If you’re looking for a gift that’s connected with beautiful flowers and gardens and the natural world, how about a gift membership to the RHS?
The RHS (the Royal Horticultural Society) is the UK’s oldest gardening charity. Founded back in 1804, it aims to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
It does this by a number of campaigns and ways to get involved, such as Britain in Bloom, Wild About Gardens, National Gardening Week, and a Campaign for School Gardening, so it really does try to include as many people as possible into the love of gardening and spread the love for it!
As the RHS says,
"Plants and gardens help us to connect socially, feel good physically and mentally, and are good for the health of wildlife and our planet.....
Our vision is a world where gardening is embraced as a way of life – a source of joy and fulfilment, building healthier lives, stronger communities, and thriving environments. To achieve this, our mission is to be there for everyone on their lifelong adventure with gardening."
Their strategy leading up to 2030 is a A lifelong adventure with gardening and the six priorities are:
- Champion the essential role of gardening
- Opening up gardening for anyone, anywhere
- Grow our story to share the joy of gardening
- Deliver science solutions for people, gardens and nature
- Build horticulture for the future
- Unlock our potential
To do this, they’re putting more emphasis on activities across these priorities to:
- Be more urban
- Involve more young people
- Support more beginners
- Garden more sustainably
- Go more digital (hence the new RHS app)
You never stop learning as a gardener, from the time you start. My auntie Joan was a very keen gardener, and on my last visit with her in her care home, we did some gardening together on a plant she had. A fond memory indeed! She always had tips, and her favourite saying was “if you put enough plants in your garden, there won’t be room for any weeds”. She spent many happy hours in her garden, tending to her flowers - she even used to shake the raindrops off her roses after a downpour!
Visit the Paradise Gardens at RHS Bridgewater
One of the lovely things about the RHS is that you can meet like minded people at events such as these flower shows, visiting gardens and attending courses and workshops. Of course the RHS is probably most famous for its flower shows, especially Hampton Court and Chelsea. I took my parents to the Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival and we had the most fantastic day out. (I booked a table for them for lunch, so that they could have a good rest half way round.) And RHS members get reduced ticket prices!
At Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival, it was wonderful to meet garden lovers and share stories of successes – and failed attempts to grow things! – and to share our love of beautiful places and things. There were lots of people on hand to talk to and get advice from. I call my garden, “Garden Surprise” because it’s amazing what pops up in places where I didn’t know I’d planted things e.g. potatoes and wild geraniums.
There's a new flower show, the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire,
from the 16th to 20th July 2025
Find out all about it here.
The five RHS Gardens (Harlow Carr, Rosemoor, Wisley, Bridgewater and Hyde Hall) and their partner gardens (230 of them according to the RHS website) are a wonderful showcase of what can be done – over 3 million people visit these gardens every year.
The winter seems to have been going on and on, so it's nice to think about what you're going to do in your garden, balcony, patio or houseplants this year. Whatever size you've got, outdoors or inside, the RHS has LOTS of advice and helpful information on its website. They’ve got information on Grow Your Own, Wildlife Gardening, House Plants – and a useful section on Inspiration which helps you plan your garden. They’ve even got a section on planting trees for loved ones you lost during the pandemic, ways to grow a low-carbon garden, how to help birds in your garden and “What can I grow in a shady spot?”
Did you know that they have a wide range of courses and workshops? You can learn a new skill, or improve an existing one and really develop a new passion for gardens and flowers, shrubs and trees! Some of the courses and workshops are for children and families, which is really good because they are the gardeners of the future, so it’s great to get them involved. Kids love getting their hands dirty and the nice thing about gardening is that they can see the results of their efforts – and even eat some of them! But there’s plenty for adults too! They’ve also got information on careers in horticulture.
And, by the way - the RHS has green alternatives to red roses for Valentine's Day! Take a look here.
So what does an RHS Gift Membership give the lucky recipient?
- There’s unlimited entry to the five RHS Gardens for the member and a fahttps://www.rhs.org.uk/joinmily guest or 2 children (4 children for joint membership)
- Free entry to over 230 Partner Gardens for the member (or the main member in a joint membership)
- Reduced rate tickets to RHS Flower Shows, garden workshops and family friendly events
- Monthly advice and news from The Garden magazine, worth £59)
- Gardening advice from the RHS experts
- Easy access to tips and advice on the RHS The Garden app
Give a membership to the RHS or treat yourself to a membership!
And there’s a limited time offer – receive a £15 voucher to spend in RHS cafés when you purchase a gift pack.
Buy a Gift Membership to the RHS today! A gift membership is £78.00 – it’s very good value!
And if you want a membership for yourself – there’s 25% off for your first year at the moment (you need to pay by direct debit to get this offer and it doesn't apply to gift memberships), so grab the opportunity to join today!
