THE 25th Arley Garden Festival takes place in June – with thousands expected to converge over the weekend.

It takes place at Arley Hall near Appleton Thorn on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23.

Among the highlights will be the visit of Tom Stuart-Smith, who designed a garden at Windsor Castle to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. He will be giving a lecture on Saturday, June 22.

Once again there will be 15 specialist plant nurseries being judged in the floral marquee and a wide variety of plant nurseries on the show ground as well as garden tours throughout the day lead by Lord Ashbrook and Gordon Baillie, head gardener.

There will be garden accessories and Creative Crafts who will host a superb marquee, food traders include cheese, pies and pastries, ice cream, cakes, scotch eggs, cider, sweets and more. There will be a brass band playing in the afternoon in the east garden by the hall, an area not normally open to the public.

Pre-booked garden festival tickets can be bought online or by calling 01565 777 353 Ext 20 and are priced £11.50 for adults (pre-booked) or £16.50 on the gate.

Children are free.

It is extra for the Tom Stuart-Smith lecture.