Press releases

How green are our nation’s gardeners?

March 27 2007

Fetzer Vineyards and the Royal Horticultural Society launch a survey to find out about environmentally-friendly gardening practices in the UK and how concerned and aware gardeners are about the environment.

Fetzer Vineyards and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) have launched a survey* today (Tuesday 27 March 2007) to find out how green gardeners across the UK really are. The two organisations have teamed up to discover how concerned gardeners are about the environment, what environmentally-responsible initiatives and practices are being incorporated in gardens and to identify any new opportunities for the RHS to help gardeners be greener.

Anyone who is interested in gardening can take part in the survey, which can be accessed through www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2007/news and will close on Sunday 15 April 2007. Results will be announced in May. Respondents will have the opportunity to enter a free prize draw** to win a pair of tickets to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for Saturday 26 May. Ten runners-up will receive a bottle of Fetzer Vineyards Syrah Rose Californian wine.

The initiative came to fruition through the RHS Chelsea Flower Show; Fetzer’s show garden, ‘The Fetzer Sustainable Winery Garden’, which uses green power, wastewater recycling and highlights local and sustainable materials, is one of many exhibits showcasing green initiatives at the world’s most famous flower show.

Simon Legge, Director, Fetzer Vineyards said, “Whether we grow vines for making wine, or food to put on our kitchen table, the ultimate goal of sustainable gardening is to build a healthy plant and soil ecosystem, conserve water, wildlife and energy, and to recycle as much as humanely possible. We hope to encourage environmental responsibility not just in the wine industry but around the world and we are delighted to work together with the RHS to further highlight the benefits of sustainable gardening practises.”

Simon Thornton-Wood, RHS Director Science and Learning, said: “As the UK’s leading gardening charity, the RHS promotes gardening practices that can be beneficial to the environment and boost local biodiversity. We have already seen a rising concern on environmental issues in the garden; the RHS responds to over 100,000 enquiries***, through our horticultural advisors and staff, and an increasing proportion of these relate to environmental issues.

“This survey will help to provide a picture of how green gardeners are and indicate what people perceive as barriers to ‘environmentally-friendly gardening’ such as cost, lack of knowledge, aesthetical reasons or that it is too time consuming.”

Other initiatives to promote environmentally-responsible gardening by the RHS include, providing advice profiles online and publishing over 400 leaflets and more than 20 technical guidance documents on conservation and environment issues.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place on 22-26 May 2007 (22 & 23 May: RHS members only. 22 May all-day tickets now sold out). Tickets must be booked in advance on 0870 247 1226 or at www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

Notes to Editors

For more information contact Hayley Monckton in the RHS Press Office on 0207 821 3045 or e-mail hayleymonckton@rhs.org.uk

For further information about Fetzer Vineyards please contact Ann-Louise Limm, Limm Communications on 020 8354 7336 or e-mail: annie@limmpr.com

* Any information supplied in the survey will be processed by Wine Intelligence Ltd, the market research company conducting this research, and is safeguarded under the Data Protection Act. The survey is conducted in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct.

** Anyone completing the survey will have the opportunity to enter a free prize draw. The first three names, drawn at random, will each win a pair of RHS Chelsea Flower Show tickets for Saturday 26th May. There will also be 10 runners up prizes of a 75cl bottle of Fetzer Vineyards Syrah Rose Californian wine. For full terms and conditions, please see the prize draw entry form on the final page of the survey.

*** Via phone and e-mail and face-to-face at RHS gardens and flower shows. This also includes over 62,000 queries from RHS members in 2006.

Photographs of the 2006 RHS Chelsea Flower Show are available to download at www.papicselect.com Publications can register online and download images free of charge.

Please note: Press pass application forms for the 2007 RHS Flower Shows can be downloaded from www.rhs.org.uk/press from 31 January 2007.

For full details of RHS Chelsea Flower Show visit www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2007

22 - 26 May 2007 (22 & 23 RHS members only)
In the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London SW3

Ticket Hotline (Public): 0870 247 1226
RHS show information: 020 7649 1885
Online bookings and show info: www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

Ticket prices range from £12.50 - £44
All tickets must be bought in advance

The proceeds taken from events help to fund the many activities undertaken by the RHS to promote horticulture and help gardeners.

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office