Alan Titchmarsh MBE among RHS Malvern Spring Festival highlights

The four-day seasonal showcase of new horticultural trends and innovations will run from 8th - 11th May 2025, with the theme ‘Plants & People’. Television presenter, gardener and writer, Alan Tichmarsh MBE, is the first famous name to be added to the line-up.

This theme invites groups to explore the many ways in which plants impact our lives – from the food we eat and the air we breathe, to the impact they have on our mental and physical wellbeing.

Visitors can listen to insightful talks from horticultural experts on subjects including sustainable gardening, accessible plant care and ways to incorporate plants into your everyday life.

Cultivation to consumption and soil to plate are topics that will also be explored by horticultural experts and complemented by foodie workshops and talks from TV and restaurant chefs, sharing ideas of ways to cook with home-grown ingredients.

More highlights to look out for

A returning favourite will be the ground-breaking show gardens. Each garden will be designed by leading and emerging horticultural talents, and scrutinised by the RHS judges for the very first, coveted gold medal prize of the year.

Additionally, the organising team have revealed that this year’s festival will host the very first RHS judged iIndoor show gardens. This new feature leads the way in recognising the versatility of plants and ways we can incorporate them into our lives, even when outdoor green space may not be available.

These indoor show gardens are said to showcase creative ways of using indoor plants, encouraging visitors to consider the various ways horticulture can be enjoyed indoors.

Jane Edwards, head of shows & marketing at Three Counties Showground, said: “We’re really excited to host this new category of RHS judged indoor show gardens at Malvern next year. Located in the dedicated festival of houseplants area, these indoor show gardens aim to demonstrate that plants are accessible to all and everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits of them, even when planting in outdoor green space isn’t an option.

“They will also show that houseplants can be a reliable way to enjoy horticulture year-round and, unlike outdoor planting, it’s not weather-dependent. Horticulture faces many challenges resulting from the changing climate, such as drought and flooding – topics we are seeing explored in our outdoor show gardens – so incorporating indoor gardening and plant care into our lives means we can enjoy the benefits of horticulture all year round.”