gardeners are being urged to visit the Oxford Castle Flower and Gardening Festival this weekend.

The event will bring together markets, talks, demonstrations and workshops in a celebration of all things green.

There will also be the chance to try flower-infused fudge, discover a secret cinema and see rare breed animals.

General manager Jean-Pierre Morilleau said: “There will be lots to see and do for all the family, the gardening enthusiast and for people simply looking for inspiration.

“We have a programme of free talks, demonstrations on lots of topics – from planting seedlings, to professional landscape design.”

Amongst those taking part will be 25 schools and community groups, who have been busy designing wheelbarrows for the Wheel-to-the-Castle competition.

Oxford Castle head gardener Alastair Mallick said: “Everything is simply exploding into bloom right now. It’s a wonderful time to see the gardens at their best. We have lots of new planting around the site that is taking shape beautifully. It makes a nice backdrop for the festival.”

The O3 Gallery is hosting an art exhibition called Horti-CULTURE. This examines relationships between humans and nature.

Visitors can enjoy a human-sized nest sculpture and living garden installation.

There will also be opera in the open, facepainting and a chance to see the Wicker Man, due to be burned in South Park this November.

Visitors should keep their eyes peeled for Newton, the Wild-in- Art rhino, designed by children at John Blandy Primary School, Southmoor. It will be hiding in the Castle Gardens, Oxford florist Alicia Tennant said: “This is a fantastic time of year for English cut flowers, as we move from late spring to early summer.

“Our stall will be a celebration of the season, with flowers from all over the UK, including Cornwall, the Scilly Isles and East Anglia.”

Oxford Lord Mayor Elise Benjamin will officially open the festival at 11am tomorrow. It will run from 11am until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.