A POPULAR Malvern gardening festival with celebrity guests is returning this week.

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival is returning this week to the Three Counties Showground.

The festival launches the summer gardening show calendar and features impressive, award-winning show gardens.

There are also opportunities to purchase a wide variety of plants and flowers displayed by top nurseries within the floral marquee and plant arcades.

The festival also has the option to seek specialist advice on offer from celebrity gardeners and experts.

BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley returns to RHS Malvern in 2022 having co-designed one of the gardens at the show.

Monty Don will be at the show as well as acclaimed chef Raymond Blanc.

Malvern Gazette: Jo Whiley (Matt Crossick/PA) and Monty Don (Derry Moore/PA)Jo Whiley (Matt Crossick/PA) and Monty Don (Derry Moore/PA)

Reg Moule, radio broadcaster and manager of David’s Nurseries near Worcester, will also be at the show.

Carol Klein, presenter and regular attendee of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, said:“ I’m really excited to return to RHS Malvern this May, my favourite RHS show.

"The show always has a celebratory feel but this year even more so with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at its core.

"I’ll be joining my gardening friends in the Festival Theatre to chat about all things Spring planting, and no doubt I’ll be taking some time to wander around the stunning show gardens on display every year at Malvern.”

This year,  the festival coincides with National Gardening Week, which takes place from 2–8 May.

Lots of food options are also available whilst you are enjoying the festival.

The festival will be held from Thursday, May 5 to Sunday, May 8.

Advance tickets to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival start at £24.85 for general admission, with children under 16 getting in for free.

For further information or to book tickets, you can visit the website at www.rhsmalvern.co.uk/ or call 0344 338 5400.

The Three Counties Showground covers 90 acres, owned by the Three Counties Agricultural Society.

The first show at the site was held back in 1958 and was attended by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.