The RHS has announced that His Majesty The King will be the next Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Keith Weed CBE, President of the RHS said, “As an advocate for the planet and champion for environmental issues, we are thrilled and honoured that His Majesty The King is our Royal Patron. We look forward to furthering our work to reach more people of all ages, backgrounds and gardening abilities with the joy of growing plants and gardening to create wonderful gardens, combat the effects of climate change and build a better future for generations to come.”
The King and Queen visited the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Monday 20 May, to meet the growers, designers, and horticulturists who contribute to making UK gardens and gardeners among the best in the world. During their visit, they explored the RHS No Adults Allowed Garden, a historic first for the show, as it was designed by children. This innovative garden aims to inspire children everywhere to become gardeners, helping the planet while having fun. Co-designed with Harry Holding, the garden features a woodland, meadows, a wetland with vibrant colors, oversized bog plants, and a natural den set within a pool of water.
Other gardens that were visited included the Moroto no IE Garden, designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara, where vibrant acers and a tumbling waterfall blended the beauty of the natural world with the practicalities of family life. The Addleshaw Goddard Junglette Garden, designed by Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Matthews, featured hardy tropical planting on the balcony that mirrored the structural layers of the jungle.
Their Majesties visited the RHS Chelsea Flower Show just weeks after the Coronation last year. During the 2009 show, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II presented The King, then Prince of Wales with the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) – the charity’s most prestigious award – as a tribute to his deep interest and expertise in horticulture.
Having spent a lifetime championing the environment, The King has transformed his own garden at Highgrove into one of the most inspiring and innovative in the UK.
In 2013, The King, then Prince of Wales, launched the Coronation Meadows Project to create 60 meadows in honour of the 60th anniversary of the late Queen’s accession to the throne. Over the past decade, the project has flourished, resulting in the creation of over 100 fields of flowers. The late Queen Elizabeth II served as the Patron of the RHS from 1952, a role she held for 70 years. She visited the RHS Chelsea Flower Show nearly every year of her reign.
Click here to find out more about the Royal Horticultural Society.
