Published: 30 January 2026
Springfest 26 at Holker Hall & Gardens is a celebration of outdoor living in all its forms — from gardens and landscape to the ways people design, use and enjoy outdoor spaces. The event brings together a range of voices, ideas and expertise, and among the expert speakers appearing this year is James Alexander-Sinclair, one of the most respected and recognisable figures in British horticulture.
James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and speaker whose career spans more than three decades. He began his working life as a landscape contractor in London before moving to the English countryside in the early 1990s, a shift that helped shape his practical, experience-led approach to gardens and landscape. Since then, he has designed private and public gardens across the UK, and occasionally overseas, working at many different scales and in a wide variety of settings.
Alongside his design work, James is widely known for his writing. He has contributed to many of the UK’s leading horticultural publications, including Gardens Illustrated, The English Garden, Country Life and The Garden. His ability to combine practical knowledge with observation, clarity and humour has earned him a loyal readership, and he has been recognised by the Garden Media Guild as Garden Journalist of the Year.
James is also a much in-demand speaker, valued for talks that are thoughtful, engaging and grounded in real experience. Regularly appearing on the lecture circuit in the UK and North America, he speaks about gardens not as abstract design exercises, but as lived-in spaces shaped by time, use and changing needs — a perspective that sits closely with Springfest’s focus on outdoor living.
His wider contribution to horticulture includes a long association with the Royal Horticultural Society. James has been an RHS gardens judge since 2006, chaired the Chelsea Flower Show selection panel, and judged gardens internationally in the USA, China and Japan. He served for ten years on the RHS Council and continues to be involved as a Vice President and Ambassador for Garden Design. In 2022, he was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture.
James is also closely involved with Horatio’s Garden, a charity creating gardens for people with spinal injuries. He designed the garden at the Scottish Spinal Injuries Centre in 2016 and continues to oversee it, becoming a trustee in 2021.
At Springfest 26, James Alexander-Sinclair will be one of several expert speakers contributing to a programme that celebrates outdoor living, gardens and landscape in their broadest sense. His appearance offers visitors the chance to hear from someone who has spent a lifetime thinking about how outdoor spaces work — practically, beautifully and humanely. More excellent speakers will be announced shortly, adding further depth and variety to the festival.
Springfest 2026 takes place over 2 days, 2nd and 3rd May. Tickets on sale soon so save the date for your diary.