Festival Theme

Gardening for Change

This year will be the 37th RHS Malvern Spring Festival and the theme is ‘Gardening for Change’, celebrating evolution in the world of horticulture and embracing the positive impact this has on planting, people, and wellbeing.

The 2024 Festival seeks to inspire a new wave of green-fingered individuals, equip visitors with knowledge of resilient gardening techniques, and celebrate gardening and community initiatives.

New features will promote the growth of houseplants, incorporate interactive demonstration, thematic zones and immersive feature gardens as well as give insights into planting for the future.

All while spreading the message of the benefits to wellbeing that gardening inherently brings, underlining its vital role in fostering positive change in our lives and the world.

Giant Welly

This year, the Giant Welly has been decorated by local artist, Amanda Steer with a climate and biodiversity focused design, to complement this year’s Festival theme of ‘Gardening for Change’.

The Giant Welly is on a tour of garden centres across the three counties to promote RHS Malvern, and will end this as the Floral Marquee centre piece at the showground. You’ll find it nestled under a downpour of beautiful blooms suspended from the rafters, created by design supremo Jonathan Moseley.

About the Artist

Amanda Steer is a Gloucestershire-based illustrator and printmaker who believes a deeper connection to a place’s physical and cultural values can be gained through walking, talking, observing and drawing. The artist’s process involves exploring a subject through visual journaling before composing interpretations inspired by stories, artefacts, inhabitants, flora and fauna, creating an emotive response to information, to encourage others to engage and connect. You’ll find her on Instagram @asamandadraws 

About the Design

The design depicts planting that reflects our rapidly changing climate. One side of the Giant Welly reflects the need to adapt to wet planting and one side for dry planting, attracting pollinators across both sides, highlighting the importance of working with nature.