Talented teams from across the West Midlands will share their stunning garden designs with more than 90,000 visitors at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham from 18-21 June.

From large-scale Show Gardens to compact Beautiful Borders, these local, green-fingered folk have a passion for plants and are packing their designs with take-home ideas and inspiration for real gardens.

This year’s headline Show Garden is The Garden of Evolution, a collaboration between biological anthropologist, writer and broadcaster, Professor Alice Roberts, academics from the University of Birmingham, and award-winning garden designer, Professor David Stevens, from Rugeley in Staffordshire. This evocative landscape will take visitors on a journey of discovery from the very beginnings of plant and animal life on earth to the present day.

The Garden of Evolution features a model of BIFoR FACE, the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment programme, one of the world’s largest climate change experiments exploring how forests respond to environmental change. Alice Roberts is Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham and will be discussing The Garden of Evolution in daily sessions at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre. Experts from the garden’s plant suppliers, Hillier, will be sharing advice on some of the plants featured.

In the Showcase Gardens category, Kings Norton railway enthusiast and volunteer Andrew Christie presents Trains in the Garden, supporting Greenfingers, the children’s hospice garden charity. This interactive garden will feature working steam trains. The garden is dedicated to the hundreds of volunteer gardeners that work to improve the look of railway stations, and will be raising funds for Greenfingers.

This year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live Beautiful Borders are packed with inspiration for small garden spaces, with nine West Midlands teams taking part. This year’s theme is ‘Once Upon a Time’ and these petite, plant-filled plots have stories to tell. From Hall Green, Birmingham, Grace Wyatt’s Border, 42 To be continued, celebrates the power of books and the outdoors to bring comfort and solace when life is too much. Richard Guy from Knowle in Solihull has created Once Upon a Time… in my grandad’s garden, there were hedgehogs, frogs and fuchsias hot and cold – a garden that pays tribute to precious family garden memories. Julia Marks and Denise Mallen from Friends of Wollescote Park, Stourbridge have designed Composition in the Park, a wildlife garden that celebrates the acclaimed but largely forgotten local composer and pianist, Dorothy Howell.

Representing Staffordshire, Uttoxeter-based Andrew Gliniecki’s Moments in Time is inspired by a love for plants that began in his grandparents’ garden, through horticultural college and now to his own garden. Level 3 Practical Horticulture students from South Staffs College in Penkridge have created Grow Them On, charting their journey from gardening at home to honing their skills at historic Rodbaston College.

Students from the History Research Group at Trinity Catholic School in Leamington Spa in Warwickshire return to BBC Gardeners’ World Live this year with Echoes of water, circles of time which explores the history of Leamington Spa, from medieval village to today’s diverse, vibrant town.

Robert Harris from Redditch in Worcestershire’s presents A Garden Out of Time, a place of childhood escape to an imaginary world of magical creatures. From Priestweston in Shropshire, Pippa Willcox and Emma Mayho’s The Healing Legend of Ethelbert tells the tale of 8th century child king Ethelbert whose burial site, it is said, became a place for miraculous healing. Fast forward to the modern day and it’s the site of Bishop’s Castle Community Hospital, saved from closure in 2023 after a campaign by the local community.

BBC Gardeners’ World Live is a haven for experienced and first-time gardeners alike, with a host of horticultural highlights. At the Floral Marquee, sponsored by L&G, visitors can enjoy spectacular displays by leading specialist nurseries, the International Orchid Show, and exciting new plants at the Hot Off the Potting Bench gallery. For plant knowledge or help, drop by the Plant Experts’ advice desk or catch a session at the Let’s Talk Plants Stage, sponsored by Hillier. Top gardening names will be signing books at the event’s new bookshop, Wool Pots’ will be hosting their eco-friendly Pot Swap, and there’s a Plant Creche. Shop for plants in the Floral Marquee, at the outdoor Plant Village and the Green Rooms Houseplant Studio.

Catch favourite gardening TV presenters and personalities at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre, sponsored by British Garden Centres, where Monty Don, Adam Frost, Frances Tophill, Nicki Chapman and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine’s Kevin Smith will be chatting all things summer gardening. Jonny Hincks (Garden with Jonny) and Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) will be joining the fun too.

Adam Frost’s Tasting Table returns with garden-inspired cooking demonstrations, tastings and entertaining conversations with guests including Si King, James Martin and Lisa Faulkner from sister event, Good Food Show Summer. BBQ fans will love the new outdoor cooking experience from the award-winning Smoke & Fire Festival, featuring a BBQ School, cooking demonstrations, an artisan market and the Eat.Heat.Retreat Garden. At the new QVC Outdoor Living Stage, expert guests will be sharing garden, food, design and style inspiration. Add talks and tours, extensive shopping, the Health for Life School Wheelbarrow Competition, new floral workshops, the BBC Introducing … at BBC Gardeners’ World Live showcase for local music talent, bandstand buskers, and children’s gardening activities, and it’s a great day out.

BBC Gardeners’ World Live tickets are on sale now at bbcgardenersworldlive.com and include entry to Good Food Show Summer, featuring celebrity chefs, demonstrations, theatres and workshops, with delicious food and drink to browse and buy.