A PRESTEIGNE couple are offering a “unique and intimate” experience by hosting their own festival next month.

The Festival of Enchantment and Delight is being hosted by Malcolm and Karen Temple at their Pant Hall Cloister Gardens home, located in Willey, just over the Powys-Herefordshire border, over the weekend of June 10-11.

The newly-opened Pant Hall Cloister Gardens will play host to a variety of music, prose, poetry, talks and an art exhibitions across the weekend celebration.

The festival features an art exhibition – including work inspired by Sidney Nolan, who lived locally, Kaffe Fassett, Sarah Jones, Mike Perry, Simon Dorrell, Charlie Kimberley, Jane Edden, Zoe Angle, Toby Holmes – ‘Little Fish Design’, and Malcolm Temple, as well as an artwork on loan from the Garden Museum.

Appearing over the two days will be John Watkins, head of gardens and landscape at English Heritage, who will give an illustrated talk on ‘promenade gardens’, while Malcolm, an artist and designer of Pant Hall Cloister Gardens, will give an interview.

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A specially commissioned short story has been written and will be read by bestselling novelist Renee Knight, whose first novel Disclaimer is being filmed by Alfonso Couran and starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline.

There will be a guitar performance by an ensemble from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, led by Helen Sanderson (to be confirmed).

Saturday concludes with a concert by the French musicians Rozenn le Trionnaire and Jeremy Simon of their upcoming album inspired by Breton music and the composer Didier Squiban.

All of this will be interspersed by poetry and prose readings by the actor Christopher Good, around the theme of enchantment and delight in the garden.

There will be a more relaxed morning on Sunday, June11, offering a chance to experience the garden in a quiet way and a chance to talk to each other and Malcolm, as well as hopefully some more improvised music, along with lunch.

The event is limited to 40 tickets, with weekend tickets costing £125. This covers the Saturday (running from 10am-7.30pm), including lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

A proportion of profits and any charitable donations from the festival will be made to the Sidney Nolan Trust outreach programme.

Tickets need to be booked in advance and attendees will be sent a list of local places to stay and eat.

Ring 01544 260066 to book your place or email cloistergardens@gmail.com. For more information on the venue, visit www.panthallcloistergardens.com or check it out on Instagram @panthallcloistergardens.