RHS Malvern Spring Festival, the first major RHS show of the year, returns to Three Counties Showground, Malvern from 8 – 11 May 2025, with a four-day horticultural extravaganza, including a big focus on cutting-edge, accessible and sustainable indoor gardening.
The theme for this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival, ‘Plants & People’,invites both new and returning visitors to explore the myriad of ways in which plants impact our lives – from the food we eat and the air we breathe, to the fascinating impact they have on our mental and physical wellbeing, and the easy ways we can incorporate them into our lives to enjoy their benefits.
Indoor gardening is a key area of focus at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival, and the Festival of Houseplants, in collaboration with Green Rooms Market, will be back after its successful debut last year, offering the opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in a treasure trove of indoor plants and discover how easily accessible, affordable, enjoyable, sustainable and beneficial they can be.
A major new feature at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival is the introduction of the very first RHS-judged Indoor Plant Gardens, held in the Festival of Houseplants, that will recognise ways in which plants can bring beauty, joy and health benefits even when outdoor green spaces are not available. This brand-new feature, never before seen at Malvern, leads the way in recognising the versatility of indoor plants and the accessible and affordable ways we can incorporate them into our lives. The eight Indoor Plant Gardens will be scrutinised by a panel of RHS judges to crown the very first RHS medal-winning Indoor Plant Gardens.
Indoor Plant Garden highlights include ‘Neo Flora’ by Megan Warren-Davis of Forest Interior and John Tallis of Outdoor Living Gardens, which seeks to highlight the rising levels of anxiety and depression amongst teenagers by creating an urban space that reflects this mental state and incorporates houseplants for their calming, positive and wellbeing influences. Dibleys Nurseries of Llanelidan in North Wales will show visitors that, whatever type of indoor space you have, you can bring nature in and enjoy the beauty and benefits of houseplants with their design ‘Dibley’s Modern Garden Room: Engaging Colour and Texture’. Jonny Balchandani (TheBeardedPlantaholic) and Mo Bhula (The Botanical Archive) will collaborate to create ‘The Sensory Sanctuary’ – inspired by tropical jungles and the restorative power of sensory engagement, this indoor plant garden demonstrates how indoor gardening can foster mindfulness, relaxation, and a deeper connection to nature. ‘Contemporary Living | A Modern Retreat’ by Botanical Interior Design of Nottinghamshire, inspired by a post-pandemic need for mental health sanctuaries, encourages visitors to slow down, breathe deeply and immerse themselves in the restorative power of indoor nature, fostering a sense of calm and well-being in the midst of an often-chaotic urban life.
In addition to hosting the Indoor Plant Gardens, the Festival of Houseplants, in collaboration with Green Rooms Market, will feature over 50 traders, top-quality independent house plant shops, growers, and innovative botanical designer-makers, offering visitors access to premium and diverse products. From sought-after specimen plants to beautiful pots, self-watering planters, peat-free growing mediums and grow lights, there is something for everyone. There will also be creative workshops hosted by industry experts, vibrant botanical displays, and engaging learning experiences.
Highlights from the Festival of Houseplants Theatre include helpful tips and practical advice for introducing greenery into small spaces with indoor gardening experts Ben Newell, Claire Lowrie & Grow Tropicals on Friday 9th May. YouTube content creator Memo C (@houseplantygoodness) will help visitors learn how to decode their houseplants’ signals, from yellowing leaves and wilting to slow growth, on both Friday 9th and Saturday 10th May. On Thursday 8th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May, Tessa Cobley of Ladybird Plant Care will discuss plant pest identification and share tips on how best to manage them sustainably with biological pest control. On Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th, Indoor Plant Garden designers Jonny Balchandani (The Bearded Plantaholic)and Mo Bhula (The Botanical Archive) will inspire visitors on how to create their very own indoor jungle at home.
Visitors looking to get hands-on can choose from creative workshops led by industry experts, including how to make a sustainable macrame plant hanger with Hot Pink Hangers (£25 per person, booked via https://hotpinkhangers.com/products/macrame-workshop), a step-by-step guide on how to create your own living wall art with Memo from Houseplanty Goodness (£35 per person, booked via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mounted-plant-workshop-create-your-own-living-wall-art-tickets-1257178106559?aff=oddtdtcreator) and a cacti and succulent pot-a-long with Hayley from Mint Plants (£30 per person, booking via https://mintplants.co.uk/pages/events).
Cacti and succulents will form the focal point of The Plant Rescuer, Sarah Gerrard-Jones’s spectacular 12 foot long, turquoise-framed, Victorian style greenhouse, on display in the Festival of Houseplants. This immersive exhibition will be created in collaboration with Ottershaw Cacti, showcasing extraordinary specimens cultivated by Daniel Jackson, whose passion for succulents spans over 45 years and has earned him more than 30 RHS Gold Medals.
Of course, visitors to the show will also be able to explore the extensive outdoor elements of RHS Malvern Spring Festival, including eight spectacular RHS-judged Show Gardens, two exciting and immersive feature gardens, inspirational school gardens, abundant shopping opportunities in the Plant Village and Pavilions, as well as the spectacular Floral Marquee, home to over 60 of the UK’s leading nurseries, including this year’s RHS Master Grower, Hare Spring Cottage Plants. Based in the South Hams area of South Devon, Hare Spring Cottage Plants holds the national collection of the spring-flowering bulbous perennial, Camassias, which produces spikes of starry blooms and look beautiful in swathes. Headed by Yorkshire-born Stella Exley, Hare Spring Cottage Plants also has National Collections of Sidalcea and Uvularia.
All this, as well as a packed programme of lively talks, interactive demonstrations and expert advice from some of the most respected names in horticulture, including Alan Titchmarsh CBE and BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Rachel de Thame, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill. Plus, the Kitchen Garden Theatre will make a sizzling return with live cooking demos from talented chefs – including ITV This Morning’s Marcus Bean, and excellent local food producers, in addition to a fascinating talk from culinary icon, Raymond Blanc OBE.
Tickets for RHS Malvern Spring Festival are on sale now (starting from £16 for a taster ticket, and under 16s free) and can be booked now via https://rhsmalvern.co.uk/
Photo credit Mikal Ludlow
Source Rachel Thompson, encore PR
