If you love hostas or would like to know more about them, then there’s a real treat for you at Toby’s Garden Festival when first time exhibitor Somerset specialist grower Mike Hopkins will have a selection of his 226 varieties of the popular plant on sale, and will also be sharing his growing tips in the Country Gardener Marquee.

Mike runs his specialist hosta nursery, Mike’s Hostas, from Taunton where he now has 5,500 hostas for sale.

“We love hostas, ” says Mike. “I think they provide gardeners with something special when it comes to texture, shape, forms and colour. There is such a variety from the big plants two metres across to the delicate small varieties.“

Mike started selling the plants on Ebay and began with just 26 varieties and then with help and advice from a couple of gardening mentors decided to expand and last year began taking the plants to shows across the country- and getting a wonderful response.

He is looking forward to Powderham and says, ” When people see them they just fall in love with them – a bit like we did”.

Buy tickets to Toby’s Garden Festival on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 April