May, 2026 Media Release New England Garden Festival 2026

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Celebrities Hannah Moloney and Jerry Coleby-Williams to headline this year’s New England Garden Festival

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GARDENING celebrities Hannah Moloney and Jerry Coleby-Williams will headline this year’s New England Garden Festival.

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It is the first time the festival will be hosted by two celebrities, reflecting its growing success since beginning in 2023.

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Coleby-Williams and Moloney will be encouraging gardeners to thumb their noses at the current drought and plant up a crucial oasis around their homes.

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The pair, co-hosts of ABC-TV’s Gardening Australia, will be on hand to conduct workshops, offer advice on cool climate and dry gardens, answer questions from fellow gardeners, and tour a New England garden to offer one-on-one advice.

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“One of the areas I will be talking about is watering plants with grey water during a drought,” Coleby-Williams said.

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“The type of detergent you use really makes a difference to the health of the plant and the soil.

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“Some plants can be easily harmed by common brands of detergent, and one of my workshops will be talking about the best ways of using recycled water on your garden during drought.”

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Moloney will be talking about how to grow fruit and vegetables during the climate emergency.

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“Whether you’re getting started with a pot or growing a plot, I want to show visitors at the festival how to hone their gardening skills to grow good, fresh vegetables throughout the year,” Moloney said.

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She will also be talking about her latest book Why We Garden and be available to sign copies.

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This year’s New England Garden Festival will be held on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, at Armidale Racecourse in Barney Street, Armidale.

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Run by volunteers, the non-profit annual event attracts up to 4000 visitors across the two days.

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Other features include:

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* Up to 100 stallholders plying wares from sculptures to secateurs;

* Horticultural workshops catering for enthusiasts from 11 to 100;

* Food vendors offering tasty treats, including intercultural specialties and locally grown produce;

* Local performers to keep families entertained.

Garden tours are also on the agenda, depending on the drought.

Festival Acting President Marie Colless said she wanted people to plan early to ensure they would be able to chat with Moloney and/or Coleby-Williams on a one-on-one basis at the festival.

“It is a huge coup for our region to have two highly experienced, popular gardening gurus as special guests at our festival,” Marie said. “The committee was keen for Hannah to travel from Tasmania to talk about cool-climate gardening, while Jerry an internationally experienced curator and sustainable horticulturist who has long gardened in cool and hot climates and has been a familiar voice on ABC talkback radio gardening in the New England region, North Coast and Qld for more than 15 years.

All money raised from the festival will go towards supporting local charities.

More information will be provided on the Festival Program that will be released in September.