Garden Blog

Every year, I look forward to visiting the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, and for me it always feels like the true beginning of the gardening season. After the long, grey winter months, arriving at the show is an instant lift — a welcome burst of colour, inspiration, and energy that reminds you brighter days are finally here.

What makes the festival so special is that it’s far more than just beautiful displays. One of my favourite parts is being able to meet and talk directly with growers and specialist nurseries from all over the country. There’s something incredibly valuable about chatting to the people who have grown the plants, hearing their advice, discovering unusual varieties, and learning what really works in different gardens.

Alongside the stunning show gardens and floral displays, the festival has such a welcoming atmosphere. Whether you come for inspiration, shopping, expert talks, artisan food, or simply to spend a day surrounded by flowers and fellow garden lovers, there’s always something to enjoy. As well as being able to buy plants directly from the growers, the Malvern Spring Festival offers so much more. While it may not have the scale or glamour of Chelsea Flower Show, what makes Malvern so appealing is how accessible and achievable many of the ideas feel for ordinary gardeners.

The show gardens are always a highlight, filled with creative planting combinations and clever design inspiration that visitors can realistically adapt at home. There’s a real sense of practicality alongside the beauty, which makes the gardens feel especially inspiring.

One area I particularly enjoyed this year was the Festival of Houseplants, where knowledgeable growers were on hand to offer advice, share tips, and help visitors choose from an incredible range of indoor plants. It was refreshing to see so much enthusiasm for houseplants alongside the traditional garden displays.

The festival also brings together an impressive line-up of speakers and demonstrations. From gardening experts such as Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don to beloved food writer Mary Berry, the Festival Theatre offered a packed programme throughout the event.

Another favourite of mine was the school gardens, which showcased the creativity and imagination of the next generation of gardeners. Many of the designs were not only innovative, but also thoughtful in their focus on sustainability, wellbeing, and encouraging wildlife.

Food lovers were equally well catered for in the Kitchen Theatre, where talented chefs hosted live cooking demonstrations using seasonal ingredients and garden-inspired flavours.

And of course, no visit to Malvern would be complete without wandering through the Floral Marquee — a breathtaking sea of colour and scent, filled with stunning displays and an extraordinary variety of plants, many of which were available to buy directly from the nurseries.

This year also introduced two exciting new features. Floral Tablescaping in Humble Sheds transformed simple garden sheds into beautiful floral spaces overflowing with creativity, flowers, and foliage. Meanwhile, Blooming Borders gave emerging designers the opportunity to turn modest plots into truly magical planting schemes, proving that even small spaces can have enormous impact.

I also shouldn’t forget the many retail areas that make the Malvern Spring Festival feel like far more than a flower show. From gardening tools and outdoor furniture to greenhouses, sheds, and lawnmowers, there’s something for every kind of gardener, whether you have a small courtyard or a large country garden.

Inside the Wye Hall, artisan craft makers and specialist guilds showcased beautifully handmade pieces alongside an excellent selection of local food producers, adding yet another layer to the festival experience. It’s very easy to lose track of time wandering through the stalls, discovering unique gifts, garden accessories, and delicious treats to take home.

Altogether, the festival feels like the perfect start to the gardening year — a celebration of spring, creativity, gardening, food, and craftsmanship set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Malvern Hills. And perhaps the best part of all is that once spring is over, there’s still another event to look forward to, as Malvern also hosts its wonderful autumn show later in the year.