SOAK up a two-day celebration of all things cosy and autumnal with Toby Buckland’s Harvest Festival at Forde Abbey, near Chard this weekend.

There’s hygge aplenty with a jam-making demo from Lillie O’Brien of London Borough of Jam, and flower-arranging with Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers in a dahlia-festooned Demo Tipi, while in Forde’s wood-scented Great Hall, gardening acolytes including Guardian gardening writer Alys Fowler, Gardeners’ Question Time panellist Matt Biggs and actor John Challis will be sharing their love of gardening and growing crops.

For families, there’s a gypsy caravan-sized apple press and a Kids’ Zone hosted by Skinny Jean Gardener Lee Connelly of Blue Peter fame, where budding Percy Throwers can learn to hydrate plants the fun way using a water pistol.

More than 150 exhibitors will be selling their wares across Forde Abbey’s stunning lawns and flowerbeds, meaning if you’re after some local cider or honey, or seasonal colour and garden sculpture to brighten your borders you won’t go away disappointed.

Other highlights include a chance to meet the maker of the iconic M5 Willow Man, Serena de la Hey, a Parterre Perfume Pop-Up showing how scent is distilled from plants and for tree-huggers, Sunday sees Alex Metcalf of telly’s My Passion for Trees, plug into Forde Abbey’s giant cedar with his sensitive microphones so you can hear the heartbeat of a tree.

Advance tickets cost £10, children and family tickets available, from www.tobygardenfest.co.uk.