Dartmoor sculpture exhibition returns to ‘enchanted’ Chagford gardens this summer

A major outdoor sculpture exhibition is returning to Dartmoor this summer as Stone Lane Gardens prepares to welcome visitors for its 2026 Annual Summer Sculpture Exhibition.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, May 30 and runs until August 31 at the award-winning woodland gardens near Chagford on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

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Now in its 32nd year, the annual event has become one of the South West’s best-known outdoor sculpture exhibitions, attracting artists and visitors from across the region.

Presented in partnership with South West Sculptors, this year’s exhibition will feature almost 100 sculptures created by 28 artists and invited guests, displayed throughout the five-acre gardens and inside the tearoom gallery space.

Exhibition organiser Mike Thompson said this year’s event was shaping up to be one of the strongest yet.

“This year is better than ever,” he said. “Stone Lane Gardens is the perfect canvas for our exhibition, there is nowhere quite like it.”

Visitors will find sculptures placed among Stone Lane’s nationally recognised collections of Birch and Alder trees, as well as around ponds, streams and wildflower meadows.

A new indoor gallery display has also been introduced for 2026, featuring smaller sculptural works in the upstairs tearoom gallery.

ABOVE: Mike Thompson installation (Credit: @lizmaryphotographydevon)

Fellow organiser Sally Fulford said the natural landscape plays a key role in shaping the exhibition experience.

“Stone Lane Gardens offers something that no gallery wall ever could,” she said.

“The sculptures become part of the landscape. Every turn in the garden reveals something new.”

Exhibiting artist Nicola Axe said the setting creates a unique relationship between art and nature.

“The enchanted woodlands provide a magnificent backdrop,” she said.

“Art and nature align here in a way that feels entirely effortless.”

All works displayed during the exhibition will be available to purchase.

Stone Lane Gardens, near Chagford, is an RHS Partner Garden and registered charity known for its rare tree collections and annual sculpture programme.

Alongside the exhibition, the site’s seasonal tea room and tea garden will be open serving cream teas and light refreshments throughout the summer.

The gardens are open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 6pm, with admission including access to the sculpture exhibition. Dogs on leads are welcome.

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