We practise what we preach and are committed to six principles which guide plant health practice in all we do
Keeping our gardens healthy has always been high on gardeners’ agendas. With climate change and the increasing appearance of novel diseases and pests from abroad, planning for healthy gardens has become even more urgent. The arrival of new pests and diseases in the UK is linked to the rise in the volume and diversity of plants being imported. Changes in climate may also enable more pests and diseases to become established in our gardens.
A healthy garden supports a wide range of wildlife and it isn't difficult to encourage more wildlife without compromising the way your garden looks. Private gardens in Britain cover about 270,000 ha (667,000 acres) so their potential as havens for wildlife is considerable.
Our experts undertake research and provide advice on the management of garden pests and ways to support garden wildlife.
Plant pathology is the study of diseases and disorders of plants, caused for example by fungi, bacteria and viruses. Our plant pathologists diagnose the cause of garden plant diseases and study their biology to provide advice to gardeners on how to control them.
Slugs and snails cause significant damage and are the most common pest enquiry to our Gardening Advice team. In order to improve the advice the RHS provides about slugs and snails in home gardens we have developed a research programme focused on their control.
Controlling slugs and snails
An RHS-HDC funded PhD research project indicated that in the spring, female beetles are able to locate lilies by odour alone, and that the beetles preferentially move towards the odour of plants already infested with other beetles. Such research is vital to progress towards developing a control method using odours (volatile chemicals) to which the beetle responds.
Lily beetle survey results
RHS Gardening Advice receives more questions from UK gardeners about honey fungus (Armillaria spp.) than any other plant disease and has done for many years. Innovative management and control strategies are a priority for RHS research so we launched the RHS honey fungus hunt: a survey asking members of the public to submit records of honey fungus in UK parks and gardens. The survey is now closed and results will be shared soon.
Honey fungus advice
Gardens are a vital home for wildlife and can help stop the decline in pollinator and invertebrate numbers. Our Plants for Bugs experiment found that native plants support marginally more invertebrates than non-natives. Plants from the northern hemisphere support more than those from the south, yet late flowering southern hemisphere plants provide important resources at the end of the season.
Plants for Bugs
Current recommendations for managing box blight are prevention via sanitation and treatment via destruction. With the disease now widespread in the UK, a set of integrated management strategies is required to ensure box will continue to have a place in our nations' gardens.
Box blight study
The potential for green walls to support biodiversity is considerable, for example by providing feeding, breeding and resting sites. However, whilst the value of gardens and other urban green spaces has been demonstrated the value of green walls for biodiversity remains understudied.
Green walls and biodiversity study
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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
