Research

Conservation and the Environment

Gardens have a complex relationship with the wider environment in which they are set and many gardeners are highly conscious of this dependence. The Royal Horticultural Society believes that gardens can make a positive contribution to the environment, by the responsible use of natural resources; their origin, management and processing. In horticulture this not only includes the use of peat, timber and water but also plant material and other genetic resources.

Horticulture depends upon the richness in global biodiversity for resources and materials, particularly that of plants and genetic resources, to develop gardens. With a tradition of introducing new and exciting plants into our gardens, UK gardeners are particularly conscious of the value in our natural inheritance of plant diversity. The RHS reflects this concern in its policies on collecting, exhibiting and selling plants.

On a local level, gardens benefit from and support the richness of biodiversity in the surrounding area. With changes in climate and in other land use, gardens are becoming increasingly important refuges for plants, animals and fungi, in which we can encourage this diversity in the way in which we garden.

The RHS plays an influential role in advising gardeners, through the provision of information on good practice, combining benefits for the environment with practical needs for gardening. The RHS has published 18 conservation and environment leaflets on the topics listed below.

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Use of resources

Peat and the gardener (April 2004)

Energy conservation in greenhouses (May 2004)

Recycling (February 2004)

Water supplies (May 2004)

Fertilisers and manures (November 2002)

The use of garden chemicals (February 2004)

Organic gardening  (May 2003)

The use of limestone in horticulture (May 2004)

Trees and timber products (May 2005)

 

Biodiversity in the garden

Wild flowers in the garden (January 2005)

Wildlife in gardens (February 2004)

Wild and endangered plants in cultivation (January 2005)

CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (January 2002)

Bringing plants in from abroad (January 2002)

Invasive non-native species (May 2005)

Other topical issues

Genetic modification (April 2006)

Potentially harmful garden plants (February 2004)

Hedges (November 2002)

Noise (Although included in this list, it is not a full Conservation & Environment leaflet and so is not one of the leaflets available by post)

Summaries of each document, with RHS policy statements, are presented here, along with each full document stored as an Acrobat file. Alternatively, send an A4 sized SAE for any ONE leaflet, or an A4 envelope with £1.14 postage for the full set (delivered to UK address only) to: AW Mailing Services Ltd, PO Box 38, Ashford, Kent TN25 6PR.