The Royal Horticultural Society
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| Abbreviation | RHS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 7 March 1804 |
| Type | Registered charity |
| Purpose | Promote gardening and horticulture |
| Headquarters | Principal office of the Royal Horticultural Society: 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE |
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Region served
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United Kingdom |
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Membership
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414,699 (2013) |
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President
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Sir Nicholas Bacon, 14th Baronet |
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Budget
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2013/14 income: £71.94m |
| Website | www.rhs.org.uk |
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) was founded in 1804 in London, England, as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK's leading gardening charity and claims to be "the world’s largest gardening charity". The RHS quotes its charitable purpose as "The encouragement and improvement of the science, art and practice of horticulture in all its branches". The current Director General is Sue Biggs.
The charity promotes horticulture through flower shows such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, RHS Tatton Park Flower Show and RHS Cardiff Flower Show. It also supports training for professional and amateur gardeners.
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.
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