GAZING out of the window at his clifftop design studio overlooking Mounts Bay, there’s a high chance garden designer Mark Holman might get distracted from the job in hand. “It’s gorgeous,” he says, “but at the risk of sounding like a spoilt brat, sometimes it’s too lovely – I can be in the middle of a client call, and spot a pod of dolphins.”

A Cornishman born and raised in Boscastle, horticulturist Mark built his business - The Palace Gardener - in London, working on award-winning gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and restoration projects at Chelsea Physic Gardens.

He returned to his beloved homeland six years ago. “I love Cornwall – it has been very generous to me, and made me what I am today,” he says, proudly. “We are very lucky to have such an inspirational environment here. It makes you feel like anything is possible, and I’m up for celebrating that.”

So when he was asked a few years ago to head up the Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show, which takes place at the Royal Cornwall Showground on the weekend of March 28 and 29, the answer was an unequivocal “yes”.

“I was asked to make the show more attractive to a wider demographic, appealing to new and established horticulturists of all ages, from traditionalists exhibiting in the flower tent to families looking for an immersive experience” he recalls. “There’s enough for a day trip or a whole weekend – it’s a bit like a relaxed music festival, really.”

You might recognise Mark from Channel 5’s Great British Garden Design Challenge, which is perhaps why he charts the image of gardening through different TV programmes. “Horticulture has a reputation of being for the older generation, or those nerdy enough to watch Gardeners’ World on a Friday night rather than going out for a few beers,” he laughs.

“In the noughties, we went to the other extreme, with an influx of programmes that made gardening look really easy – like you only needed a bit of bark chip and Charlie Dimmock. That gives people the wrong impression of how to garden.

“I think we’re now in the sweet spot where people are able to receive the information about how to create a lovely garden in a way that doesn’t feel elitist or exclusive, along with the benefits of being in nature and the importance of making decisions in a sustainable way.”

That brings us onto this year’s show theme of “regeneration” – something Mark holds very close to his heart. “I’m a keen environmentalist - my practice talks about how nature can make us feel better, heal us, and the tools of my trade are art and the landscape,” he explains.

“We’re all aware of what’s going on in the world at the moment. I’m trying to create a show that not only supports people to create beautiful spaces, but also makes them feel a bit better about it all.”

The far west has had its own share of healing to do so far this year, after named storms inflicted widespread damage across the Duchy. “Goretti in particular was terrible. I can see St Michael’s Mount from my studio - it has lost vast patches of tree cover. That’s hundreds of years of cultivation, disappeared overnight.

“I chose the theme of regeneration to reflect those challenges. We need to respond to climate change, learn to understand what works best and make careful choices with plants. The way through is connecting with nature – a plant’s nature is to thrive, and we can learn from that resilience.”

As a result of the poor weather, the competitive classes aren’t quite as busy as in previous years, but Mark promises stunning exhibits from camellias to shrubs and pot plants. “There are hundreds of different varieties grown under glass and in conservatories – things you won’t see anywhere else in the world. We welcome visitors to bring their plants along for identification – it’s not just for lords and ladies of grand estates, but for anyone who has something they think looks cool.”

The Eden Project marks its 25th anniversary year by tasking second-year apprentices to work on the Sustainability Hub, demonstrating the role gardeners can play in restoring soils, supporting biodiversity and building more resilient landscapes. Look out for family activities, from exploring the tiny details of plants under microscopes to sowing sunflower seeds.

Eden has also curated a programme of talks featuring leading voices in horticulture. These include “guerrilla gardener” Tayshan Hayden-Smith, who since the Grenfell Tower fire has promoted gardening as a tool for collective healing, and campaigned for equitable access to green space.

Cornwall’s first horticultural society was established in 1832 to showcase the Duchy’s fruit, flowers and vegetables, at a time when plant hunters returned from world travels with exotic species that did well in Cornwall’s mild climate. “Cornwall is the first place in the country where spring actually happens,” says Mark. “We have always been the first to get magnolias, camellias, daffodils.”

The tradition of celebrating Cornwall’s horticultural heritage with annual spring flower shows dates from 1897, while the Cornwall Garden Society as we know it today was formed in 1958. “People refer to the show as ‘the Chelsea of the West because it’s every bit as grand, and people from Chelsea come to judge and build the show gardens,” says Mark.

“To make it happen, we rely on hundreds of volunteers. Cornwall Garden Society is a charity, and its work includes raising funds to award bursaries in education and research. It’s a job of passion - for the people of Cornwall, by the people of Cornwall.

“Horticulturally, I think we’re the most important county in the country. I’ve been around the world looking at flower shows, and I think we do the best and we should be proud of that.”

The Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show 2026 will take place at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday, March 28 (10am to 5pm) and Sunday, March 29 (10am to 4pm). Advance tickets from £12 for non-members. Under 16s free. www.cornwallgardensociety.org.uk