CBBC Newsround presenter and allotmenteer De-Graft Mensah, and garden designer Lucy Chamberlain, are creating a collection of eye-catching, edible Borders for this year's BBC Gardeners' World events. The designs are inspired by the BBC Gardeners' World Make a Metre Matter campaign, which has seen gardeners pledge more than 15,500 planet-friendly metres. These pledges support the UK's 30by30 target to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
BBC Gardeners' World events are fertile ground for new ideas, with 2026 set to be a bumper year for garden inspiration. The flagship BBC Gardeners' World Live will feature sensational summer show gardens, the Floral Marquee and thousands of plants, including brand new varieties. The Spring and Autumn Fairs offer great days out in heritage locations, combining seasonal gardening advice, hands-on workshops, lifestyle shopping and a relaxed festival atmosphere. Great food and drink are a given at every event.
Spring starts
The first event in the BBC Gardeners' World live calendar for 2026 is the BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair. This vibrant celebration of spring gardening takes place at Beaulieu in the New Forest, Hampshire, from 1–3 May 2026. The Spring Fair features a wide range of horticultural highlights, with tickets also giving full access to Beaulieu's extensive grounds, gardens and attractions, including Palace House and the National Motor Museum.
© BBC Gardeners' World
Headline event sponsor Hillier tops the bill with four inspiring back garden designs: a family garden, an urban garden, a container garden and a cottage garden. The Hillier Experience includes one-to-one plant advice, a plant and accessories shop, and expert talks, plus daily plant sessions at the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Stage and Subscriber Lounge.
Further highlights at the Spring Fair include Showcase Gardens, Beautiful Borders and specialist nurseries selling top-quality plants. Student teams from Capel Manor, Coastland (formerly Weymouth and Kingston Maurward) and Merrist Wood Colleges will compete in the College Gardens competition. Mentored by award-winning garden designer Cherry Carmen, the teams will create imaginative gardens inspired by the theme 'Reimagined Traditions'.
BBC Gardeners' World presenters Adam Frost (Friday), Frances Tophill (Saturday), and Ashley Edwards and Sue Kent (both Sunday) will appear on stage alongside David Hurrion and the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine editors. They will share expert advice for the spring gardening season. Visitors can also enjoy wreath-making and bug hotel workshops, garden tours led by Plant Experts, quality garden and lifestyle shopping, and vintage games for families. Ade Sellars will host 'plot-to-plate' conversations at the In Conversation Stage, with guests including Good Food editor and chef Barney Desmazery.
Food and drink writer and broadcaster Andy Clarke will host the Spring Table, sponsored by Regent Seven Sea Cruises. Daily tasting sessions will feature Beaulieu winery, B58 and New Forest distillers 820 Spirits (ticketed). The Good Food Market will offer street food, live music and a wide choice of food and drink.
Tickets are available at www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine subscribers and Hillier Garden Club members receive discounted tickets and exclusive access to the Club Lounge. Parking is free, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in outdoor areas.
Summer spectacular
In June, more than 90,000 gardeners are expected to attend BBC Gardeners' World Live at the NEC Birmingham from 18–21 June. The event brings together fabulous flora, foliage and well-known gardening personalities to celebrate summer gardening.
Dozens of award-winning designers and landscapers, first-time creators, schools, charities and organisations will showcase their work. From large Show Gardens to smaller Beautiful Borders, planted wheelbarrows and trolleys, there is inspiration at every turn. The Beautiful Borders competition will explore storytelling through plants, based on the theme 'Once Upon a Time'.
The Association of Professional Landscapers returns to celebrate ten years of APL Avenue at BBC Gardeners' World Live. APL member companies will design and build outdoor living spaces that highlight professional landscaping skills, creative material use and attention to detail. The APL Design Clinic will offer visitors practical garden planning advice.
At the BBC Gardeners' World Live Theatre, sponsored by British Garden Centres, Nicki Chapman and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Content Director Kevin Smith will welcome Monty Don, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill for seasonal gardening chat and advice. The theatre will offer a more intimate experience this year, with unallocated seating and tickets priced at £5, or free for British Garden Centres sessions.
© BBC Gardeners' World
De-Graft Mensah will also appear, sharing his enthusiasm for edible plants and discussing his role as a schools ambassador for Make a Meal Matter. In a new development for the Make a Metre Matter campaign, local schoolchildren will plant and grow ingredients for their favourite meals in one-metre wheelbarrows. The 2025 campaign saw gardeners commit to more than 15,500 nature-friendly metres across the UK.
Adam Frost returns to host the BBC Gardeners' World Live Tasting Table, featuring live cooking demonstrations and summer food inspiration from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine and Good Food. New for 2026 is the QVC Outdoor Living Stage, offering alfresco lifestyle ideas, including cooking demonstrations with Ninja and scent and candlelight tips with Neom.
The Floral Marquee, sponsored by L&G, remains a major draw, with displays from leading nurseries and growers, the International Orchid Show and the Hot Off the Potting Bench gallery of new plants. These displays include contenders for the Peter Seabrook Award for Best New Plant. New highlights include floral bouquet workshops (ticketed), a dedicated Book Shop with author signings, H.W. Hyde and Son's centenary display, and Caley Brothers' immersive mushroom showcase. Visitors can also attend talks at the Let's Talk Plants Stage, sponsored by Hillier, and seek advice at the Plant Experts' desk. Wool Pots will return with their Pot Swap initiative, following the swap of more than 8,500 plastic pots for wool alternatives last year.
Additional attractions include floristry and garden craft workshops, guided walks, indoor gardening inspiration at the Green Rooms houseplant space, and the Artisan Collective Market. BBQ fans can visit the new Smoke & Fire pop-up, featuring a cookery school, talks, shopping and family activities. In collaboration with BBC Introducing…, the event will also showcase daily live music from local talent.
Tickets include entry to the Good Food Show Summer, with kitchen demonstrations, tastings and food shopping. Tickets are available at www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com, including VIP and two-day options. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine subscribers receive discounted tickets and access to the Subscriber Lounge for themselves and up to three friends.
Autumn at Audley End
September brings the BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair to Audley End House and Gardens in Saffron Walden, Essex, from 11–13 September. The event features seasonal inspiration through Showcase Gardens, Beautiful Borders and floral displays rich in autumn colour and texture. The Autumn Table will host harvest-themed food and drink workshops.
At the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Stage, presenters Frances Tophill (Friday), Adam Frost (Saturday), and Ashley Edwards and Sue Kent (Sunday), along with the Magazine team, will share practical advice for the months ahead.
© BBC Gardeners' World
New for 2026, the Association of Professional Landscapers will highlight emerging landscaping talent with a Showcase Garden supported by apprentices from three local member companies. Visitors can also seek planning advice at the APL Design Clinic. Additional features include Plant Expert tours of the organic Kitchen Gardens, dried flower wreath workshops, extensive plant and garden shopping, a street food village, live music and the Good Food Market.
Tickets go on sale in spring 2026 at www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com and include access to Audley End House, gardens and grounds. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine subscribers and English Heritage members receive ticket discounts, with subscribers also enjoying access to the Autumn Fair Club Lounge. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in outdoor areas.
Lucy Tremlett, Event Director at Immediate Live, organisers of BBC Gardeners' World events, said: "You can't beat the experience of seeing wonderful plants, gardens and experts up close and in person. We're thrilled to have De-Graft Mensah joining us to co-create our Make a Metre Matter Border collection, and his passion for edible plants is sure to shine through. There are exciting new highlights at all three events this year, alongside favourite features like show gardens, Borders, workshops, talks and tours. Whatever your level of gardening experience, there is always so much to see, learn and take home from BBC Gardeners' World events."
For more information:
BBC Gardeners World
bbcgardenersworldlive.com/
