From the glamour of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to the laid-back charm of local plant fairs, hands-on horticultural workshops and behind-the-scenes garden tours, this is our ultimate guide to the very best gardening events coming up.
We update this list regularly, so be sure to bookmark the page and check back through the year to discover all the upcoming shows, exhibitions, festivals and more. Here's what you've got to look forward to...
Gardens Illustrated events and show guide 2026
On now
Until 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
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 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
Until 1 June: Dandelions Always Return: Earth Day 2026, London
Head to King's Cross to see this thought-provoking, woven art installation by Delphine Dénéréaz. It forms part of the area's Super Nature season; a series of events focusing on sustainability, community and wellbeing.
Dates Until 1 June
Tickets Free
Location 1 Granary Square, King's Cross, London N1C 4AB
Web kingscross.co.uk
Until 20 June: 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
Until 28 June: Framing Nature: Gardens and Imagination, Boston, USA
This exhibition centres the garden as a fertile place for human creativity and imaginative possibility. See artworks encompassing everything from wall-sized tapestries and intricately detailed Chinese scrolls to drawings, photographs, paintings and contemporary prints.
Timings 10am-5pm (Mon, Wed, Sat, Sun) / 10am-10pm (Thur, Fri)
Tickets $30 / free for members
Location Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Web mfa.org
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 6 September: Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today, Cambridge
Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro
This exhibition takes inspiration from the floral artworks displayed in Kettle’s Yard since its opening in 1957, and celebrates the resonance of flower paintings over the past 125 years. Visitors will see works by more than 40 artists, including Vanessa Bell, Cedric Morris and Henri Rousseau.
Timings Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm
Tickets Free
Location Kettle's Yard, University of Cambridge, Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQ
Web kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk
Until 12 September: Great Comp Garden tours, Kent
Tours of Great Comp Garden in Kent have previously been reserved for coach trips, but now they're available to individual visitors. One Saturday per month, visitors 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
Until 13 September: A Place that Whispers exhibition, Gloucestershire
This exhibition reimagines the iconic Cotswolds garden Hidcote as a fantastical place where photography, illustration and storytelling combine. Photographic artists Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low, who have collaborated since 1990, used a pioneering new sustainable and chemical-free printmaking technique in these folklore-inspired artworks, after discovering Hidcote during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Timings 10am-4pm
Tickets £22 / Free for National Trust members
Location Hidcote Bartrim, near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6LR
Web nationaltrust.org.uk
Until 27 September: Visit Trevince Estate, Cornwall
This family garden, designed and planted more than 200 years ago, is opening to the public this spring and summer. Join a guided tour of the estate with head gardener Colin Skelly at 2pm every Friday.
Timings Friday-Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10am-4pm
Tickets £10 per visit / £30 for the season
Location Trevince, Gwennap, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 6BA
Web trevince.co.uk
Until 1 November: A Season of Flowers, South Yorkshire
Admire floral displays and historic artefacts celebrating Brodsworth Hall’s 1930s owner Sylvia Grant-Dalton.
Timings 10am-5pm daily
Tickets From £13.10 / free for members
Location Brodsworth Hall, Doncaster DN5 7XJ
Web english-heritage.org.uk
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
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
1-4 May: ROSA Botanical Art Fair, West Sussex
Spend the May bank holiday weekend taking in or treating yourself to some art at the new ROSA botanical art fair. The event will be held in West Dean's 4,000-acre estate, and includes rare historic and 20th-century flora-inspired artworks.
Timings 10am-5pm daily
Tickets £13.75 + booking fee
Location West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ
Web rosamagazine.co.uk
1-23 May: Continuum exhibition, Oxford
Marking artist Sarah Spackman's 20th anniversary working with the Sarah Wiseman Gallery in Oxford, this exhibition features floral and food still life subjects from Spackman's garden, allotment and local markets.
Timings Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm
Tickets Free
Location 40-41 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JL
Web wisegal.com
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
2-17 May: Cookham Festival Sculpture Garden, Berkshire
Admire over 150 contemporary and traditional works by 30 talented sculptors in the beautiful grounds of the Odney Club's sculpture garden.
Timings 10am-5pm
Tickets £5
Location The Odney Club, Cookham, Berkshire SL6 9SR
Web cookhamsculpture.com
2 May-31 August: Raby Castle in Bloom, County Durham
From May to August, Raby Castle will be transformed with a series of floral installations, including designs by florist Anna Potter from Swallows and Damsons. See a suspended dried deschampsia grass orb in the entrance hall, and strings of dried flowers in Baron's Hall, while floral exhibits in other rooms take inspiration from Old Masters paintings displayed in the castle.
Timings 11am - 4pm
Tickets £23
Location Raby Castle, Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham DL2 3AH
Web raby.co.uk
7-10 May: RHS Malvern Spring Festival, Worcestershire
This four-day showcase of new horticultural trends and innovations will welcome special guests including Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh, as well as food royalty Mary Berry and Raymond Blanc.
Timings 9am-6pm
Tickets From £27
Location Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW
Web rhsmalvern.co.uk
9 May: Polyculture Workshop, Monmouthshire
Discover the world of polyculture growing; shunning neat rows of veg for intermingled, diverse plant communities. Led by Alys Fowler, this workshop shows how developing a polyculture can create a beautifully productive and resilient edible garden.
Timings 9:30am-4pm
Tickets £110
Location Nant-y-bedd Garden, Fforest Coal Pit, Abergavenny NP7 7LY
Web nantybedd.com
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.
Timings 10am-12pm
Tickets £75
Location The Apple Shed, near Knepp Castle, Off Pound Lane, RH13 8LJ
Web knepp.co.uk
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
16-17 May: Diverdeinverde, Bologna, Italy
Discover private gardens and parks across the Italian city of Bologna for the 12th Diverdeinverde festival.
Dates 16-17 May
Tickets €15
Location Bologna, Italy
Web diverdeinverde.fondazionevillaghigi.it
17 May: Ham Open Gardens, London
Explore more than 20 private gardens around Ham Common near Richmond, including traditional Georgian spaces, contemporary plots and cottage-style gardens. There will also be the chance to join a guided tour of the nearby historic St Andrew's churchyard, plus live jazz, homemade cakes, Pimms and a barbecue.
Timings 12-5pm
Tickets £12 in advance / £15 on the day
Location Ham Common, Upper Ham Rd, Richmond TW10 5LA
Web hamandpetersham.com
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.
Dates 18-24 May
Tickets Free
Location Chelsea, London
Web kingsroad.co.uk
19-23 May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London
Head to London this May for the world's most famous flower show. Get inspired by the many show gardens; discover growers, nurseries and floral art in the Great Pavilion; enjoy food and drink; and browse a variety of exhibitor stalls and stands across the showground.
Dates 19-23 May
Tickets From £96
Location Chelsea, London
Web rhs.org.uk
23-25 May: Manchester Flower Festival
Enjoy floral installations, talks and workshops across Manchester on the bank holiday weekend.
Dates 23-25 May
Tickets Free
Location Manchester city centre
Web visitmanchester.com
30 May-12 July: COMPOSTED: A Festival of Resilient Systems, Fife/Essex
With the aim of making composting more accessible, this festival of live demonstrations, guest lectures, workshops and community events returns for 2026. Discover the secrets of soil science, no-dig gardening and bokashi composting, and learn how to build habitats and create leaf mould. With self-guided trails around garden displays and the chance to ask questions at a compost clinic, visitors will leave with innovative ideas to use at home.
Dates Gardens open 30 May-12 July, with key events 7 June-4 July
Tickets From £54.88
Location Cambo Gardens, Kingsbarns, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8QD /
Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens, Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Colchester CO7 7DB
Web eventbrite.com
JUNE 2026
2 June: Garden photography workshop with Jason Ingram, Devon
Jason Ingram, whose images are often featured in the pages of Gardens Illustrated, is leading this in-depth garden photography masterclass. Before the photography class, enjoy an inspirational talk, followed by a tour of Hotel Endsleigh's gardens, complete with formal lawns, follies, grottoes, waterfalls and champion trees.
Timings 10am-4pm
Tickets £195 including coffee and two-course lunch with wine
Location Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon PL19 0PQ
Web thepolizzicollection.com
2 June-20 September: Benton End: A Paradise of Pollen and Paint, London
Gainsborough’s House and Douglas Atfield
Photographs, belongings and artworks reveal Benton End’s impact on artists and gardeners, including owner Cedric Morris and gardener Beth Chatto.
Dates Open daily
Tickets £16
Location Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB
Web gardenmuseum.org.uk
3-6 June: Chichester Cathedral’s Festival of Flowers, West Sussex
Chichester Cathedral’s Festival of Flowers returns, marking its 30th anniversary and transforming the 950-year-old building with over 60 floral installations crafted from 50,000 blooms. This year, ticket holders can also browse a plant market and enjoy food and drink in the Cloisters Kitchen and Garden.
Timings 3-6 June, 9:30am-5pm
Tickets £21 online, £25 on the door
Location Chichester Cathedral, West Street, Chichester PO19 1PX
Web chichestercathedral.org.uk
3 June-2 August: Creating Spaces exhibition, Gloucestershire
See more than 100 works of contemporary sculpture across one of the Cotswolds' most beautiful private estates. There will also be smaller works in the Miserden Club Room.
Dates 3 June - 2 August, Wednesday-Sunday, 10am–5pm
Tickets £12
Location The Garden at Miserden, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 7JA
Web miserden.org
3 June-17 September: Perennial's Exclusive Garden Tours, UK
Support the Perennial charity and visit 14 of the UK’s most exciting private gardens, including the Nursemaids’ Tunnel in Regent’s Park, Biddulph Old Hall (Staffordshire) and Caisson Gardens (Somerset).
Dates Various dates between 3 June and 17 September
Tickets From £125
Location Various locations across the UK
Web perennial.org.uk
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
6-7 June: London Open Gardens
London Open Gardens is back, with over 100 private gardens across 12 boroughs. Explore favourites like Inner and Middle Temple, Hyde Park Square and The Charterhouse Courtyard Gardens, as well as the striking Battersea Roof Gardens with views of the iconic Power Station. New openings for 2026 include community gardens in Tower Hamlets, The Floating Garden on a barge in Kings Cross and a shaft-top garden at The Brunel Museum.
Timings 10am-4pm
Tickets Weekend tickets cost £26.15
Location Across London
Web londongardenstrust.org
7 June: Sway Open Gardens, Hampshire
In aid of Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington, this biennial event opens up 18 beautiful village gardens of different shapes and sizes across Sway, in the heart of the New Forest National Park.
Timings 11am-5pm
Tickets £8 in advance / £10 on the day
Location Across Sway, Hampshire
Web oakhavenhospice.co.uk
12-20 June: Henny Tate exhibition, Wiltshire
Planting designer and artist Henny Tate is presenting a showcase and sale of her prints and paper-based works shaped by plants, organic processes and the natural world at MADE in the Pewsey Vale.
Dates 12-20 June
Tickets Free
Location 25 High Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5AF
Web madeinthepewseyvale.com
13-14 June: Exbury Gardens Wellbeing Festival, Hampshire
Exbury Gardens are hosting their first Wellbeing Festival, marking the 25th anniversary of its steam railway. Enjoy free drop-in sessions and try Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Forest Bathing and breathwork, or create Kokedama; Japanese-inspired, moss-wrapped plant balls.
Timings From 10am
Tickets Free with garden entry
Location Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 1AZ
Web exbury.co.uk
15-21 June: British Flowers Week, UK
Led by the trade association Flowers from the Farm, British Flowers Week unites growers, wholesalers and retailers to run a series of fabulous floral events, including pop-ups, window displays, farm tours, collaborations and sustainable floristry workshops. Use the link to find events near you.
Dates 15-21 June
Tickets Various
Location Various
Web flowersfromthefarm.co.uk
From 24 June: Sweet Pea Season at Easton Walled Gardens, Lincolnshire
Discover over 40 varieties of sweet pea grown in the Walled Gardens, and buy your own seed in the shop. In the gardens, you'll find everything from scented, heritage and antique varieties to modern sweet peas and new trials.
Timings Wednesday-Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10am-4pm
Tickets £13
Location Easton Walled Gardens, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG33 5AP
Web visiteaston.co.uk
26-27 June: Garden Museum Literary Festival, Derbyshire
Join two days of inspiring conversation with garden designers and makers including Alan Titchmarsh, Arabella Lennox-Boyd, Rupert Everett, Mary Keen, Dan Pearson and Tom Stuart-Smith.
Timings TBC
Tickets From £80
Location Melbourne Hall, Church Square, Melbourne, Derby DE73 8EN
Web gardenmuseum.org.uk
JULY 2026
8-12 July: RHS Badminton Flower Show, South Gloucestershire
RHS Badminton Flower Show is one of two new events announced by the RHS this year. Highlights include The Archers 75th Anniversary Garden designed by Jo Thompson, and a selection of Artisan Gardens, celebrating heritage crafts and skills such as dry-stone walling.
Timings 8-11 July 10am-6pm / 12 July 10am-5:30pm
Tickets From £30.31
Location Badminton, South Gloucestershire GL9 1DD
Web rhs.org.uk
22-26 July: RHS Sandringham Flower Show, Norfolk
RHS Sandringham Flower Show (22-26 July) will be the first RHS event hosted at a royal residence. HM The King will unveil his own feature garden, designed in collaboration with Catherine MacDonald, and select winners for two new awards.
Timings 22-25 July 10am-6pm / 26 July 10am-5pm
Tickets From £33.85
Location Sandringham Estate, Norfolk PE35 6AB
Web rhs.org.uk
25 July: Garden Meadows Workshop, Monmouthshire
Interested in learning more about creating and caring for a garden meadow? This workshop covers everything from caring for long grass to cultivating wildflowers, and it's led by gardeners Jo McKerr and Sue Mabberley.
Timings 9:30am-4pm
Tickets £110
Location Nant-y-bedd Garden, Fforest Coal Pit, Abergavenny NP7 7LY
Web nantybedd.com
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
Last updated 23 April 2026. Dates and prices correct at time of publication. Please check details for each event prior to travelling.
