Matthew Biggs awarded Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH)
Gardener and broadcaster Matthew Biggs has received the highest honour from the RHS, recognising five decades of service to plants, people and the power of gardening to heal
Highest honour
Horticulturist, writer and broadcaster Matthew Biggs has been presented with the most prestigious RHS People Award, the Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to horticulture.
The Victoria Medal of Honour is awarded to British gardeners who have made an exceptional and lasting impact on the practice, promotion or understanding of gardening. It is one of the charity’s most significant accolades, with past recipients including King Charles II, Beth Chatto and David Austin.
The award was presented at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey by Roy Lancaster VMH, a long-time friend and fellow horticultural expert, with the ceremony hosted by Tim Upson, RHS Director of Gardens and Horticulture. With only 63 recipients living at any one time, the award places Matthew among a small and distinguished group.
He is a credit to himself and the profession and a star to all who love plants.
A lifetime rooted in plants
Matthew’s career in horticulture spans more than five decades. Trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, his early grounding in plants set the tone for a professional life built on curiosity, generosity and deep plant knowledge.
Matt featured in the line-up for BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time
He is perhaps best known to the public as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s long-running Gardeners’ Question Time, a role he held for 35 years. Through the programme, Matthew became a familiar and trusted voice for gardeners across the UK, known for practical advice delivered with warmth and enthusiasm.
Alongside broadcasting, Matthew has written more than 20 gardening books, lectured widely in the UK and overseas, and supported the next generation of gardeners through teaching and mentoring. He has also volunteered extensively, including work with Plant Heritage, and continues to contribute his expertise as a member of the RHS Woody Expert Group and as an RHS Show Judge.
Matthew has a natural ability to build connections between people and gardens.
Gardening, wellbeing and the power of green spaces
In recent years, Matthew has become a passionate advocate for gardening as a tool for wellbeing. During his ongoing cancer care, he has spoken openly about the solace and stability he has found in gardening, particularly during difficult periods of treatment.
Creating welcoming, plant-filled spaces for healthcare settings
This personal experience has driven his involvement in projects that use plants and gardens to support health and healthcare environments. Most notably, Matthew has helped to spearhead the redevelopment of a garden space at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Hertfordshire, creating a restorative environment for patients, staff and visitors.
The project reflects a growing recognition of the therapeutic value of gardens and that access to plants should be a fundamental part of care, not an optional extra.
Plants are rather like people, they grow together in beds and borders, supporting and complementing each other.
An award presented with special dispensation
All RHS People Awards require formal nomination, supporting statements and approval from the RHS Council. In Matthew’s case, special dispensation was granted for the presentation of the 64th Victoria Medal of Honour outside of the annual RHS People Awards event. The decision reflects both the significance of his contribution to horticulture and the high regard in which he is held across the gardening community.
Accepting the award, Matthew spoke with characteristic humility. “I’m totally overwhelmed to have received this award when, in my mind, I’ve just been having fun and learning new things alongside great people,” he said. “Who can fail to be inspired by plants?”
Tim Upson reflected on first meeting Matthew 40 years ago as a student, recalling his openness and encouragement even then. Roy Lancaster VMH described the honour as richly deserved, praising Matthew’s empathy, influence and rare ability to connect with gardeners of all backgrounds.
