At Toby’s Garden Festival 2026, visitors can enjoy a range of hands-on workshops designed to inspire creativity and help you learn new skills to take home to your garden or craft table. Whether you’d like to try traditional willow weaving, create a miniature plant landscape, or explore the delicate art of paper folding, our expert-led sessions offer something for everyone. Spaces are limited for each workshop, so early booking is recommended.
Willow Weaving with Jo Sadler
Willow Workshop tickets are now on sale and we’re delighted to welcome back the brilliant Jo Sadler. Jo will be running hands-on willow weaving sessions throughout the festival, with courses available each morning and afternoon on Friday and Saturday. Participants can choose to create either a charming willow bee or a wise willow owl—both perfect handmade additions to bring character and texture to your garden.
Origami with Caroline Preston
You can also discover the ancient art of origami, transforming a flat square of paper into elegant sculptures through careful folding and shaping techniques. These special two-hour workshops are led by Caroline Preston, who trained in Japan and has been teaching origami for more than 20 years. Caroline will introduce the core skills of paper folding and cutting, beginning with simple designs before moving on to broader crafting techniques. By the end of the session, you’ll have your own creations to take home, along with the knowledge to continue developing your origami skills.
Terrarium Workshop with Hutch Houseplants
Back by popular demand, our Terrarium Workshop is hosted by Devon’s leading houseplant experts, Hutch Houseplants. In this relaxed one-hour session, you’ll create your own beautiful succulent landscape in a glass jar using specially prepared kits. Rob and Frankie, who run the much-loved Hutch Houseplants shop in Exeter city centre, will guide you step-by-step before you take home your finished terrarium—a striking display piece that requires very little upkeep. It’s a wonderfully creative and mindful experience to enjoy as part of your festival visit.
