve into the traditional gardens, culture and the unforgettable architecture of Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Nara, where gardens will provoke thought and delight in equal measure.

Meet with the gardeners of the Chion-in Temple who will demonstrate the fine art of niwaki pruning and offer advice on the tools they use. Discover both renowned gardens and lesser-known hidden cultural gems, such as the beautifully preserved historic Sumiya Pleasure House in Kyoto. The varied landscapes visited meld the intimate essence of nature with the disciplines of cosmology, poetry and meditation and through Hannah’s formal and informal instruction, your journey will unpick the complexity and seek to understand the history and meaning of these serene and spiritual landscapes.

Booking details

Tour dates September 2023 – exact dates to be confirmed.

Tour leader Hannah Gardner Kew trained horticulturist, Hannah works as a head gardener and garden consultant with a particular passion for studying plant communities worldwide – including time spent in Japan. She has written The Outsider column for Gardens Illustrated.

Booking details Final pricing to be confirmed. It will be based on all hotels, trains, other transportation, most meals and all sightseeing. It does not include hotel extras or travel insurance, or international flights, although these can be arranged through Distant Horizons if required. For more details and for an in-depth itinerary with details of day-to-day visits, meals, etc, please contact Distant Horizons.

To express an interest or to book please contact Distant Horizons, 13 Melloncroft Drive, Caldy, The Wirral, Cheshire CH48 2JA, UK. Tel 0151 625 3425, email info@distanthorizons.co.uk website distanthorizons.co.uk

This tour has been arranged exclusively for readers of Gardens Illustrated by Distant Horizons, organisers of cultural and garden journeys since 1996. Please note that itineraries may be subject to change for reasons beyond Gardens Illustrated’s control.

We’d like to introduce you to your new favourite wine club with a free case! All you need to do is cover the postage costs of £8.95, and you’ll get three beautiful wines delivered right to your door.

Wine52 showcases only the very best independent winemakers on the planet. Each month it visits an exciting new region and brings back a selection of exceptional and unique wines for members. Join and experience a whole new world of wine.

You’ll receive three wines, either red, white or a mixture – your choice. Also included is in-house magazine Glug and a couple of tasty snacks. Simply cover £8.95 for postage and it’s all yours.

After your trial case, you’ll receive all the above with free delivery for just £32/month. There’s no minimum commitment and you can cancel anytime. Each case features a different wine region with a focus on independent wineries and interesting and unique grape varieties. You have the choice of red-only, white-only or a mixture of wines.

Gardens Illustrated Reader Offer

Claim a free case of wine, plus a magazine and two snacks, and just cover postage.

Claim your case

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
One per household. New customers only. Part of a monthly subscription with no minimum commitment. If you choose to stay, you will be delivered three wines, Glug magazine and two snacks with free delivery for just £32 per month.

Grab a case of craft beer from Beer52 for free! Beer52 is the world’s most popular craft beer club and is offering you 10 beers with only postage costs of £5.95 to cover.

Every month Beer52 sends its members a new case from a different part of the world. Its beer experts search out the best breweries from each country or region and sample their finest beers in order to curate each case. Also included is the insightful beer magazine, Ferment, which delves into the theme, beers and breweries, plus two snacks are thrown in for good measure.

With this offer, you’ll be sent a free case with two additional beers, so 10 beers in total worth £32! Each case is carefully curated by experts featuring beer from the world’s greatest craft brewers. You’ll find a range of styles from IPAs and craft lagers to stouts and porters. If you don’t like dark beer, you can simply choose the light option.

By redeeming this offer you’ll be joining the monthly beer club (£32p/m) which you can choose to pause or cancel at any time. Get your free case and discover a whole new world of beer!

Gardens Illustrated Reader Offer

Claim a free case of beer and just cover postage.

Claim your case

Terms and conditions

Offer valid for new UK customers only. One per household. After your free case, you’ll be subscribed as a member of Beer52 (£32/m for 8 beers, magazine, two snacks), pause or cancel anytime. 18+ only. See website for full T&Cs. Beer selection may vary. Please drink responsibly.

Tour details

The tour starts with a visit to Holker Hall and its 24-acre garden comprising yew hedging, rose garden and woodland with conifers from around the world.

We travel on to The Lakeside Hotel on the southern shore of lake Windermere, our base for three nights. We’ll also visit Levens Hall, which has the the most famous topiary garden in England, installed between 1689-1712 by the Frenchman Guillaume Beaumont, gardener to King James II.

There will be lots to see in the garden at Yewbarrow House overlooking Morecambe Bay, which has a walled kitchen garden, an Italian garden, gravel garden and sculpture garden, and we will also take a look at Dan Pearson’s recent project at Lowther Castle, where his design has reinterpreted the historic gardens.

We visit the fell-side garden at Chapelside, on the lower slopes of Raven Crag, as well as Abi & Tom’s Garden Plants on a stunning site adjacent to Halecat House on the Witherslack Estate. Tom Attwood is a Kew-trained horticulturist and a contributor to Gardens Illustrated and manages the gardens of the Witherslack Estate.

The tour concludes with Gresgarth Hall Gardens where designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd has created an exciting garden, beautifully marrying the best of her native Italian style with British plantsmanship.

Date: 27-30 September 2022

Price includes: bed and breakfast at The Lakeside Hotel for the duration of the tour; three evening meals with wine at the hotel and four lunches; all transportation from Lancaster railway station.

It does not include hotel extras or travel insurance. For more details and for an in-depth itinerary with details of day-to-day visits, meals etc, please contact Boxwood Tours.

For information and booking, please contact

Boxwood Tours, 1 West Street, Buckingham HK18 1HL, UK.

Tel: +44 (0)1341 241717.
Email: mail@boxwoodtours.co.uk
Website: boxwoodtours.co.uk

The tour has been arranged exclusively for readers of Gardens Illustrated by Boxwood Tours Quality Garden Holidays, a specialist garden tour company set up in 1990. Please note that itineraries may be subject to change for reasons beyond Gardens Illustrated’s control. The tour is financially protected by the ATOL scheme.

Please see booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: arenatravel.com/why-arena/financial-protection

Here’s our Gardens Illustrated Christmas quiz to test your botanical and general garden knowledge. There’s no prize for the highest score, but let us know how you do on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Good luck!

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For all our Christmas inspiration, present ideas, and decorations head to our Christmas hub page. 

The opportunity: A chance to spend the day at Yeo Valley Organic Garden in the company of its creator Sarah Mead and award-winning designer Tom Massey as they tour the gardens, answer your questions, and reveal their upcoming Yeo Valley Organic Show Garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Your hosts: The able and highly-skilled staff of the garden and – of course – the Gardens Illustrated magazine and website team!

The day began with a casual tea or coffee served in the garden’s fabulous open-sided restaurant and patio area, affording a stunning view of the central spine linking the garden’s entrance to the house and its facilities, and the perfect allotment gardens below.

Time for the tour

After a welcome from Gardens Illustrated‘s Acting Editor Sorrel Everton, a full tour of the gardens began with Sarah and Tom leading the group from feature to feature, outlining each’s history and bold plans for future development while answering questions and naming the fabulous specimens for attendees looking to grow their own.

The compost production area proved of considerable interest as Sarah outlined Yeo’s 100% organic ethos and just some of the secrets behind producing organic compost in such prodigious bulk required by the gardens. Needless to say, Yeo’s famous herd of dairy cows – the not-so-secret ingredient in their 100% organic yogurt – play their vital part but the addition of on-site produced biochar was an interesting new twist (more later).

A garden of surprises

The mix of gardening styles and surprises are breath-taking at Yeo with highlights including the fabulous shady, tucked-away Birch Wood Garden, packed with perfect silver birch, and last seen providing inspiration when featured on the BBC gardening show Your Garden Made Perfect.

Similarly censorious was the BGB – or Big Grass Bed – a long and winding tight pathway of blind turns through an above-head-height bed of verdant long grasses and the party were encouraged to enter and enjoy being at one with the nature all around them as they made their way through to the journey’s end.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show preview

After a fabulous two course lunch (best brownie ever?) Tom and Sarah provided a presentation on the latest designs for their upcoming RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden. The pair spelled out the winding story of the garden’s creation so far as the May 2020 Chelsea show was shuttered, only for the May 2021 show to similarly slide out of reach.

It’s worth remembering that this will be Chelsea’s first ever wholly organic show garden and the stakes are high to produce something that bests the boosted gardens elsewhere but makes good on the organic promise while delivering suitably show-stopping results.

The good news is that Tom and Sarah’s garden is most definitely back for September 2021 and looking better than ever as changes required by the September slot afforded the team new possibilities and options.

One such major change made possible through the switch is the use of biochar in the Yeo Valley garden, replacing the previously planned rock and stone elements. Now charred wooden walls will frame the distinct areas of the garden, biochar being a valuable and useful addition to compost, retaining moisture and nutrients that are accessible to plants.

A recent expansion of the Yeo Valley Organic Garden gave the team acres of ash affected by dieback and investment in a bespoke burner has produced enough biochar to not only help the plants to perfection but to provide an arresting and beautiful wholly organic backdrop for planting too.

Your questions answered

After the presentation Tom and Sarah were joined by plant expert Marina Christopher for a lively hour-long Q&A chaired by Acting Editor Sorrel Everton as she fielded questions from the group.

Both questions and answers came thick and fast as advice and tips were swapped between attendees and presenters alike!

Relaxation and retail therapy

A quick cake break later and the group were able to explore further under their own steam and take advantage of the goodies in the Yeo Valley shop, including a selection of Marina’s own plants transported to the event especially for our attendees.

All in all a fabulous day and a great opportunity for the Gardens Illustrated team to meet and greet our readers. Thanks to all those that attended!

Full gallery below and highlights movie coming soon…