After two days exploring the gardens and exhibitions, and hearing from growers and makers at ‘The Great Garden Show’ at The Newt in Somerset, Holly, our UK-based content coordinator, shares her highlights from the event.
Our recent visit to The Newt in Somerset for The Great Garden Show will leave a lasting impression – not just because of the beauty of the many garden spaces across the estate, but because of the ethos that underpins The Newt itself: a place alive with ideas, creativity and intentionality.
Over two days, our UK-based content coordinator, Holly, explored the gardens and exhibitions, tasted produce fresh from the kitchen garden, listened to growers, makers and horticulturalists. Even after two full days, it felt as though we had barely scratched the surface of everything happening there.
Here, Holly shares what she saw, loved and learned at The Great Garden Show at The Newt in Somerset…
Day one – Espalier, the kitchen garden, willow weaving & a garden-to-table lunch
Today we were invited to a media day, alongside some of the most renowned magazine titles and journalists throughout the UK.
Our flash tour was hosted by Andy “Apples” Lewis, Lead Fruit Grower at The Newt, whose passion for trained fruit trees and espalier was infectious. He spoke about the privilege of previously working alongside renowned French gardener Gilles Guillot, formerly of Prieuré Notre-Dame d’Orsan and how that mentorship shaped his own approach to fruit pruning and growing. The results of that education are visible throughout the gardens with carefully trained fruit trees woven into the landscape with precision.
We spent time exploring and tasting produce from the kitchen garden alongside gardener Ellie Dunn, learning more about the innovative composting systems and growing practices taking place behind the scenes at The Newt.
One of the most memorable conversations of the day was with the woodland team, where traditional craft practices are being preserved and passed on. We learned about willow weaving workshops hosted at The Newt by local artist Stefan Jennings, reviving a longstanding UK tradition now experiencing a renewed appreciation. The practice is both creatively fulfilling, and also reflects a broader commitment to sustainability and working closely with natural materials.
Lee, also a member of the woodland team, shared a wonderful story about attending a whittling workshop at The Newt simply to help fill numbers… only to leave inspired enough to begin carving a spoon a day. It was one of many moments that highlighted how creativity and curiosity are actively encouraged across The Newt.
Day one concluded with a garden-to-table, vegetable-led lunch inspired by the surrounding kitchen gardens.
Perhaps the most special takeaway from the day was the opportunity to connect with fellow gardeners, writers and journalists from across the UK. So many inspiring conversations, perspectives and shared passions gathered in one place.
Day two – The Colour Gardens, Gardener’s Cottage, The Story of Gardening exhibition & a talk by Milli Proust
On our second day, we attempted to cover as much ground as possible – though truthfully, you could spend days exploring here.
We wandered through the Colour Gardens, drifting between interconnected spaces divided by colour-themed borders – each one layered with carefully curated planting combinations.
In the green garden, Allium siculum sits alongside Tulipa ‘Spring Green’.
The red garden features tulip bulbs: Tulipa acuminata, Tulipa ‘Red Impression’, Tulipa ‘Showwinner,’ and Erysimum cheiri ‘Vulcan’ and Allium amethystinum ‘Red Mohican’.
Cooler hues unfold through the blue garden, where Tulipa ‘Bleu Aimable’, Tulipa ‘Silver Cloud’, Myosotis sylvatica ‘Bluesylva’ and Allium caeruleum create a wash of lilac and blue.
Meanwhile, the white garden holds a sense of calm, planted with Tulipa ‘Hakuun’, Scilla luciliae ‘Alba’, Erythronium californicum ‘White Beauty’ and delicate drifts of Myosotis alpestris ‘White’.
We revisited the Gardener’s Cottage, and discovered a beautiful drying room filled with flowers and suspended from timber beams.
From there, we ventured deeper into The Woodland to experience The Story of Gardening exhibition, an immersive space concealed amongst the grounds. The journey itself included passing deer sunbathing in the spring warmth within the Deer Park before weaving our way along The Viper – a dramatic elevated treetop walkway.
Inside the exhibition, horticultural history unfolds through a series of multi-sensory garden rooms and interactive installations designed to explore some of the world’s most iconic gardens. Visitors are invited to engage with soil, scent, botany and design in tactile, playful ways. We could have spent far longer there!
The day also included a talk from florist, seed grower and author Milli Proust, whose warmth and enthusiasm captivated the room. Speaking about her work growing and arranging cut flowers, as well as her new book How Does Your Garden Grow, she encouraged us to grow for beauty, grow from seed and never shy away from colour.
A culture of curiosity and autonomy
One aspect of The Newt that stood out repeatedly throughout our visit was the remarkable sense of autonomy given to gardeners and members of the wider horticultural team.
Across departments, individuals are encouraged to experiment, pursue ideas and shape their own spaces. That freedom to trial new methods and follow creative instincts seems deeply embedded within the culture of the estate and the results speak for themselves.
What felt equally refreshing was the absence of hierarchy so often associated with prestigious gardening institutions. Emerging horticulturalists were given the same platform at the show as established figures within the gardening world, with talks and demonstrations designed to inspire and pass knowledge on.
Many conversations we had throughout the event also turned toward climate and how gardens around the world are adapting to increasingly unpredictable conditions.
Speaking with members of the UK gardening press, we reflected on how British gardeners are beginning to look toward Southern Hemisphere planting for inspiration around drought and fire-tolerant species. And as climates continue to shift globally – including in New Zealand, where summers are becoming increasingly wet – this exchange of knowledge is becoming ever more reciprocal.
Events like The Great Garden Show create space for these conversations to happen: spaces where gardeners, growers and the public can learn from one another and establish meaningful connections across the world.
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After two days at The Newt in Somerset, one thing became clear: this is far more than just a garden to visit.
It’s a place where horticulture, food, craftsmanship, education, sustainability and storytelling intersect in inspiring ways. Whether you come for the gardens, the exhibitions, the food or the conversations, you are guaranteed to leave feeling creatively charged.
Many of our readers have told us that The Newt sits firmly on their travel bucket list – and after experiencing it for ourselves, we can confidently say it deserves a place there.
If the UK is on your travel itinerary, this is one garden destination not to miss.
Garden plant palettes
Cottage garden
- Tulipa ‘Slawa’
- Tulipa ‘Daydream’
- Tulipa ‘Ivory Floradale’
- Tulipa ‘Purple Prince’
- Tulipa ‘Salmon Prince’
- Tulipa ‘Kansas Proud’
- Tulipa ‘White Valley’
- Scilla siberica ‘Alba’
- Fritillaria meleagris ‘Alba’
- Narcissus ‘Salome’
- Narcissus bulbocodium ‘White Petticoat’
Colour gardens
Green
- Allium siculum
- Tulipa ‘Spring Green’
Red
- Tulipa acuminata
- Tulipa ‘Red Impression’
- Tulipa ‘Showwinner’
- Erysimum cheiri ‘Vulcan’
- Allium amethystinum ‘Red Mohican’
Blue
- Tulipa ‘Bleu Aimable’
- Tulipa ‘Silver Cloud’
- Myosotis sylvatica ‘Bluesylva’
- Allium caeruleum
White
- Tulipa ‘Hakuun’
- Scilla luciliae ‘Alba’
- Erythronium californicum ‘White Beauty’Myosotis alpestris ‘White’
