1804年，伦敦的一群园艺爱好者成立了伦敦园艺学会。两百多年后，这个小团体已成为全球园艺界的重要机构。领衔者是约瑟夫·班克斯爵士——曾随库克船长环游世界的博物学家。从一开始，学会的使命就是让植物走进普通人的生活。时至今日，它已演变为一个拥有超过50万会员的全国性慈善机构，使命清晰如初——通过植物丰富每个人的生活。
五大花园：从萨里到德文郡的绿色版图
走进英国皇家园艺学会旗下的花园，能感受到这个组织两百多年的积累。位于萨里郡的Wisley花园是RHS的旗舰花园，也是学会总部所在地。园内有混合花境、试验花园和玻璃温室。驱车向北，大曼彻斯特地区的Bridgewater于2021年全新开放，其中Paradise Garden有一定特色。在约克郡的Harlow Carr，高山植物园展示高山植物；Hyde Hall则以干旱花园闻名，展示干燥条件下的园艺方法。德文郡的Rosemoor位于幽静的山谷中，包含正式与非正式两种庭院风格。五大花园之外，学会还与遍布全国的240余座合作花园建立了深度合作，让会员在各地都能找到专业的园艺灵感。
花展传奇：从切尔西到马尔文的风尚传承
如果花园是皇家园艺学会的心脏，那么花展是它的重要展示平台。创办于1912年的切尔西花展（Chelsea Flower Show），是全球园艺行业的年度盛事。每年5月在伦敦举办，2026年的举办日期为5月19日至23日，Range Rover倾情赞助。切尔西花展不仅展示前沿花园设计，也将园艺带入大众生活。与之相呼应的是马尔文春季嘉年华（5月7日至10日），以及分别在7月举办的伯明顿花展和桑德林汉姆花展，共同构成英国全年持续的园艺活动。这些花展是行业风向标，影响着全球花园设计和植物品种的流行趋势。
数字时代的园艺伙伴：AI与播客的创新融合
皇家园艺学会在数字服务方面持续投入。它最新推出的RHS Grow应用程序搭载AI聊天机器人ChatBotanist，能识别超过35,000种植物，为园艺爱好者提供随身智能顾问，拍摄照片即可获得养护建议。与此同时，学会的播客节目已荣获英国播客大奖认可，将园艺知识以对话形式传递给听众。这一策略让RHS的传统在数字时代得到延续，也吸引着年轻一代关注园艺。
扎根社区：Britain in Bloom与全民园艺运动
皇家园艺学会的影响远不止于花园和花展。始于1964年的Britain in Bloom运动，已发展为全国性绿色倡议，覆盖大量城镇和社区。It’s Your Neighbourhood项目关注社区自治，鼓励居民改善居住环境。学校园艺运动致力于在青少年心中播下热爱自然的种子，National Gardening Week和Wild About Gardens等项目则从不同维度推动生态保护。这些项目是RHS社会影响力的重要组成部分。
专业精进：从资质认证到硕士文凭
皇家园艺学会为园艺从业者提供1级到4级的资质认证课程，园艺硕士是行业内的专业资质。位于Wisley的图书馆藏书涵盖古籍与现代研究期刊，为学员和研究人员提供资料。官网 rhs.org.uk 是全球园艺领域的重要信息来源，无论是植物病害诊断还是花园设计规划，求知者都能在此找到专业指引。
成为会员：共享两百年的园艺遗产
加入皇家园艺学会，意味着成为这个园艺传承的一部分。个人会员首年只需59.99英镑，学生年费仅20英镑，终身会员资格为1,495英镑。会员可免费进入五大花园、享受花展门票优惠、获得专业园艺咨询，以及每月一期的《The Garden》杂志。无论是业余爱好者还是专业人士，这个社区都能提供灵感和支持。当你走进任何一座RHS花园，穿过步道，与热爱植物的人们交流——园艺是一种连接人与自然、人与人的活动。
了解详情
更多详细信息请访问英国皇家园艺学会官网：rhs.org.uk
Royal Horticultural Society: Two Centuries of Horticultural Excellence
In 1804, a group of horticulture enthusiasts in London founded the Horticultural Society of London. More than two centuries later, this small society has become an important institution in the global horticulture world. The leader was Sir Joseph Banks—a naturalist who circumnavigated the globe with Captain Cook. From the beginning, the Society’s mission was to bring plants into ordinary people’s lives. Today, it has grown into a national charity with over 500,000 members, whose mission remains clear: enriching lives through plants.
Five Gardens: From Surrey to Devon
Visiting the gardens managed by the RHS gives a direct sense of the Society’s two-hundred-year legacy. Wisley Garden in Surrey is the RHS flagship garden and the Society’s headquarters. It features mixed borders, trial gardens, and glasshouses. Heading north, Bridgewater in Greater Manchester opened in 2021 as a new development showcasing Paradise Garden with its distinctive character. In Yorkshire, Harlow Carr displays alpine plants in its botanical collection; in Essex, Hyde Hall is known for its Dry Garden, demonstrating horticultural techniques in dry conditions. Rosemoor in Devon sits in a tranquil valley, blending formal and informal garden styles. Beyond these five flagship gardens, the RHS has established partnerships with over 240 gardens across the UK, offering members free access to professional horticulture inspiration nationwide.
Flower Shows: From Chelsea to Malvern
If gardens are the heart of the RHS, then flower shows are its key display platform. The Chelsea Flower Show, first held in 1912, is an annual highlight of the global horticulture industry. Held in London each May, the 2026 show runs from May 19 to 23, with Range Rover as the main sponsor. Chelsea not only showcases cutting-edge garden designs but also brings horticulture to the general public. Complementing it is the Malvern Spring Festival (May 7–10), along with the Badminton and Sandringham flower shows in July—all part of Britain’s year-round horticulture calendar. These shows serve as industry trendsetters, influencing garden design and plant variety preferences worldwide.
Digital Services: AI and Podcasts in the Digital Age
The RHS continues investing in digital services. Its latest RHS Grow app features an AI chatbot called ChatBotanist, capable of identifying over 35,000 plant species and providing instant care advice through photo recognition. Simultaneously, the Society’s podcasts—including the award-winning “Gardening with the RHS”—deliver horticulture knowledge in conversational formats to broader audiences. This approach extends the RHS legacy into the digital age while attracting younger generations to horticulture.
Community Programs: Britain in Bloom and Nationwide Initiatives
The RHS’s influence extends far beyond gardens and flower shows. Launched in 1964, Britain in Bloom has grown into a national green initiative covering numerous towns and communities. The It’s Your Neighbourhood project focuses on community self-governance, encouraging residents to improve their local environments. The Campaign for School Gardening plants the seeds of nature appreciation in young hearts, while National Gardening Week and Wild About Gardens promote ecological conservation from different angles. These grassroots programs form a vital part of the RHS’s social impact.
Professional Development: Qualifications to Master’s Degree
The RHS offers Level 1 to Level 4 qualification courses for horticulture professionals, with the Master of Horticulture representing the industry’s professional standard. The library at Wisley houses collections spanning antique volumes and modern research journals, providing resources for students and researchers. The RHS website at rhs.org.uk serves as an important information hub for the global horticulture community, offering professional guidance on plant disease diagnosis, garden planning, and more.
Membership: Sharing a Two-Century Legacy
Joining the RHS means becoming part of this horticulture heritage. Individual membership costs £59.99 for the first year, student membership is just £20 per year, and lifetime membership is available for £1,495. Members enjoy free entry to all five flagship gardens, flower show discounts, professional gardening advice, and a monthly subscription to The Garden magazine. Whether beginners or seasoned professionals, community members find inspiration and support here. Walking through any RHS garden, conversing with fellow plant enthusiasts—you realize horticulture is a bridge connecting people with nature and with each other.
Learn More
For more information, visit the Royal Horticultural Society website: rhs.org.uk
