RHS grows houseplant and floristry offering
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is to expand its houseplant and cut flower offering as it responds to changing habits among the UK’s 27 million gardeners.
Acknowledging the popularity of indoor displays on social media, the increasingly limited access to outdoor growing space and an ever expanding interest in the health and wellbeing benefits of plants, the charity has pooled a group of professionals from across the industry to serve on its Houseplant and Cut Flower Advisory Group. Including botanist James Wong and designer Jonathan Moseley, the group will advise on houseplant and floristry provision across RHS retail, gardens, shows and online.
In a survey of the public, the RHS found that nearly three quarters (72%) of adults had a houseplant in their home with this figure rising to four in five (80%) of 16-24 year olds. A fifth of owners also said they use plants in the home to boost their health and wellbeing.*1
Top picture courtesy of RHS and Tim Sandall.
Above Jonathan Moseley ... one of the Houseplant and Cut Flower Advisory Group. Picture courtesy of RHS/Joanna Kossak
New outputs from the RHS are likely to include sustainable floristry advice, improved shows content, and complementary courses, workshops and events. RHS retail already stock more than 400 varieties of houseplant and locally sourced bouquets at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. The garden has also recently announced a Giant Houseplant Takeover in its temperate glasshouse from next January.
Chris Moncrieff, Head of Horticultural Relations at the RHS said: “The Houseplant and Cut Flower Advisory Group will support the increasing numbers of gardeners who are displaying, propagating and harvesting plants in the home. Indoor displays are often the first step to a life-long fascination with gardening and we want to make sure we seize the opportunity to get as many people as possible growing.”
In 2018, RHS Garden Wisley saw a 65% increase in houseplant sales while ongoing RHS Science research has also found that plants in the home can improve air quality by trapping and capturing pollutants, regulating humidity levels and providing a wide range of mental health benefits.
*1. The research
On behalf of the RHS, Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 2,185 adults across the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) aged 16-75. Interviews were conducted online using Ipsos MORI’s i:omnibus between the 8th and 22nd of March 2019 and weighted to the known population profile of this audience.
About the RHS:
The Royal Horticultural Society, the world’s leading gardening charity, was founded in 1804 by Sir Joseph Banks and John Wedgwood. Their vision is to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. This aspiration underpins all that they do, from inspirational gardens and shows, through their scientific research, to their education and community programmes such as Campaign for School Gardening and Britain in Bloom. They produce key publications, hold a world-class collection of horticultural books and botanical art, and sell the very best plants and gardening gifts.
The RHS is fundraising £40m to transform their gardens, outreach and education facilities, which includes redeveloping their flagship RHS Garden Wisley and opening a new garden, RHS Garden Bridgewater, in 2020. Solely funded by their members, visitors and supporters you can find out more by visiting www.rhs.org.uk.
