THINGS are blooming at one the county’s senior gardening clubs in 2015.

Some of the UK’s top horticulturists will be talking to the Worcestershire group of the Hardy Plant Society, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year. The group aims to stimulate interest in hardy herbaceous plants - the kinds that thrive and grow year on year.

In February, celebrated author and gardening correspondent of The Independent, Anna Pavord, whose highly praised titles include The Tulip and The Curious Gardener, The Sunday Times’ Gardening Book of the Year, will be presenting the group’s Celebrity Lecture for 2015 - looking at her life in gardening and what she has learned.

Non-members can buy £10 tickets for the event, being held at Pershore College, on a first come, first served basis. Numbers are limited. Discounted prices are available for members. Contact 01242 241035.

In September, the month of the actual anniversary, Fergus Garrett - head gardener at the legendary Great Dixter garden in East Sussex - will be among speakers at a day-long free event for members, also to be held at Pershore College. He will be joined by John Massey - from one of the Midlands’ premier garden centres, Ashwood Nurseries. Completing the line-up is Alastair Bayford, the man behind the gardens created at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London and now in charge of The Regents Park in the capital.

Other speakers lined up for 2015 include Nick Macer, from Pan-Global Plants, one of the UK’s top nurseries, and Bob Brown, Worcestershire’s very own horticultural hero from Cotswold Garden Flowers in Badsey. Next summer, the group has arranged a six-day tour of gardens in North Yorkshire and plans for visits to local gardens and those further afield are also in the pipeline.

For more information go to www.worcs-hardy-plant.org.uk.

MARILYN WRIGHTSON