SPECIALIST growers of popular spring plants will give seasonal advice to keen gardeners at the next monthly meeting of Houghall Horticultural Society.

Representatives from Northumberland nursery Halls of Heddon are the guest speakers at the meeting, in the Conference Hall, at the Houghall site of East Durham College, off the A177 between Durham and Shincliffe.

They will be focusing on chrysanthemums and dahlias, which will begin to bloom in coming weeks.

The meeting is on Tuesday March 11, at 7.30pm.

SOCIAL DANCE: A social dance is staged at the Indoor Bowling Centre, in Abbey Road, Pity Me, Durham, on Saturday (March 1), from 8- 11pm. There is a £2.50 charge at the door, on the night. Further information is available from ‘Michael’, on 0191-386-6921.

DENE TREK: Countryside ranger Jennie Garrod leads an 8.5-mile walk through Witton Dene and onwards towards Sacriston, on Wednesday (March 5).

Walkers should meet at 10am on the road leading to St Michael and All Angels Church, on the bypass over the A691 in Witton Gilbert, near Durham.

They should expect the medium to long-rated ramble to take four-and-a-half hours to complete.

SELFISH GIANT: Clio Barnard’s acclaimed 2013 film The Selfish Giant, inspired by Oscar Wilde’s short story of the same name, will be Clayport Film Club’s latest screening, on Thursday March 6.

Curtain up, at Clayport Library, in Millennium Place, Durham, will be at 7.30pm.

There is a £5 annual membership fee and a £4, or £3 for concessions, charge per fortnightly film screening.

PRAYER DAY: The Women’s Day of Prayer, an international ecumenical event staged on the first Friday in March for 120 years, will this year be celebrated at a service at St Godric’s RC Church, in Castle Chare, Durham.

The Reverend Nico Hilmy-Jones is the guest preacher at the service, on Friday March 7, starting at 10.30am.

All are welcome, with tea and biscuits served at the church afterwards.

ART WALK: Would-be artists will be shown a series of inspirational settings for new creations during a two-mile art-themed walk in Durham.

Artist Sophy Nixon leads the two-hour-long walk, starting at the Neptune statue, in the Market Place, Durham, on Saturday March 8, at 10am. All those taking part are invited to take something to sit on, plus an umbrella.