Saving the world starts at our fingertips
Gardens root us to nature, to each other and to happiness. Plants are at the heart of any garden, and people nurture them wherever they are: rooftops, yards, back gardens, allotments, balconies, window boxes or living rooms. For many, plants and gardens provide their main connection with the natural world, offering respite and joy. If you have plants, you are a gardener.
The world is facing multiple crises, from the climate emergency and dramatic loss of biodiversity to profound societal and economic upheaval, and gardening can be integral to addressing them. The opportunity to garden is not just a nice to have, it’s fundamental to every life, and every society.
Plants and gardens help us to connect socially, feel good physically and mentally, and are good for the health of wildlife and our planet. Moreover, the horticultural and landscape industry plays a vital part in the economic health of the UK, offering jobs across a range of areas including nurseries, public and private gardens, landscaping, design and retail.
Few other activities bring so many benefits to so many people. That’s why we firmly believe that everyone should have the right for gardening to be a way of life.
Putting the RHS to work for people and planet
Since our formation in 1804, the RHS has grown from an idea into the UK’s leading gardening charity, touching the lives of millions of people. Perhaps the secret to our longevity is that we’ve never stood still. In the last decade alone we’ve taken on the largest hands-on project the RHS has ever tackled by opening the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, Greater Manchester, and invested in the science that underpins all our work by building RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science.
We have committed to being net positive for nature and people by 2030. This reaches into every aspect of what we do, setting stretching sustainability targets for our own operations. We are committed to being truly inclusive and to reflect all the communities of the UK.
Across our five RHS gardens we welcome more than three million visitors each year to enjoy over 34,000 different cultivated plants, and our story grows daily. Events such as the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, other national shows, our schools and community work, and partnerships such as Britain in Bloom, all spread the shared joy of gardening to wide-reaching audiences.
Throughout it all we’ve held true to our charitable core – to encourage and improve the science, art and practice of horticulture – guided by the deep knowledge and expertise of our colleagues and external advisers, and supported by our many members, volunteers, partners and friends, to share the love of gardening and the positive benefits it brings. Today, more than ever, it is time to put the RHS to work for the planet and the people who live on it.
