Early May is always a time of energy, inspiration and new ideas for anyone who loves their gardens. Taking time out to visit the first RHS show of the year at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern from 8-11 May is the perfect way to kick-start your plans, not only for your garden but using plants indoors, too.
This year’s Spring Festival has the theme Plants & People, helping people to explore the impact plants have on our lives: from affecting our physical and mental wellbeing, to improving the air we breathe and providing delicious, nutritious food.
The RHS Malvern Spring Festival’s show and feature gardens showcase the absolute best of innovative and thoughtful, frequently sustainable, garden design. Using inspiring planting and materials, you cannot fail to be impressed by the gardens various designers have created. Once again Oxfordshire’s multi award-winning Jamie Langlands, who works with Oxford Garden Design, will be creating a feature garden. This year’s design is entitled Hedgerow to Home. With a merited reputation for his innovative gardens which has brought great success resulting in numerous RHS medals, once again Jamie will be working hard to create a natural-looking, low maintenance yet beautiful garden. He is taking inspiration from nature for planting combinations which are tried and tested in the local environment and can boost biodiversity in your own garden. By using a range of hedgerow plants along with coastal plants which are able to thrive in poor soil conditions, this garden will give ideas on how to develop a sustainable, low-effort outdoor space.
No outdoor space? Visit the Houseplants Festival, which returns to the Kildare Hall. Here you can listen to talks and watch demos on how to select, grow and enjoy houseplants in your home. With various workshops hosted by industry experts, botanical displays and exhibits you will also have numerous shopping opportunities to buy everything you need. Gardening influencers will also tell you more about the current trends for using plants indoors.
This year will also see the introduction of the first RHS judged Indoor Plant Gardens, using a vast array of indoor plants and highlighting the impact they can have on our daily lives. Indoor plants are versatile and accessible so can provide an enjoyable and convenient way to enjoy living with plants throughout the year whatever the weather. The new Indoor Plant Gardens – located in the Festival of Houseplants area – will be scrutinised by a panel of horticultural experts and RHS judges to crown the very first RHS medal-winning Indoor Plant Garden 2025.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to see a number of TV celebrity gardeners and industry experts headline across five stages around the showground. From hands-on horticulture provided by a number of well-known faces including Alan Titchmarsh CBE, Adam Frost and Rachel de Thame, you can also engage with experts talking about a range of topical subjects. Escape to the Country’s Nicki Chapman will be hosting the Festival Theatre stage throughout the show.
The brand-new Give it a Grow theatre will debut at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival, offering practical advice, inspirational talks and expert tips on plant growing. This vibrant new stage will host engaging talks to enhance gardening knowledge for both seasoned gardeners and those dipping their toe into the soil for the first time. From perfecting propagation techniques and creating serene rain gardens, to designing natural screens for privacy and improving soil health with the use of vital microbes, this bustling area will act as an educational hub, inspiring visitors to grow more, grow smarter and grow better.
Among the well-known faces appearing on the Kitchen Garden stage on Thursday is Oxfordshire’s two Michelin starred chef Raymond Blanc OBE. With years of experience and knowledge in growing top quality vegetables for his restaurant at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, enjoy watching him prepare something utterly delicious.
The Three Counties Showground with the scenic beauty of the Malvern Hills surrounding it, also provides plenty of places to eat and drink. From homemade and artisan products in the Food & Drink Pavilion to street food available on the Festival Green to tea and cakes in the Vintage Tea Room, you will not go hungry or thirsty. You can even pre-book a special VIP experience, one of which is cream tea with BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Rachel de Thame (Friday 9 May) or Adam Frost (Saturday 10 May).
There are several free workshops for younger visitors including willow weaving, circus skills, hands-on science and paper flower making. Children can also participate in activities in the Discovery Dome or join performances of Severn Arts Music Box.
Finally, new for this year RHS Malvern Spring Festival is introducing their special Dog Day on Sunday 11 May. Well-behaved dogs on short, fixed leads are welcome to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the festival along with their owners. A limited number of dog tickets are available to book online in advance.
Tickets and further information are available at rhsmalvern.co.uk
