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 in the coming year...
Gardens Illustrated events and show guide 2026
On now
Until 6 April: Sounds of Blossom, Kew, London
Admire Kew’s magnolia and cherry blossoms with a soundtrack from Royal College of Music students.
Timings 11am-6pm
Tickets Entry included with Kew admission
Location Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3AE
Web kew.org
Until 12 April: Talking Plants at Cambridge University Botanic Garden
In a world-first for botanic gardens, visitors to Cambridge University's Botanic Garden will be able to have real-time conversations with living plants via artificial intelligence chat-boxes on their phones. Ask questions about their evolution, ecology and cultural significance via voice or text, and even play games to learn about exhibits in the glasshouse.
Timings 10am-5pm (Feb/March) -6pm (Apr)
Tickets Included with entry to Cambridge University Botanic Garden (£8)
Location Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE
Web botanic.cam.ac.uk
Until 26 April: Mill exhibition: Peat Appreciation Society, West Yorkshire
Discover the importance and impact of peatland conservation with art inspired by West Yorkshire moors.
Timings 10am-3pm
Tickets Entry included with mill admission
Location Gibson Mill, Midgehole Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 7AW
Web nationaltrust.org.uk
Until 26 April: Museum of Edible Earth, London
Discover ‘geophagy’ (eating earth for health), see over 600 edible earths and taste samples.
Timings Sun–Wed 10am–6pm, Thu & Fri 12–8pm, Sat 10am–8pm, tasting sessions 1–4pm
Tickets Suggested donation £5
Location Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
Web somersethouse.org.uk
Until 10 May: Seeds of Exchange: Canton and London in the 1700s, London
Discover the early plant knowledge shared between China and Britain in this exhibition.
Timings 10am-5pm
Tickets £15
Location Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB
Web gardenmuseum.org.uk
Until 16 August: In Bloom: How Plants Changed Our World, Oxford
This new exhibition uncovers the history of plant explorers across the globe, showcasing more than 100 artefacts, drawings, paintings, rare prints and ceramics. Visitors will discover the stories behind some of the UK’s most-loved plants, including roses, tulips, camellias and peonies, and how they continue to shape the world today.
Timings Open daily, 10am–5pm
Tickets Standard tickets cost £16.20
Location Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH
Web ashmolean.org
Until December: The Wind in the Willows trails, UK
Marking the 50th anniversary of author E. H. Shepard’s death, the five RHS gardens are running a series of interactive trails celebrating the magic of The Wind in the Willows. Discover sensory boxes, play traditional garden games, enjoy photo opportunities and take part in plenty of outdoor fun - all designed to spark curiosity about wildlife, habitats and protecting the environment.
Tickets Included with entry to RHS gardens
Location RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon; Wisley, Surrey; Hyde Hall, Essex; Bridgewater, Greater Manchester; Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire
Web rhs.org.uk
Coming up
28-29 March: Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show, Cornwall
Enjoy floral displays, rare plants and inspiring show gardens, as well as expert talks and hands-on workshops.
Timings 10am-5pm (Sat) -4pm (Sun)
Tickets £8
Location Royal Cornwall Showground, Whitecross, Wadebridge PL27 7JE
Web cornwallgardensociety.org.uk
28 March - 12 September: Great Comp Garden tours, Kent
Tours of Great Comp Garden in Kent have previously been reserved for coach trips, but from March they'll be available to individual visitors. One Saturday per month, visitors will get the chance to join senior gardener Krystina Kay-Clough in the garden for behind-the-scenes stories, planting tips and a showcase of the rare and unusual plants at Great Comp.
Timings 2pm
Tickets £17 for non-members (free for members)
Location Great Comp Garden, Comp Lane, Platt, Nr Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 8QS
Web greatcompgarden.co.uk
31 March: Drought-resistant planting, Beth Chatto Gardens, Essex
Join head gardener Åsa Gregers-Warg at Beth Chatto Plants and Gardens to deepen your knowledge of climate-friendly planting. During the day, you'll learn how to create and care for a beautiful, eco-friendly Beth Chatto-style border with resilient plants for dry soil. Plus, enjoy a tour of the famous gravel garden and Chattowood (a nearby housing development).
Timings 10:30am-3:30pm
Tickets £85
Location Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens, Clacton Rd, Elmstead Market, Elmstead, Colchester CO7 7DB
Web bcet.bethchatto.co.uk
APRIL 2026
1 April: The View From The Hospital: How Can Plants And Gardens Transform Healthcare? with Rachel De Thame, Dr Sue Stuart-Smith, Jinny Blom and Chris Young, Hertfordshire
Join this one-off event and help fund the redevelopment of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre's hospital garden in Hertfordshire - spearheaded by author and BBC Gardeners' Question Time panellist Matthew Biggs. The evening kicks off with the chance to explore Tom Stuart-Smith’s Plant Library at Serge Hill, and a pop-up plant sale, followed by drinks at 5:30pm before the talk begins at 6pm.
Topics covered will include why hospitals are green deserts, why healthcare ignores the beneficial role of plants and gardens, and what we can do to make hospitals a greener, more beautiful place.
Timings 5–7:30pm
Tickets From £20
Location The Apple House, Sergehill Lane, Bedmond, Hertfordshire WD5 0RZ
Web sergehillproject.co.uk
8 April - 24 May: Jane Hammond exhibition, London
Head to the Garden Museum in London to enjoy this exhibition of Jane Hammond's unique collages, made with drawn and painted elements, photography, recycled objects and digital additions. These unusual works explore how we take in imagery from the natural world.
Timings 10am-4pm weekdays / 10am-5pm weekends
Tickets Free
Location The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB
Web gardenmuseum.org.uk
From 10 April: Visit Caisson Gardens, Bath
Don't miss the chance to explore the beautiful Caisson Gardens if you're based near Somerset - on selected dates, below. On the 14 and 15 May, the gardens will also host garden photographer Jason Ingram (whose work is often found within the pages of Gardens Illustrated) for a practical photography workshop.
Dates 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 April / 22, 23, 29, 30 May / 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 June
Tickets £16.50
Location Caisson House, Combe Hay, Bath BA2 7EF
Web caissongardens.com
11 April, 9 May: A Garden of Incredible Insects with Erica McAlister, West Sussex
Join the Natural History Museum's principal curator and 'queen of the flies' Erica McAlister for a fascinating insect tour of the rewilded Walled Garden at Knepp. The two-hour tour will cover everything from honeybees and butterflies to the predators controlling aphids and – Erica’s speciality – flies. Leave with the knowledge to create better garden habitats for them to thrive.
Dates 11 April / 9 May, 10am
Tickets £75
Location The Apple Shed, near Knepp Castle, Off Pound Lane, RH13 8LJ
Web knepp.co.uk
3-26 April: Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival, Surrey
The tulip festival at Hampton Court Palace is known to be one of the biggest in the UK, and this year there will be 100,000 bulbs of all shapes and colours on display in the gardens.
Dates 3-26 April
Tickets Included in palace admission / free for members
Location Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU
Web hrp.org.uk
30 April: Andalusia Garden Symposium, PA, USA
Join this inspiring event to hear Gardens Illustrated editor Stephanie Mahon discuss the latest in horticulture and landscape design.
Dates 30 April, 8am-5pm
Tickets $307
Location Andalusia Historic House Gardens & Arboretum, Andalusia, PA, USA
Web andalusiapa.org
MAY 2026
May TBC: Arundel Castle Allium Extravaganza, West Sussex
Head to Arundel Castle in May (dates TBC and announced on Arundel Castle's website) to see thousands of alliums in full bloom. Spot the star-shaped, 1.5m-tall Globemaster, along with favourites like the white Mount Everest, and quirky varieties including Hair and Art.
Dates May TBC
Tickets Included in all Arundel Castle tickets
Location Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9AB
Web arundelcastle.org
2-3 May: Festival of Gardens and Nature, Co. Laois, Ireland
Hear from garden icons including Dan Pearson, Sarah Raven, Jimi Blake, James Hitchmough and Jo Thompson.
Dates 2-3 May
Tickets From €75
Location Ballintubbert Gardens & House, Stradbally, Co. Laois. R14 E954, Ireland
Web festivalofgardensandnature.com
9-17 May: The Great Garden Show at The Newt in Somerset
This inaugural show is an opportunity for non-members to explore The Newt’s impressive country estate.
Dates 9-17 May
Tickets Free for members / £25 for a day ticket
Location The Newt in Somerset, Bruton, Somerset BA7 7NG
Web thenewtinsomerset.com
9 May - 27 September: Henry Moore’s art at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst
Kew and Wakehurst will host the largest ever showcase of art from the 20th century artist Henry Moore, featuring 30 artworks across Kew's landscape and inside the Temperate House, as well as 90 works in Kew's Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art.
From 5 June, Wakehurst (Kew's wild botanic garden in Sussex) will open a parallel exhibition of four additional Moore sculptures, alongside new commissioned pieces from contemporary artists.
Dates 9 May-27 Sep 2026 (Kew) / 5 June-27 Sep (Wakehurst)
Tickets Included in ticket to Kew/Wakehurst / Universal Credit £1 / 16–29-year-olds £10
Location Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3AE / Wakehurst, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH17 6TN
Web kew.org / kew.org/wakehurst
18-24 May: Chelsea in Bloom, London
RHS Chelsea Flower Show isn't Chelsea's only flower festival. Last year, a record 1.5 million people came to the area to admire floral installations from over 130 participating businesses. This year, London’s largest free flower festival is launching under the theme of 'Out of this World' and highlights will include a Zodiac Constellation Circle at Sloane Square and UFO above Pavilion Road.
Timings 18-24 May
Tickets Free
Location Chelsea, London
Web kingsroad.co.uk
23-25 May: Manchester Flower Festival
Enjoy floral installations, talks and workshops across Manchester on the bank holiday weekend.
Timings 23-25 May
Tickets Free
Location Manchester city centre
Web visitmanchester.com
JUNE 2026
4 June: Drawing flowers and plants at Chatsworth, Derbyshire
Learn botanical drawing techniques in this relaxed, beginner-friendly workshop at the iconic Chatsworth. Drawing from observation, you'll work in both colour, and black and white, with the option to explore everything from pencils, pens and watercolour crayons to brushes.
Timings 10am-4pm
Tickets £100
Location Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1PP
Web chatsworth.org
SEPTEMBER 2026
17-19 September: Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival, Bristol
Following the success of Yeo Valley's first organic garden festival in 2025, it's back for September 2026. Expect gardening talks, panel discussions, workshops and plenty of shopping opportunities.
Timings 10am-5pm
Tickets Day tickets from £26.72 for adults / Combined tickets from £53.25
Location Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Holt Farm, Bath Road, Bristol BS40 7SQ
Web yvogardenfestival.co.uk
Dates and prices correct at time of publication. Please check details for each show prior to travelling.
