RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2023

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Thu 11 May 2023 - Sun 14 May 2023

The countdown is on for the 2023 RHS Malvern Spring Festival , taking place at Three Counties Showground between May 11 and 14. The event’s key theme is ‘Gardening for Everyone’ and visitors will be encouraged to make the most of their outside spaces, regardless of their gardening expertise and the size of their plot. They will be inspired by a range of show and feature gardens created by established and new designers.

Multi-gold medal winner Peter Dowle of Leaf Creative in Huntley, Gloucestershire, will be transforming a giant 25m dome into Leaf Tropicana – a feature garden that promises visitors an opportunity to “step into a slice of paradise away from the hustle and bustle of the show”. Visitors will be transported to a tropical paradise containing waterfalls, bridges, immersive exotic planting and a tropical bar.



Meanwhile, Jon Wheatley’s Grow, Gather and Sow feature garden will demonstrate how food and flowers can be grown in harmony at home. It will feature fruit trees surrounded by raised beds and containers planted with an array of vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruit.

Coast to Country is being created by the team at Worcestershire-based tree specialist Villaggio Verde . This feature garden is designed to transport visitors to the seaside, with beach huts and a wide range of plants that mimic the look and feel of the coast.

This year’s five show gardens will draw upon the work of great artists, wildlife-friendly features and sustainability. Stuart Bugby, from Helyers of Hampshire, has been inspired by Cubism, the early 20th Century avant-garde art movement, to create an outdoor living space. A wildlife-friendly theme can also be found in The Wildlife Trusts ' Wilder Spaces garden by Jamie Langlands, lead designer at Oxford Garden Design. Visitors will see how wildlife habitats can be designed into the structure of a garden, using building waste, reclaimed material and untreated timbers.



A pollinator-friendly garden for an environmentally-aware family lies at the heart of Rick Ford and Katie Gentle’s design for the Bee Positive, Bee Kind, Be Aware garden. The space includes areas for relaxation, growing fruit and vegetables, keeping bees and cooking. The Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is set to provide a permanent home for Laura Ashton Phillips ’ Greener Gloucestershire NHS Garden, which highlights the calming health benefits of being immersed in nature. The wild, natural planting scheme has been inspired by the Forest of Dean, where Laura lives with her family.

Family holidays in northwest Brittany are the inspiration for HomeAway Garden by Emily Crowley-Wroe . The Cotswold-based designer has come up with a romantic shared space for wildlife and people to enjoy and hopes visitors will be able to take home ideas for different methods of planting for drier situations and climates. Last year Emily won a silver gilt medal and the ‘Best in Show’ accolade at RHS Malvern Spring Festival for The Hide Garden (pictured below).



The2023 RHS Malvern Spring Festival boasts a star-studded line-up of horticultural guests, TV presenters, authors and celebrity chefs.

Talks in the Festival Theatre will be hosted by RHS Vice President James Alexander-Sinclair who will be joined on stage by a selection of BBC Gardeners’ World presenters and expert horticulturalists, including Adam Frost , Arit Anderson , Frances Tophill and Sue Kent, as well as gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh MBE .

Frances Tophill says: “I’m particularly looking forward to this year’s ‘Gardening for Everyone’ theme, as sustainable, planet-friendly practices are something I am passionate about.”



The new Tips & Tricks stage will be hosted by designer/upcycler and TV presenter Max McMurdo , whose creations have featured on BBC’s Dragon’s Den and Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. Special guests joining Max include The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades MBE .

Max says: “We will be sharing plenty of clever ways to create amazing elements for your home or garden that won’t cost much, helping you to get enjoyment from your spaces while saving money.”

Another introduction to the show for 2023 is the Fire & Feast stage, co-hosted by cooking expert Mark Diacono and BBQ cook Adam Purnell. TV presenter Gregg Wallace MBE will be among the special guests. He says: “I’m looking forward to sharing some cooking tips at the new Fire & Feast Theatre. It looks like it’s going to be a fantastic weekend!”



The popular 190m long RHS Floral Marquee, filled with displays from over 50 of the UK’s best nurseries, will return for 2023, providing the opportunity to seek advice from expert growers and to buy choice plants. There will also be purchase opportunities in the Plant Village and Pavilions.

Jane Edwards, Head of Shows at Three Counties Showground, says: “The RHS Malvern Spring Festival is the first RHS Show of the season. Whether you’re on a budget and are looking for ways to upcycle a pallet into an outdoor table or you want to create an outdoor kitchen, there will be something to inspire you.”

RHS Malvern Spring Festival tickets are available at www.rhsmalvern.co.uk


#gardening
#food_and_drink
#shows
#outdoor
#festivals

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