As part of our Food Drink Devon collab, Barny Butterfield, the apple tree and cider champ-founder of Sandford Orchards (Cider done Right) is joining us at the Festival on Friday 2 May. For someone with such a vast knowledge of cider, he’s a remarkable raconteur! Not only that he’s very busy – mapping and preserving …
Due to popular demand we’ve expanded our bespoke willow weaving course run by award-winning artist Jo Sadler. Fest goers can now book for both Friday 2nd or Saturday 3rd of May for 2hr30 minute session of willow creation inside Powderham Castle. We’ve also teamed up with other craft and gardening experts for our brand-new programme …
In a first for Toby’s Garden Festival, visitors will have access to legal advice on a whole range of garden and land issues in 2025. We’ve teamed up with local legal eagles, WBW Solicitors, our festival sponsors and well-established legal and financial services firm who will be on hand with knowledgable experts who can help. …
New year, new member of the Toby GardenFest gang! Say hello to Lisa Lipman our clever new creative guru, who’s joined our small and very (very) hands-on team to bring fresh ideas and oodles of enthusiasm to the 2025 festival at Powderham Castle. Lisa has been directing and producing TV programmes for the last 30 years …
Fancy learning a new skill in 2025? We’ve teamed up with some of our favourite local craft and gardening experts to launch a brand-new programme of Craft Workshops at the Festival. Taking place both days, and with very limited tickets, there are five workshops to choose from, including botanical art, willow weaving, fermenting, floristry and …
Fun fact! Did you know that dry stone walling has again this year topped the popularity lists when it comes to interest in rural crafts? We are delighted to bring this ancient craft to Toby’s Garden Festival for the first time in the form of demonstrations and workshops on both days at Powderham. Interest in this …
Fest host Toby Buckland, famous for his self-styled ‘non-award-winning BBC radio show’ has scooped the top honour of Gardening Columnist of the Year 2024 from the Garden Media Guild at their prestigious awards bash, at London’s Savoy Hotel. The award-winning column appears each fortnight in Amateur Gardening Magazine and was chosen for its entertainment, sound …
Brainchild of Paul Jupp from Meadow in My Garden and soil health Guru Eddie Bailey from the RhizoPhyllia School of Gardening, the Lab is a focus for all gardeners keen to look after Nature and the soil. Each day of the Fest the knowledgeable duo are running free hands-on workshops, showing how to choose the …
Scything, the ancient art of grass, crop and weed cutting using a long curving blade, is very much in fashion in gardens these days. Considered to be better than strimmers for the lawn, silent so not annoying the neighbours, the art of scything is coming to Toby’s Garden Fest at Powderham Castle for the first …
Friends of the Fest and pond, lake and water feature wizards DU Waterscapes scooped two top awards at the Aquascapes Pondomonium trade show from a field of 1500 international entrants in Chicago. Head Honcho Dan Upsher won ‘Conservationist of the Year’ for his work creating and educating others about enhancing biodiversity in our gardens, …
