Royal Horticultural Society

The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (North Yorkshire), Rosemoor (Devon) and Bridgewater (Greater Manchester); flower shows including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, RHS Badminton Flower Show and RHS Sandringham Flower Show; community gardening schemes; Britain in Bloom and a vast educational programme. It also supports training for professional and amateur gardeners. As of 2023 the president was Keith Weed and the director general was Clare Matterson CBE.

History

Founders

The creation of a British horticultural society was suggested by John Wedgwood (son of Josiah Wedgwood) in 1800. His aims were fairly modest: he wanted to hold regular meetings, allowing the society's members the opportunity to present papers on their horticultural activities and discoveries, to encourage discussion of them, and to publish the results. The society would also award prizes for gardening achievements.

Wedgwood discussed the idea with his friends, but it was four years before the first meeting, of seven men, took place, on 7 March 1804 at Hatchards bookshop in Piccadilly, London. Wedgwood was chairman; also present were William Townsend Aiton (successor to his father, William Aiton, as Superintendent of Kew Gardens), Sir Joseph Banks (President of the Royal Society), James Dickson (a nurseryman), William Forsyth (Superintendent of the gardens of St. James's Palace and Kensington Palace), Charles Francis Greville (a Lord of the Admiralty) and Richard Anthony Salisbury, who became the Secretary of the new society.

Banks proposed his friend Thomas Andrew Knight for membership. The proposal was accepted, despite Knight's ongoing feud with Forsyth over a plaster for healing tree wounds which Forsyth was developing. Knight was president of the society from 1811 to 1838, and developed the society's aims and objectives to include a programme of practical research into fruit-breeding.

8 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

Membership

In 2009 more than 363,000 people were members of the society, and the number increased to more than 414,000 in 2013 and to 525,105 by 2019. Membership and fellowship of the society were previously decided by election, but are now by financial contribution. Fellows are supporters "contributing a suggested £5,000 per annum" (as of 2022).

Members and Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society are entitled to use the post-nominal letters MRHS and FRHS, respectively.

Gardens

The Royal Horticultural Society's five major gardens in England are: Wisley Garden, near Wisley in Surrey; Rosemoor Garden in Devon; Hyde Hall in Essex; Harlow Carr in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and RHS Garden Bridgewater in Worsley, Greater Manchester.

The society's first garden was in Kensington, from 1818 to 1822. In 1820 the society leased some of Hugh Ronalds' nursery ground at Little Ealing to set up an experimental garden, but the next year part of the Duke of Devonshire's estate at Chiswick was obtained. In 1823 it employed Joseph Paxton there. From 1827 the society held fêtes at the Chiswick garden, and from 1833, shows with competitive classes for flowers and vegetables. In 1861 the RHS (as it had now become) developed a new garden at South Kensington on land leased from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 (the Science Museum, Imperial College and the Royal College of Music now occupy the site), but it was closed in 1882. The Chiswick garden was maintained until 1903–1904, by which time Sir Thomas Hanbury had bought the garden at Wisley and presented it to the RHS.

RHS Garden Wisley is thus the society's oldest garden. Rosemoor came next, presented by Lady Anne Berry in 1988. Hyde Hall was given to the RHS in 1993 by its owners Dick and Helen Robinson. Dick Robinson was also the owner of the Harry Smith Collection which was based at Hyde Hall. Then came Harlow Carr, acquired by the merger of the Northern Horticultural Society with the RHS in 2001. It had been the Northern Horticultural Society's trial ground and display garden since they bought it in 1949. In 2013, more than 1.63 million people visited the four gardens.

In 2015 the RHS announced plans for a fifth garden at Worsley New Hall, Greater Manchester, under the name RHS Garden Bridgewater. The garden opened in May 2021.

The society also operates a partner garden scheme which enables its members to visit other operator's gardens. As of January 2026 there are 241 partner gardens, including 13 UK gardens and 5 overseas gardens which were added to the scheme that month.

Shows

The RHS is well known for its annual flower shows which take place across the UK. The most famous of these shows is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, visited by people from across the world. This was followed by the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (which the RHS took over in 1993) and RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in Cheshire (since 1999). In 2024 the line up expanded to include the Malvern Spring Festival, Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, Garden Rosemoor Flower Show and the first RHS Urban Show In 2025 they introduced the first RHS Flower show at Wentworth Woodhouse.

The society is also closely involved with BBC Gardeners' World Live held annually at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre.

Libraries

The RHS is custodian of the Lindley Library, housed within its headquarters at 80 Vincent Square, London, and in branches at each of its four gardens. The library is based upon the book collection of John Lindley.

The RHS Herbarium has its own image library (collection) consisting of more than 3,300 original watercolours, approximately 30,000 colour slides and a rapidly increasing number of digital images. Although most of the images have been supplied by photographers commissioned by the RHS, the archive includes a substantial number of slides from the Harry Smith Collection and Plant Heritage National Plant Collection holders.

The libraries in each of the gardens are open to all visitors. RHS members can borrow books from the Lindley London, as well as the libraries at Wisley Garden and Harlow Carr Garden.

Britain in Bloom

In 2002, the RHS took over the administration of the Britain in Bloom competition from the Tidy Britain Group (formerly and subsequently Keep Britain Tidy). In 2010, the society launched 'It's your neighbourhood', a campaign to encourage people to get involved in horticulture for the benefit of their community. In 2014, 'Britain in Bloom' celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Education and training

The RHS runs formal courses for professional and amateur gardeners and horticulturalists and also validates qualifications gained elsewhere (e.g. at Kew Botanic Gardens).

The RHS Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture aims to develop essential horticultural skills and to provide a foundation for further RHS practical qualifications at Levels 2 and 3. It is aimed at anyone who has an interest in plants and gardening.

Level 2 qualifications provide a basis for entry into professional horticulture, support career development for existing horticultural workers or can provide a foundation for further learning or training. There are separate theoretical- and practical-based qualifications at this Level and the RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture combines the theoretical- and practical-based qualifications.

Level 3 qualifications allow specialisation in the candidate's area of interest. They can offer proficiency for those looking for employment in horticulture, they can support further career and professional development for those already working in the field, or they can provide a basis for continued learning or training. As for Level 2, there are theoretical- and practical-based qualifications at Level 3 and a Diploma that combines both.

The Master of Horticulture (RHS) Award is the society's most prestigious professional horticultural qualification. It is of degree level and it is intended for horticultural professionals. The course allows for flexible study over a period of three years or more.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening provides online inspiration, resources and advice to its members. With the help of teachers, volunteers and other school-gardening champions, they support millions of students in the UK, giving them the opportunity to grow plants, food and develop life skills.

Medals and awards

People

The society honours certain British persons who are deemed by its council to be deserving of special recognition in the field of horticulture with the Victoria Medal of Honour, established in 1897. There are only 63 holders of this medal at any time, one for every year of the reign of Queen Victoria. Since 2023, the society has handed out the Elizabeth Medal of Honour, for which there could be only 70 holders at any time, one for every year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Thus, neither of the aforementioned medals are awarded every year

Other awards bestowed by the society include the Associate of Honour (established in 1930) where the number does not exceed 100 at any time (unless they also hold the Victoria Medal of Honour). As of 2022 there were also the Harlow Carr Medal (for significant contribution to horticulture in the north of England), Reginald Cory Memorial Cup (for introducing new hybrid plants developed from existing garden plants), Community Award (for long-term contribution to community gardening) and the Roy Lancaster Award (for exceptional contribution by those under 35 years old). Medals issued by the society earlier in its history have included the Banksian, Knightian and Lindley medals, named after early officers of the society, as well as Honorary Fellowships.

The Veitch Memorial Medal, named after James Veitch, is awarded annually to persons of any nationality who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement and improvement of the science and practice of horticulture.

The society awards Gold, Silver-gilt, Silver and Bronze medals to exhibitors at its Flower Shows.

Plants

The Award of Garden Merit, or AGM, is the principal award made to garden plants by the society after a period of assessment by the appropriate committees of the society. Awards are made annually after plant trials.

Older books may contain references to the following awards, which were based mainly on flower or fruit quality (but which are not referred to in current (2014) RHS websites and reports):

PC: Preliminary Certificate

HC: Highly Commended

AM: Award of Merit (not the same as the AGM)

FCC: First Class Certificate (once a very prestigious award)

Presidents

Horticultural Society of London (1804–1861)

1811–1838 : Thomas Andrew Knight (1st President)
1838–1858 : William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
1858–1861 : Albert, Prince Consort

Royal Horticultural Society (1861–)

1862–1883 : Duke of Buccleuch
1884–1885 : Sir Benjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs
1885–1913 : Sir Trevor Lawrence
1913–1919 : Francis Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell
1919–1928 : Amelius Lockwood, 1st Baron Lambourne
1928–1931 : Gerald Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst (11th President)
1931–1953 : Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway
1953–1961 : Sir David Bowes-Lyon
1961–1984 : Charles McLaren, 3rd Baron Aberconway
1984–1994 : Robin A.E. Herbert
1994–2001 : Sir Simon Hornby
2001–2006 : Sir Richard Carew-Pole, Bt
2006–2008 : Peter N. Buckley
2009–2010 : Giles Coode-Adams
2010–2013 : Elizabeth Banks
2013–2020 : Sir Nicholas Bacon, Bt
2020–present : Keith Weed