The cream of BBC gardening is heading to Toby’s Garden Festival at Powderham Castle, near Exeter in April 2018. The two-day event, hosted by BBC Radio Devon presenter Toby Buckland welcomes Rachel de Thame, presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World since 1999 and allotment doctor, Terry Walton, from BBC Radio Two’s Jeremy Vine Show.

Rachel, whose design projects include the floral decorations for the Royal Barge which conveyed HM The Queen during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012, tops the speakers’ bill on Friday 27th April while organic gardener and author Terry has been allotment-growing for more than fifty years and will be sharing his knowledge of growing fruit and veg on Saturday 28th April.

Toby says: “We’ve got all the bases covered for our fifth year – the fabulous Rachel with her passion for flowers, and hands-on Terry with his love of home-grown allotment growing. Both are great friends of mine and brilliant, entertaining speakers.”

Other highlights include ‘Sow, Grow & Cook, a new programme of workshops in the Castle’s stunning deer park, plus family entertainment such as archery, tree climbing with Teign Trees, a circus-skills workshop and Kid’s Camp where children can learn more about the outdoors.

Early bird tickets, family and VIP are on sale from 1st December