Events and shows 2019

Garden shows and festivals are a great source of inspiration for both planting and design. Here’s our pick of the best events and festivals taking place this year, both in the UK and abroad.

Update your diary with horticultural happenings for the year ahead

APRIL

6-7 April Great Dixter Spring Plant Fair, UK Specialist nurseries and seasonal plants. 11am-4pm. Admission with garden entry ticket £10.45. Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex TN31 6PH. Tel 01797 254048, greatdixter.co.uk

8-10 April RHS Spring Launch and Orchid Show, UK The first RHS show of the year, incorporating the RHS Orchid Show. 10am-5pm. From £5 (RHS members free). RHS Lawrence Hall, Westminster, London SW1P 2QD. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

12-14 April RHS Cardiff Flower Show, UK Regional nurseries and show gardens. 10am-5.30pm. From £11. Bute Park, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff CF10 1BJ. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

12-14 April Fête des Plantes de Printemps, Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard, France Unusual plants from Europe’s finest nurseries. 10am-6pm. From €14. Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard, Rue de Château, 91940 Saint-Jean de Beauregard. Tel +33 (0)1 60 12 00 01, chateaudesaintjeandebeauregard.com

25-28 April Harrogate Spring Flower Show, UK Celebrating spring planting. 9.30am-5.30pm. From £17. Regional Agricultural Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 8NZ. Tel 01423 546157, flowershow.org.uk

27 April – October Radicepura Garden Festival, Sicily Six-month international event dedicated to Mediterannean garden design. Botanica Srl, Strada 17, N19, Franzione di San Leonardello 95014 Giarre, Catania, Sicily. Tel +39 095 964154, radicepurafestival.com

MAY

3-4 May Toby’s Garden Festival, UK Toby Buckland’s festival includes quality plants and talks from BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Joe Swift and Frances Tophill. 10am-5pm. From £8.50. Powderham Castle, Kenton, nr Exeter EX6 8JQ. Tel 07561 261615, tobygardenfest.co.uk

9-12 May RHS Malvern Spring Flower Show, UK Show gardens and plants. 9am-6pm. From £19. Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcester WR13 6NW. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

10-12 May Beervelde Garden Days, Belgium Plants and artisan craft items. 10am-6pm. From €10. Beervelde Parc, Beervelde-Dorp 75, 9080 Beervelde. Tel +32 (0)9 356 81 82, parkvanbeervelde.be

17-19 May Les Journées des Plantes, France France’s premier garden event. 10am-6pm. From €17. Domaine de Chantilly, 7 Rue du Connétable, 60500 Chantilly. Tel +33 (0)344 27 31 80, domainedechantilly.com

21-25 May RHS Chelsea Flower Show, UK The UK’s leading horticultural show, featuring gardens from leading designers. 8am-8pm. From £30. London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3 4SR. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

JUNE

30 May – 3 June Bloom, Ireland Ireland’s largest garden festival, with show gardens from top designers. 9am-6pm. From €13. Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland. Tel +353 1 295 8181, bloominthepark.com

31 May – 2 June Gardening Scotland, UK Garden inspiration and Scottish nurseries. 10am-5pm. From £11.60. Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB. Tel 0131 333 0965, gardeningscotland.com

5-9 June RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, UK The latest addition to the RHS annual show circuit. 10am-6.30pm. From £27.50. Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1PP. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

14-16 June Bingerden International Specialist Nursery Days, the Netherlands Quality European nurseries. 10am-6pm. From €12. Huis Bingerden, Bingerdenseweg 21, 6986 CE Angerlo, the Netherlands. Tel +31 (0)313 48 42 38, bingerden.com

21-23 June Blenheim Palace Flower Show, UK Floral displays and garden inspiration. 10am-5pm. From £12. Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1PP. Tel 01702 549623, blenheimflowershow.co.uk

21-23 June RHS Harlow Carr Flower Show, UK Plant sales and sundries. Admission with garden ticket entry £10.35. RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG31 1QB. Tel 01423 565418, rhs.org.uk

22-23 June Woburn Abbey Garden Show, UK Award-winning nurseries, talks and gardening advice. Now in its tenth year. 10am-6pm. From £14. Woburn Abbey and Gardens, Bedfordshire MK17 9WA. Tel 01525 290333, woburnabbey.co.uk

JULY

1-7 July RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, UK Show gardens, plants and workshops. 10am-7.30pm (see website for Friday and Sunday opening times). From £28. Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

17-21 July RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, UK A platform for new talent, plus plants and show gardens. 10am-6.30pm (5pm, Sunday). From £23.50. Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6QN. Tel 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk

AUGUST

31 July – 4 August RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, UK Specialist nurseries and gardening sundries. 10am-5pm. Admission with garden entry ticket £10.35. RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8RA. Tel 01245 402019, rhs.org.uk

16-18 August RHS Rosemoor Flower Show, UK Regional nurseries and planting inspiration. 10am-6pm. Admission with garden entry ticket £10.35. RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX28 8PH. Tel 01805 624067, rhs.org.uk

SEPTEMBER

3-8 September RHS Wisley Flower Show, UK Floral displays including the National Dahlia Society Annual Show. 9am-6pm. Admission with garden entry ticket, £13.05. RHS Garden Wisley, Woking Surrey GU23 6QB. Tel 01483 224234, rhs.org.uk

27-29 September Fête des Plantes d’Automne, Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard, France Seasonal plants from Europe’s finest nurseries. 10am-6pm. From €14. Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard, Rue de Château, 91940 Saint-Jean de Beauregard, France. Tel +33 (0)1 60 12 00 01, chateaudesaintjeandebeauregard.com

28-29 September Malvern Autumn Show, UK Autumn planting and seasonal vegetables. 9am-6pm. From £17. Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW. Tel 0844 811 0050, malvernautumn.co.uk

OCTOBER

4-6 October Orticolario, Italy Garden festival on the shores of Lake Como. From €12. Villa Erba Gardens, Largo Luchino Visconti 4, 22012 Cernobbio, Italy. Tel +39 031 3347503, orticolario.it

5-6 October Great Dixter Autumn Fair, UK Seasonal plants and international nurseries. 11am-4pm. Admission with garden entry ticket £10.45. Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex TN31 6PH. Tel 01797 254048, greatdixter.co.uk