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| RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Horticultural Society |
| Formation | 1804 |
| Founder | Sir William Curtis |
| Type | Registered charity |
| Headquarters | London |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | Diana, Princess of Wales |
RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) The Royal Horticultural Society is a British charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and gardening across the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates major public gardens, organizes flagship flower shows, publishes authoritative horticultural literature, conducts plant conservation and scientific trials, and provides education and training for gardeners, botanists and landscape professionals.
The society was founded in 1804 by Sir William Curtis and contemporaries influenced by figures such as William Aiton, Joseph Banks, Humphry Repton, John Claudius Loudon, and Sir Joseph Paxton. Early patrons included Prince Albert, who supported horticultural innovation alongside Queen Victoria and the horticultural patronage networks centered on estates such as Kew Gardens and institutions like the Linnean Society of London. The RHS developed through the 19th century amid botanical exploration involving collectors like David Douglas, Joseph Hooker, and George Forrest, and horticulturalists such as Gertrude Jekyll, William Robinson, and Capability Brown. Major 20th-century influences included wartime campaigns overlapping with Ministry of Food initiatives, collaborations with scientific bodies including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and botanical expeditions funded by figures like Sir William Jackson Hooker. Contemporary developments link the society with environmental policy discussions involving stakeholders such as Natural England, DEFRA, Environment Agency (England), and conservation partnerships with organizations like Plant Heritage and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Governance has historically involved presidents, trustees and directors drawn from horticulture and public life, connecting individuals and institutions such as Dame Sylvia Crowe, Sarah Raven, Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don, and directors with links to City of London Corporation and academic partners like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Royal Agricultural University, Imperial College London, and University of Reading. The society liaises with royal patrons and works alongside national museums such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum, London. Financial and charitable oversight intersects with frameworks administered by Charity Commission for England and Wales and boards influenced by corporate partners from the horticultural trade, nurseries like RHS Partner Nurseries and suppliers associated with entities like Wisley Enterprises and regional development bodies such as Greater London Authority.
The RHS operates flagship sites including RHS Garden Wisley, RHS Garden Harlow Carr, RHS Garden Rosemoor, and RHS Garden Hyde Hall, each with collections and research facilities linked to botanical networks including Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library, Scottish National Trust for Scotland, and local authorities such as Surrey County Council and North Yorkshire Council. These gardens host designed landscapes influenced by designers like Beth Chatto, Piet Oudolf, Gertrude Jekyll, and Tom Stuart-Smith, and are situated near transport hubs such as London Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, and railway connections including Waterloo station and Manchester Piccadilly. Sites collaborate with ecological partners including RSPB, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, and Wildlife Trusts.
The society stages major events such as the Chelsea Flower Show, RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, and RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, with judges and exhibitors drawn from circles including Chelsea Flower Show Medalists, designers like Piet Oudolf and Margaret Roach, and international participants from institutions such as the New York Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Horticultural Society Wisley Exhibitors, and municipal gardens like New York Botanical Garden. Awards include the Victoria Medal of Honour, the Associate of Honour, and plant awards judged alongside botanical institutions such as the International Plant Fair and horticultural societies like American Horticultural Society and Federation of Garden Clubs.
RHS research programs collaborate with academic departments at University of Reading, Imperial College London, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and agricultural colleges like Writtle University College. The Lindley Library and archives support publications ranging from handbooks to periodicals distributed alongside partners such as The Guardian, BBC Gardeners' World, and specialist publishers such as Routledge and Bloomsbury. Educational initiatives include training programmes, apprenticeships and courses endorsed by professional bodies including Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Royal Society of Biology, and links with vocational providers like City and Guilds.
The society maintains national plant collections and cultivars evaluated through RHS trials in collaboration with international botanical collectors like Sir Joseph Banks, explorers such as Ernest Henry Wilson, and conservation organisations including Plant Heritage and IUCN. Trial gardens at Wisley and other sites assess cultivars alongside cultivar registries curated in partnership with bodies such as the International Cultivar Registration Authorities, botanical gardens like Arnold Arboretum, and seed banks such as Millennium Seed Bank Partnership.
RHS outreach includes community gardening projects, youth programmes, and partnerships with cultural institutions such as the National Trust, English Heritage, and festivals like the Edinburgh Festival and Hay Festival. Media partnerships extend to broadcasters and print outlets such as BBC Radio 4, BBC Television Centre, The Times, and public campaigns coordinated with agencies including Public Health England and local councils. International collaborations involve botanical networks like the Botanic Gardens Conservation International and exchange with municipal garden initiatives in cities such as New York City, Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney.
Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom Category:Horticultural organisations