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What’s on ?

Two jam-packed days of inspiration for gardeners, that’s what! 

  • 150+ exhibitors selling award-winning British-grown plants, sculpture, garden gear, arts & craft
  • A free programme of garden and foodie talks, demos and workshops in three talks theatres
  • Live music from local bands both days 
  • Demonstrations of endangered heritage crafts, including stave basket and brush making
  • Artisan Barn packed with local art, craft, ceramics, textiles, glassware & jewellery 
  • Feast Street – Tasty curated street food and pop-up bars from around the West Country 
  • Land train and miniature steam engine rides
  • Vintage tractor display 
  • Tree climbing displays and arboricultural advice
  • Floristry talks and a chance to make your own free floral crown 
  • VIP Experience and Tea in the Castle

New for 2023

  • Free Wickhams Wine tasting in the Castle Dining Hall
  • Food Drink Devon members showing local food and drink  in the Castle Courtyard
  • Stone balancing displays from Adrian Gray
  • BBC Gardener’s World presenter & designer, Joe Swift, talks with Toby on Friday 28 April 2023
  • Daily Telegraph wine guru Susy Atkins and Otter Farm’s Mark Diacono to host food & drink talks and demos in Castle Courtyard both days
  • New British/Devon-made tool range launch from Mr Fox’s Garden on Friday 28 April at 1pm
  • Book signings & talks from gardening authors Adam Alexander, Sally Morgan and Ben Raskin

Food Drink Devon showcase 

We’re delighted to introduce our new festival-within-a-festival for 2023: The Food & Drink Market, created in collaboration with Food Drink Devon.

Showcasing the best of Devon produce, the new market aims to be a magnet for visitors who love to buy and eat local and will be located in Powderham Castle’s fabulous historic courtyard, right next to the Castle and VIP area.

To add to the fun, the market will be supported with a free two-day programme of talks and tastings, hosted by Daily Telegraph wine guru and Devon local, Susy Atkins and food writer, Mark Diacono of Otter Farm.

Wine tasting with Wickhams

Join us for our new-for-2023 Wine Tasting with festival sponsor, Wickhams, where festival visitors will have the chance to meet the makers, chat to growers, buy wine and enjoy free tastings from Devon, the West Country and beyond.

Owned by Dan Farrell-Wright, Wickhams is a Devon-based award-winning online wine merchant who curates a wide range of excellent wine from around the globe, as well as hosting online and in-person wine tasting events.

Awards include ‘Specialist Merchant of the Year England’ at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), winner of Decanter’s Specialist English Wine Merchant, as well as making finalist in Online Retailer of the Year. They’re also a Gold Award winner of the Feefo Trusted Service Award. 

Wickhams are also the sole importer of the Italian Prosecco which we’re serving to our VIP ticket holders, along with a curated range of their white and red wines.

British-made tool launch

It’s not every day that new British-made garden tools come along so
we’re honoured that James and Catherine of award-winning Mr Fox’s Garden
have chosen Toby’s Garden Festival 2023 as the place to launch their
shiny-new tool range. 

The new unique tool set is inspired by trees of the British woodland and has been shortlisted as a Finalist for Chelsea Flowershow product of the year 2023.

James and Catherine design and craft handmade steel plant supports,
garden art/decor, sculptures and custom made designs at their forge in
Torquay, and now they’re ‘Making art (that) Works’.

For the last few years, James has been prototyping garden hand tools and
they are now ready for their grand unveiling at 1pm on Friday 28
April at Toby’s Garden Festival at Powderham Castle.

See BBC’s Joe Swift on Friday

This handsome chap is our celeb garden speaker for Friday 28 April 2023. Between planting and design projects and filming for BBC Gardener’s World he’s a very busy guy so we’re thrilled to have tempted Joe Swift back to join us to talk at the festival at Powderham Castle, near Exeter, in the spring. 

He’ll be on stage in the main speaker marquee with festival host, Toby, at 11am and again at 2pm.

Stone balancing displays

Adrian Gray is the pioneer of stonebalancing art – the gravity-defying practice of balancing stones one on top of the other to create garden sculptures. 

The stones he uses range in size from small tactile rocks to massive granite boulders, and Adrian will be talking about his inspiration and the process of  weathering the stone, lifting them by crane into their ‘balance point’ and fixing the sculpture in its new location.

Don’t miss the chance to see Adrian balancing and displaying some of his fascinating work at the Festival on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 April at Powderham Castle.

Be crowned at the fest!

Want to make your own flower crown to wear at the festival? Head to the Artisan Barn where the talented florists of Devon’s British Academy of Floral Art will be on hand with fresh flowers and crown-making gear to help you get crowned at the festival. Beat the King to it by a whole week!