BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair

This much-loved autumn gardening event comes to Audley End House & Gardens, Essex, from 30 August to 1 September 2024. At the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, the autumn gardening season is celebrated in all its glory with a jam-packed programme featuring gardening experts, Gardeners’ World presenters and, of course, a lively audience of gardening enthusiasts sharing in a joined passion for everything gardening.
Sponsored by Regents Seven Seas Cruises, gardening advice will be in abundance at the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage, hosted by the editors of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. With daily talks from the editors who’ll be joined by special guests each day. The stage offers practical tips, topical advice, and the ultimate growing guide to get the best out of your garden this autumn.

At the Showcase Gardens, marvel at the way that imagination and creativity can transform your outdoor space. It’s an unbeatable way to get ideas for your own garden – taking inspiration from these examples of wonderful design and planting.

Expect a hands-on workshop programme, including classes on growing your own delicious oyster mushrooms – an iconic autumn ingredient – and autumn garden bouquet workshops where floral expert Kim O’Brien will take you through the creation of a stunning bouquet of garden-grown stems, which you can take home to adorn your abode with.

Take a Plant Expert tour through the Audley End Organic Kitchen Gardens, with plenty of opportunities to ask our resident Plant Experts about all things gardening. Experts will include Lucy Chamberlain, Saul Walker, and Tamsin Westhorpe, joined by members of the English Heritage Gardens team. Make sure to book alongside your admission ticket!

Subscribers to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine can enjoy exclusive access to the Subscriber Club Lounge, including perks like daily talks between Magazine editors and special guests; talks from the Lounge’s sponsor, the Woodland Trust; special tea and coffee options; and additional seating areas in certain features which are not accessible to non-Subscribers.

Finally, all visitors can enjoy a day exploring the spacious, grand grounds of one of English Heritage’s finest country estates, Audley End House and Gardens. Whether it’s exploring the servants’ wing, state rooms, stables, kitchen garden or beautiful grounds, there’s plenty to discover, to see what life was like at a Victorian country house. Visitors to the Autumn Fair have the chance to drop in on a Capability Brown Tour, to meet Audley End’s gardeners, and enjoy the beautifully restored Parterre Gardens; and with the house’s impressive great hall, magnificent state apartments, intimate dressing rooms and 18th-century gothic-style chapel, visitors are spoilt for choice. That’s not to mention fun activities for the children, including a play area, and the horses in the stable yard. Four-legged friends on leads are welcome in the outside areas of the Fair.