RHS Partner Gardens terms and conditions

Terms for how the RHS Partner Garden Scheme works, including membership, free entry days, logo use and key obligations

In these terms and conditions (Terms), the RHS may be referred to as us or we, and the RHS Partner Garden as you.

1. Joining the RHS Partner Garden Scheme (‘Scheme’)
To join the Scheme, a garden must meet the Selection Criteria for becoming an RHS Partner Garden. If a garden meets the Selection Criteria, we use the Selection Process to create a shortlist. The RHS Partner Gardens Manager will send a confirmation email to each garden that is successful in its application.
2. Annual Information Collection Survey
Each RHS Partner Garden must complete the annual information collection survey to confirm the dates that you will allow RHS Members free entry (Free RHS Member days) to your RHS Partner Garden. You must meet these access dates unless you agree changes in writing in advance with the RHS Partner Gardens Manager.

You must ensure that the information you provide to us regarding free entry (Free RHS Member days) periods and opening and closing dates and times is accurate. We are not responsible if we publish incorrect information that you have provided.
3. Free entry (Free RHS Member days) to your RHS Partner Garden

During each calendar year of your membership of the Scheme, you will allow RHS Members with an asterisk (*) on the back of their membership cards to have free entry (Free RHS Member days) to your RHS Partner Garden.

This includes:

  • Individual RHS Members
  • One person from an RHS Joint Membership (all other persons on the membership policy will need to pay the normal entry fee)
  • One person with an RHS Student Membership
  • One person from an RHS Individual Life Membership
  • Both RHS Members with an RHS Joint Life and Senior Joint Life Membership

Free entry does not apply to:

  • Guests (the RHS Gardens offer free entry to an RHS Member’s family guest, but this does not apply to the RHS Partner Gardens
  • Group entry (free entry does not apply to RHS Members travelling as part of an organised group – allowing free entry is at the RHS Partner Garden’s discretion)
  • Houses, castles, palaces and other venues unless otherwise stated
  • Special events such as National Garden Scheme days, fairs, exhibitions and shows unless otherwise stated
4. Membership of the scheme
In recognition of the free entry (Free RHS Member days) that you offer to RHS Members, we provide RHS Partner Gardens with the benefits set out in the ‘Benefits of being an RHS Partner Garden’ section.

You must continue to meet the requirements detailed in the Selection Criteria.
5. Renewal, suspension and ending of membership
Once you have joined, your membership of the scheme is ongoing unless it is ended as set out in this clause.
You or we may give written notice to the other to end your membership of the Scheme. This notice must be given by 31 July and will take effect at the end of that calendar year.

If you do not meet the Selection Criteria at any time, we may give you written notice to end your membership of the Scheme at the end of that calendar year.

You must notify us promptly if your RHS Partner Garden is for sale. In such circumstances, we may end your membership of the Scheme or suspend it for a specified period.

We may end your membership of the Scheme by giving you written notice with immediate effect if we reasonably consider that our association with your RHS Partner Garden may bring us into disrepute or otherwise damage the goodwill or reputation of the RHS or the Scheme.

We may suspend or end the Scheme at any time and, where possible, we will provide you with reasonable notice.
6. RHS Partner Garden of the Year Competition (‘Competition’)

All RHS Partner Gardens that have supplied their previous year’s total visitor numbers to the RHS will be entered into the Competition unless:

  • Your RHS Partner Garden is hosting an RHS Flower Show that year
  • You opt out of the competition by emailing [email protected] by 1 March of that year
  • You have notified us before the date of judging of your decision to leave the Scheme at or before the end of that year
  • Your RHS Partner Garden is for sale on or between 1 March and the date of judging in that year
  • You are a previous winner of the Competition, in which case you will be ineligible for the following two years

All RHS Partner Gardens entered into the Competition will be included in an online voting form on the RHS website. We will publish that year’s opening and closing dates for online voting on the RHS website.

Competition winners:

Each year, we will appoint the judging panel and determine the judging criteria which will be shared with you by 1 March. After the Competition closing date, the judges will determine the Competition winners.

The judges will select six RHS Partner Gardens as regional winners for:

  • Scotland 
  • North of England and Northern Ireland 
  • Midlands and East 
  • South East and Channel Islands 
  • South West and Wales 
  • Overseas 

The judges will also select one of the regional winners as the overall winner. The overall winner must be a UK RHS Partner Garden. The judges’ decision is final.

The regional winners will each receive a trophy and the RHS will arrange a garden photoshoot for each of the UK regional winners. We may publish the details of the winners on the RHS website, in the RHS Magazine The Garden and in other RHS media. We may use the names and images of each RHS Partner Garden selected as winners as publicity for the Competition and the Scheme in that year and subsequent years.

The brand and logos for the winners of the RHS Partner Garden of the Year may only be used by a winning RHS Partner Garden and strictly in accordance with the RHS Partner Garden of the Year brand guidelines and the terms set out in paragraph 7.

We may end, suspend, withdraw or vary the Competition, whether temporarily or permanently, at any time. Where practicable, we will announce the ending, suspension, withdrawal or variation with reasonable notice to you.

7. The RHS Partner Gardens Logo (‘Logo’) and the RHS name
You may use the Logo and the RHS name in connection with the activities of the RHS Partner Garden in the United Kingdom for so long as the RHS Partner Garden is a member of the Scheme. You may not use the Logo and the RHS name for any other purposes and you may not permit others to use them. Your use of the Logo must be in the form and colours set out in any guidelines provided by the RHS.

You must ensure that any activities of the RHS Partner Garden comply with all applicable laws, applicable codes of practice and generally accepted industry standards and practices.

We or any of our authorised agents or representatives may review your activities and your use of the logo and the RHS name. If we reasonably consider that your use does not comply with these terms, we may require that you immediately stop using the Logo and the RHS name.
8. Your name, logos and photographs
You allow us to use your RHS Partner Garden’s name and logos in connection with your RHS Partner Garden, the Scheme and our activities.

Separate terms apply for any photographs or any digital asset that you submit to us in connection with the Scheme.
9. Liability
We are not liable to you for any indirect or consequential losses, or any loss of profit, revenue, anticipated savings or goodwill in connection with your participation in the Scheme. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability which cannot legally be limited, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence. Subject to the above, our total liability to you is limited to £1,000.

You agree to indemnify us against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses that we suffer or incur from or in connection with any third-party claim made against us in connection with your participation in the Scheme.
10. Amendment
We may change these Terms from time to time. We will publish the current Terms on this online RHS Partner Garden Toolkit on the RHS website
11. Privacy statement
By becoming an RHS Partner Garden, you agree to us using contact details that you supply to us (including in the RHS Partner Garden application form and as part of the annual information collection survey) in order to: manage the relationship; include the RHS Partner Garden in the RHS Members’ Handbook, the RHS Members magazine The Garden and on the RHS website; and to share news relating to RHS Gardens, events, products, services and fundraising. Please read the full RHS Privacy Policy to find out more about how we use your personal data and how to exercise your rights under the applicable data protection legislation.
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