Toby’s Garden Festival Announces 2026 Dates

Returning to Powderham Castle on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May 2026 (10am–5pm), Toby’s Garden Festival promises two inspiring days of gardening, education, food, fun and hands-on activities. This year’s theme, Discovery, sets the tone for a festival brimming with new experiences, expert insights and interactive talks and workshops.

Leading the festival line-up and joining Toby are two of the UK’s most recognisable gardening voices, Arit Anderson, BBC Two Gardeners’ World presenter and lead presenter of BBC One’s Chelsea Flower Show coverage, and Chris Hull, star of BBC One’s Garden Rescue.

Arit will share her vision behind ‘Parkinson’s UK: A Garden for Every Parkinson’s Journey’ and explore her passion for trees, inspired by her new book The Essential Tree Selection Guide, co-written with Henrik Sjöman. Chris will offer a behind-the-scenes look at his design process, TV stories and the making of his RHS Chelsea Gold Medal-winning garden. Across the weekend, festival founder and broadcaster Toby Buckland will present practical tips on creating a garden “good enough to eat,” focusing on flavour-packed flowers, vegetables and food-for-free that everyone can grow.

With over 200 gardening and craft exhibitors, there truly is something for everyone.  A festival first, visitors can bring soil samples from home to the new Seed & Soil Lab, where experts from Meadow in My Garden and Rhyzophyllia will analyse samples under microscopes and recommend ideal plants available from nurseries at the festival.

Gardeners seeking inspiration will discover more than 30 specialist nurseries offering everything from cutting-edge houseplants to roses, climbers, alpines, cottage-garden favourites, edibles and trees. Growers will be on hand to share expert advice, with the Amateur Gardening Clinic providing personalised guidance throughout the weekend.

The Devon Rural Skills Trust marquee will host demonstrations by craftspeople including hedge layers, dry-stone wallers, thatchers, scythers and basket makers, with opportunities for visitors to have a go. The festival’s expanding Pocket Meadow Project also returns and the new Makers Marquee will offer a practical blueprint for anyone looking to start a wildlife-friendly community meadow of their own.

Celebrating the best of South West food and drink, Food Drink Devon’s market in the Castle Courtyard will feature over 20 local producers. Feast Street returns with a vibrant selection of street food and pop-up bars where visitors can unwind beside the lake and enjoy live music from talented Devon musicians. A new Talks Theatre, located in the Castle Dining Room, will host tastings, demos and inspiring sessions from leading West Country food and drink producers.

The Mini Woofstock Dog Show makes its debut, giving four-legged friends their own moment in the spotlight at K9 Corner on Lakeside. Hosted by the Woofstock team, the area includes sandpits, paddling pools and fun competitions such as Best Bad Fur Day, Golden Oldie, Waggiest Tail and Best Rescue.

Other festival highlights include street theatre, live music from local artists and a charming fleet of classic vintage cars lining the castle’s main drive.  The popular Artisan Barn also returns, showcasing local artists, crafts, ceramics, textiles, glassware and jewellery.

For a truly memorable visit, guests can upgrade to the VIP Experience (£100 per person), which includes festival entry plus all-day access to Powderham Castle’s breathtaking 14th-century library and music room, morning tea, coffee and biscuits, canapés and a light buffet lunch, afternoon tea, a glass of fizz and a VIP gift bag.

Early bird tickets are on sale now at £16.50 per person, with under-16s free (except for Tea & Cake in the Castle and VIP tickets). Tea and Cake in the Castle tickets are £35.00 per person. All tickets are available atwww.tobygardenfest.co.uk.

For the full programme and the latest festival updates, visit tobygardenfest.co.uk or follow @tobygardenfest on Instagram, Facebook and X.