About

Patron: In August 2019 Helen Dillon stepped down after eight years as patron of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI) when she generously supported every aspect of the Society’s work. The RHSI sincerely thanks Helen for her engagement with the Society and wish her and Val good health and many years of active gardening. Diarmuid Gavin has agreed to be the Society’s new patron. An award winning garden designer and one of Ireland’s leading horticulturists, Diarmuid looks forward to working with the RHSI to promote sustainable gardening and a vibrant future for Irish horticulture.

The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI), founded in 1816, is a charity, dedicated to promoting and improving the knowledge, skill and practice of horticulture, arboriculture and floral art while encouraging respect for the environment and creating a sense of community amongst our members. The vision of the RHSI is to foster and develop an appreciation and love of gardening in all its forms and thereby enrich the beauty and sustainability of our environment and national heritage.The RHSI is run by its members on a voluntary basis with membership spread throughout the island of Ireland.

The RHSI is, with the help of a team of volunteers, restoring the 3.5 acre walled garden at Russborough House, Blessington, Co Wicklow.

The administrative headquarters of the RHSI are at Laurelmere Cottage, Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, where another team of volunteers are creating a woodland garden.

Over 90 horticultural, gardening and floral art societies and clubs are affiliated to the RHSI. List by county.

Members enjoy lectures, garden visits and tours and are kept up to date via the website, social media and regular email newsletters. The RHSI Partner Garden scheme offers free/reduced cost entry for RHSI members to beautiful gardens all over Ireland.

GOVERNANCE

The RHSI is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The members of the Board of Directors are: Brenda Branigan (President), Maurice Parkinson (Chairman), Mary Hackett (Secretary) Deborah Bailey, Christy Boylan, Hestor Forde, Philip Hollwey, Angela Jupe, Margaret Masterson and Kathleen Moloney. Constitution of RHSI (updated June 2017) Annual Report & Financial Statements 2018 RHSI Privacy Policy

HISTORY

The RHSI began with a meeting held on 30 September 1816 at the Rose Tavern, Donnybrook, Dublin. A group of estate gardeners met to drink beer and to worry about “the art of gardening falling away and rapidly declining”. Resolving to exchange expertise and new ideas, these men (they were all men) set up the Horticultural Society of Ireland for gardeners who had served their time and were ‘of good moral conduct’. The RHSI was distinguished throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for its social cachet and it focused on Shows and Exhibitions. The modern RHSI, a mixture of amateur and professional gardeners, continues to be committed to education.

RHSI JOURNAL

The RHSI Journal is posted to members 3 times a year. The summer issue comes out in May. We have an autumn issue in September and the December issue closes out the season. We always welcome members’ contributions. Alternatively, if you have a horticultural story you think we should follow, please contact the Journal team through the RHSI office. Queries about copy dates and guidance on the structure of proposed articles can also be answered by the RHSI office. The Journal is written, proof read and prepared for mailing entirely by RHSI volunteers.

The RHSI Journal is free to members. But if you know of someone living overseas who would like to be kept up to date on Irish horticultural matters or someone who is too frail to be able to attend the lectures and garden visits they once enjoyed, the Journal delivered to their door might fill a gap. An annual subscriptionto the RHSI Journal costs €25 (including packing and postage). Please contact the RHSI office on 01 4937154 or email info@rhsi.ie to place your order

WHO WE ARE

Forthcoming Events

Day Tour to Altamont Garden, Co Carlow

Floral Art demonstration by Suzanne Cray

Airfield Estate Gardens

Ballymaloe Cookery School

Ballyrobert Gardens

Bantry House and Garden

Bellefield House

Benvarden Garden

Birr Castle Garden

Blarney Castle and Gardens

Burtown House and Gardens

Colclough Walled Garden

Coolaught Walled Garden

Festina Lente

Fota House – Victorian Working Garden

Gash Gardens

Glebe Gardens

Glenavon Japanese Garden

Hester Forde Garden – ‘Coosheen Garden’

Irish National Stud and Gardens – The Japanese Gardens and St. Fiachra’s Garden

Johnstown Castle, Estate, Museum and Gardens

June Blake’s Garden, Blessington

Kilfane Glen and Waterfall

Killruddery House and Gardens

Kilmokea Country Manor and Gardens

Kylemore Abbey Victorian Walled Garden

Lodge Park Walled Garden

Loughcrew Gardens

Mount Stewart House and Gardens

Mount Usher Gardens

Oakfield Park Gardens

Old Deanery Garden

Patthana Garden

Rothe House Museum and Garden

Rowallane Garden

Salthill Garden

Seaforde Gardens

Strokestown Park Gardens

Terra Nova Gardens

The Bay Garden

The Dower House

Tullynally Castle Gardens

Tyrrelstown House Garden

Woodville Walled Garden

Contact

Registered Charity CHY4598 Founded in 1816