Many fresh features this year…
Beaulieu tells us:
(All words and photographs from Beaulieu).
Packed with creative planting ideas, beautiful displays, hands-on workshops and engaging talks, the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair is a must-visit from 2-4 May 2025. Beginners and seasoned gardeners alike will be spoiled for choice with interactive activities, stunning show gardens, shopping, live music and a food and drink market.
A star-studded line-up is set to attend the show, offering their expert advice and practical tips on the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage. Returning to the stage are BBC Gardeners’ World presenters Adam Frost on Friday and Arit Anderson on Saturday, while Carol Klein makes her Spring Fair debut on both Saturday and Sunday.
This year, an informal In Conversation With drop-in stage will be located at the heart of the Spring Fair. Gardening experts will join Adam Kirtland, host of View From The Potting Bench podcast, for lively chats about all things gardening and everyday life.
Garden inspiration will be in plentiful supply this Spring Fair, as headline sponsor Hillier invites visitors to explore their woodland-themed garden design. All plants featured in the display will be available to purchase from the Hillier Shop, and visitors can also receive one-to-one expert advice from the Hillier team at their plant advice stands.
Beautiful Borders delivers plenty of inspiring ideas to make the most out of garden spaces, no matter how small. Each year’s display follows a new theme, and this year’s focus is ‘cultivating connections’, highlighting how garden spaces can foster meaningful bonds of all types. While the showstopping Showcase Gardens displayed around the event are impossible to resist, transporting visitors to a variety of serene outdoor spaces.
Showgoers wanting to enhance their visit have a number of exciting extras to choose from. Engaging workshops such as Spring Floristry and a Mushroom Growing Masterclass with the Caley Brothers offer participants the chance to get hands-on and learn a new skill. Both regular visitors to Beaulieu and first-timers will love learning about the vibrant gardens in special Plant Expert Tours. Visitors can explore the Kitchen or Ornamental Garden in detail, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
NEW for 2025, The Spring Table offers small group sessions where visitors can drop in to watch and pick up a new skill. These nature-inspired activities will include Ikebana flower arranging with The Bearded Botanist, Jordan Weston, and Pickled Mushroom Antipasti with the Caley Brothers.
For a premium experience, showgoers can upgrade their weekend with VIP Extra. This special package includes access to the VIP Lounge with additional daily talks, a variety of refreshments, a goody bag and a dedicated parking area. Book Workshops, Plant Expert Tours, Spring Table and VIP Extra in advance to avoid disappointment (Spring Fair ticket also required).
With so many excellent shopping opportunities it’s difficult to leave the Spring Fair empty handed. A variety of plant nurseries and exhibitors will showcase their high-quality plants, gardening tools and accessories, while the Good Food Market will bring the flavour of spring with a tasty selection of artisan food and drink. For those wishing the take a break from the excitement, a tempting selection of street food will be on offer as well as plenty of seating to relax and enjoy some laid-back live music at the bandstand.
Spring Fair ticket holders can also explore the entire Beaulieu attraction as part of their visit. This includes the renowned National Motor Museum, featuring its latest exhibition, Streets Ahead. The exhibit takes visitors on a journey through a 1950s to 1970s street scene. Palace House, the ancestral home to the Montagu family, is another highlight of the attraction. This year, a series of newly refurbished, themed rooms will be open to the public for the first time. Showgoers can also explore the 13th-century Abbey ruins, ride the iconic Monorail, uncover Beaulieu’s wartime history at the Secret Army Exhibition and take a moment to relax in the Brabazon Restaurant, meanwhile, kids love the Little Beaulieuadventure play area.
Find out more and book your tickets at https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/bbc-gardeners-world-fair-spring/.