Expect plenty of flower power at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival, Thursday May 10 - Sunday May 13
Brilliant blooms will take centre stage to mark the start of the growing season at RHS Malvern Spring Festival.
This year there are more award-winning specialist nurseries than ever before, as well as 10 stunning show gardens overflowing with fabulous flowers.
2018 sees the biggest ever Floral Marquee play host to over 70 specialist nurseries, housing almost a million blooms. Visitors to the show will get the very first chance to buy newly introduced varieties as well as old favourites, with nine newcomers to the floral marquee this year.
There’ll be plenty of well known faces too with Festival favourite, Chelsea garden designer and BBC presenter, James Alexander-Sinclair, hosting a lively line up in the Festival Theatre, supported by Great Little Breaks, including the Godfather of Gardening, Alan Titchmarsh and Queen of our hearts, Carol Klein.
Alongside the fantastic florals and perfect plants, visitors can expect a feast of a culinary nature too. The Festival of Food will play host to MasterChef judge John Torode and chef Valentine Warner, hosted by festival favourite, Mark Diacono.
Great Pavilion of art and flowers
For the first time ever RHS Malvern is celebrating the way the natural world has inspired artists throughout the centuries, and it’s doing it in style.
In a space bursting with 2,600sqm of exquisite flowers and beautiful works of art, the Pavilion will wow visitors with the stunning spectacle of a flying Morgan Aero car, suspended from the roof, dressed magnificently with British cut flowers carefully crafted by floral designer Jonathan Moseley.
Talented florists will craft amazing displays, along with 150 exhibits of incredible floral art, surrounding an elegant 1919 cocktail lounge hosted by Cottage in the Wood, serving up signature cocktails and a mouth watering sampling menu.
There’ll be a bijou floral theatre with inspiring daily talks and demos on the art of flower arranging featuring Jonathan Moseley and Nick Grounds. Visitors will also get an exclusive insight into the craftsmanship behind Royal Worcester with a wide range of talks and speciality pieces on show.
Floral Marquee
Long sold out and with a waiting list of nurseries wanting to get involved, the enormously popular Floral Marquee will be filled with more specialist nurseries than ever before and packed with larger award-winning colourful displays. Here visitors can browse and buy from the very best.
Master Grower, Avon Bulbs will take centre stage this year, with a show-stopping display transporting the beauty of the Somerset countryside to Malvern. They’ll show-off the amazing diversity of exuberant colour, shape and texture of their spring bulbs as well as shining a spotlight on the incredible variety of the Camassia family.
Plant Arcades
Venture outside to the popular Plant Arcades and 35 nurseries will be flaunting their flowers and parading their perennials ready for visitors to purchase. As the first major RHS show of the year RHS Malvern Spring Festival offers plant lovers the earliest opportunity to stock up for the new growing season. From Pansies to Pelargoniums or from Hostas to Heleniums there is something for everyone.
There is also plenty of advice available on how to remain blooming marvelous, whether it’s top tips from the RHS plant clinic to specialist guidance from our horticultural experts, no problem will remain unsolved.
Giant terraniums
Three magnificent seven-metre terrarium showstoppers, from internationally acclaimed landscape designer Paul Hervey-Brookes, promise to make truly spectacular focal points at the festival.
Showcasing the tropical charm of a Palm tree, the delicate beauty of an Olive tree and colourful Pomegranate these incredible glass towers dotted around the festival will wow visitors with their extraordinary creativity.
Live well
Built around a special garden designed last year by RHS Ambassador Jekka McVicar, this peaceful and relaxing area will feature the world’s first ever knitted full size garden, the ‘Work of Heart Garden’ that highlights the life-changing support of Sue Ryder, a Mandala feature for St Michael’s Hospice and a showcase from Well Bean Gardening Club that shares the benefits of gardening.
There’ll also be the chance to unwind in one of the chillout treatment tents with soothing taster sessions of Indian head massage, reflexology, back, neck and shoulder massage as well as Ayurvedic facials.
Grow to show
This marquee gives keen gardeners and photographers the chance to shine in competitive classes. A new section will specialise in creative design of plants and containers.
RHS Malvern Spring Festival takes place from Thursday, May 10 until Sunday, May 13. Tickets are now on sale. Free entry for children under the age of 16 is available throughout the festival. For more information on ticket prices, please call 0844 811 0050 (calls cost 7p per minute plus network extras) or visit www.rhsmalvern.co.uk.
