I just saw my first bumblebee of the year feeding on the citrus-scented blooms of our winter honeysuckle. Chances are the thin sunshine encouraged her to wake from hibernation and topped with sugar she’ll be on the lookout for a new nesting site, amongst the roots of a tree or even under our shed. The …
In anticipation of the Garden Fest this spring I’ve invented a genius new word, says Toby. pLotential. adjective. 1 the possibility of something happening or being developed in a garden or outdoor space in the future 2. noun. The inherent or imagined opportunities of a garden, as in ‘Only someone with their face mask over …
If a single silver lining has shone out during the Covid-cancellations and disruption, it’s that our love for gardening has grown. Gardens and the wildlife they nurture have offered a counterpoint to the challenges faced over the garden fence and for so many have become fundamentally important. We’ve always supported growers, local food-producers, makers and …
Due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, we are sorry that we have had to cancel our re-scheduled Garden Festival in July 2020. The next Toby’s Garden Festival will be on the first spring bank holiday of the year, at Powderham Castle on Friday 30th April and Saturday 1st May 2021. Everyone who has bought a …
We’re sad to announce that due to continued measures to combat the spread of coronavirus the re-scheduled July event has been cancelled. The annual festival, originally planned for May, and then rescheduled to July, will now take place on Friday 30th April and Saturday 1st May 2021. Festival host Toby Buckland said: “Naturally we are …
Toby’s Garden Fest has been postponed to July 17th and 18th when we hope we can join in a celebration of summer gardening at Powderham Castle. In the meantime but you can still buy great value, high quality plants directly from many specialist nurseries and growers online. The specialist nurseries who have always dazzled us …
Hello all, It probably won’t come as a surprise we’ve taken the decision to postpone the festival due to the coronavirus pandemic. The new dates for your diary are Friday 17 and Saturday 18 July 2020 at Powderham Castle as usual. So, a summer festival for a change and at a time when we sincerely …
COMPETITION TIME! The Sharpham team is challenging you to use your love of cheese and knowledge of botanicals to come up with a delicious new flavour combination for Sharpham Rustic… to win some fantastic prizes! Rustic Original and Rustic with Chives & Garlic have been favourites for many years, but it’s time for a …
Single-use plastic, something most of us are doing our best to avoid or recycle, is a huge bane for gardeners. Due to the oversized nature of bulky plastic like plant pots, and the cost to haul it to processing plants in the North of England, a big proportion ends up in landfill. Few councils recycle …
The theme for Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival 2020 will be ‘Wild & Wonderful’ – with talks and demonstrations highlighting how gardeners can work with nature to promote wildflowers, plant trees to reduce carbon emissions, and plastic-and-peat-free gardening. The festival returning to Powderham Castle in the village Kenton near Exeter for the first spring Bank Holiday of the year on …
