Royal Horticultural Society award
The Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH ) is awarded to British horticulturists resident in the United Kingdom whom the Royal Horticultural Society Council considers deserving of special honour by the Society.[ 1]
The award was established in 1897 "in perpetual remembrance of Her Majesty's glorious reign, and to enable the Council to confer honour on British horticulturists." The Society's rules state that only sixty-three horticulturists can hold the VMH at any given time, in commemoration of the sixty-three years of Queen Victoria 's reign. Therefore, the honour is not awarded every year, but may be made to multiple recipients in other years.
Awards
1897 – The first 60 medallists
The first 60 medals were awarded on 26 October 1897:[ 2]
1900–1909
1900
George Herbert Engleheart (1851–1936)[ 4] breeder of daffodils
Trevor Lawrence (1831–1913), President of the Royal Horticultural Society 1885 to 1913
1901
1902
1903
Thomas Smith, Daisy Hill Nursery
1904
1905
1906
1910–1919
1920–1929
1921
1922
1924
1925
1926
1927
Frederick Robert Stephen Balfour (1873–1945)[ 20]
1928
1929
1930–1939
1931
1933
1934
1935
Amos Perry (1871–1953), of Perry's Plant Farm[ 5]
1936
Stephenson Robert Clarke (1862–1948), of Borde Hill[ 21]
James Comber (1866–1953), of Nymans , Handcross[ 22]
Frederick Augustus Secrett (1886–1964) [ 23]
1938
1939
Charles Percival Raffill M.B.E.(1876–1951), Curator, Kew Gardens. Raffill was also honoured in 1934 as an Associate of Honour of the Royal Horticultural Society (AHRHS).[ 26]
1940–1949
1940
1941
Edwin Lawrence Hillier – Hillier Nurseries [ 27]
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1948
1949
Ernest Ballard (1870–1952)
Harry Higgott Thomas (1876–1956) – Editor of Popular Gardening
1950–1959
1951
Peter Crichton Kay (1889–1954)[ 30]
1952
1953
1954
Raymond Henry Stoughton (1903–1979)
1955
Robert L. Scarlett : for his contributions to horticultural experimental work in Scotland & United Kingdom.
Lilian Snelling (1879–1972)[ 36]
1957
1958
1960–1969
1960
Maurice Mason (1912–1993)
1961
1963
1964
1965
1967
1968
1970–1979
1970
1971
1973
1974
Roy Copeman Elliott (Alpine gardener)
Martin O. Slocock [ 53]
1975
1976
1977
1978
W Martin Robinson, vegetable expert.
1979
1980–1989
1980
Leonard Broadbent (1916–2002) – Professor in Biology at the University of Bath[ 60]
Sheila Macqueen – Flower arranger[ 5]
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990–1999
1990
1991
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000–2009
2001
2002
2003[ 76]
2004[ 1]
2005[ 78]
2006[ 79]
2007[ 80]
Colin Ellis – "for his long and distinguished service since 1983 with RHS Council and numerous committees."
Christopher Grey-Wilson – for "his many achievements as botanist, photographer, botanical explorer and author of many books and articles."
Sir Richard Carew Pole (1938–2024) – former RHS President
Brian Self – "for his lifetime of service to amateur and professional fruit growers."
2008
John Ravenscroft – "for his plantsmanship, entrepreneurial talent and encyclopaedic knowledge of plants."
2009
2010–present
2010
Peter R. Dawson [ 53]
Michael Hickson [ 53]
Robert T. Hillier [ 53]
John Massey – "for his valuable contribution to plantbreeding "
Dowager Marchioness Salisbury [ 53]
2011[ 83]
Giles Coode-Adams
Maurice C. Foster
Richard Webb
2012[ 84]
2013[ 85]
2014
2015 Not awarded
2016 [ 87]
Mark Flanagan (posthumously)
Johan Hermans
2017 [ 88]
2018 [ 89]
2019
2020[ 90]
2022[ 91]
2023[ 93]
Jim Marshall
Paul Phillips
Jon Wheatley
2024[ 94]
Jan Pennings
Chris Lane
Neil Lucas
See also
References
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^ Desmond, Ray (25 February 1994). Dictionary Of British And Irish Botanists And Horticulturists Including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers . CRC Press. ISBN 9780850668438 – via Google Books.
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^ a b c The Garden , August 2009, page 512 (Royal Horticultural Society)
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^ "RHS AGM Minutes July 2011" . Royal Horticultural Society . Retrieved 2015-11-01 .
^ "Awards for outstanding contribution to horticulture" . Royal Horticultural Society . 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012.
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^ "RHS People Awards" . Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 16 December 2016 .
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^ "Awards" . RHS. Retrieved 13 August 2018 .
^ "RHS People Awards" . RHS . Retrieved 4 October 2021 .
^ "RHS People Awards" . RHS . Retrieved 23 May 2022 .
^ "The Victoria Medal of Honour presented to me by the Royal Horticultural Society at Chelsea today" . Twitter . Retrieved 23 May 2022 .
^ "RHS People Awards" . RHS . Retrieved 23 May 2023 .
^ "Top gardeners honoured for their impact". The Garden : 15. May 2024.
External links
Central London Gardens Flower shows Awards Other activities