RHS Partner Gardens selection criteria

Criteria setting out the requirements and standards gardens must meet to be considered for inclusion in the RHS Partner Garden Scheme

1. RHS Partner Garden entry requirements
To be eligible to become an RHS Partner Garden, UK gardens need to offer free entry to RHS Members for a minimum of 28% of the time the garden is open. If you are open all year, this translates to two days per week and for shorter opening periods, this is calculated on a pro-rata basis. Gardens can also choose to offer free entry during selected months of the year. For example, if you are open year-round, you may choose to participate in February, May and October. Gardens that are only open one day per week must allow access to RHS Members whenever they are open.

Please note that international gardens must offer free entry to RHS Members whenever they are open.

In return for providing this benefit to RHS Members, your garden receives access to a package of exclusive benefits (see RHS Partner Garden benefits).
2. RHS Partner Garden selection process

If a garden meets the entry requirements (part of the Selection Criteria), the selection process is as follows: 

  • September–April: The RHS Partner Gardens Manager compiles a list of gardens that have approached the RHS and gardens that the society wishes to approach. Application forms are distributed
  • Late May: Deadline for receipt of applications
  • May–July: The RHS Partner Gardens Manager evaluates the gardens on the list. Desk research, including gardens’ websites and TripAdvisor, is conducted and gardens are visited whenever possible. The RHS Director of Horticulture, RHS Expert Group Members and other senior managers may also be consulted
  • July: The RHS Partner Gardens Manager makes a shortlist for discussion with the RHS Director of Horticulture. The new RHS Partner Gardens are confirmed
  • August: The process of gathering information for the following year’s RHS Members Handbook and RHS website begins, including the new gardens 
  • November–December: New gardens are sent information relating to the scheme
  • January: New RHS Partner Gardens officially join the scheme 
3. Why join the RHS Partner Garden Scheme?
Gardens from the UK and overseas join the RHS Partner Garden Scheme for a variety of reasons. Primarily, this tends to be for profiling opportunities through RHS media channels, driving garden visits and an association with the RHS brand. However, the scheme does not suit every garden, so please consider carefully before committing.
4. Eligibility criteria for RHS Partner Gardens in 2027
  1. Horticultural excellence: The garden demonstrates significant horticultural interest, which may include unusual design, inspiring planting schemes, notable plant collections, gardening heritage or emerging garden trends
  2. Free entry access: The garden is open at regular times and is prepared to waive the entrance charge for RHS Members (individual Members and one member of a joint Membership1) for at least 28% of its open period – equivalent to two days per week or three months a year if a garden is open all year round and pro-rata for shorter seasons. Gardens that only open one day a week must allow access to RHS Members for all the time they are open. Guests/non-RHS Members will need to pay the garden’s entry charge2. International gardens need to be able to offer free entry to RHS Members whenever they are open
  3. Acreage: The garden is of a size not less than 3 acres, although this is at the RHS Horticultural team’s discretion and some smaller gardens may be included to align with current RHS Strategy
  4. RHS Values: The garden is sympathetic to the aims and aspirations of the RHS, for example, transitioning to peat-free gardening practices in line with industry expectations by 2030 and by not bringing the RHS into disrepute through activities it undertakes
  5. Admission charge: The garden charges a minimum adult entrance fee of at least £5 and has a staffed collection point for this fee. Some ‘free-to-visit’ gardens will be accepted into the scheme if they can offer RHS Members an incentive to visit, such as a free hot drink in their café of the same minimum value. We are no longer accepting gardens that operate an honesty box system
  6. Carers: The admission charge is waived for one essential carer accompanying RHS Members whose disability necessitates their support
  7. Visitor numbers: The garden will keep a record of the number of RHS Member free-entry visits received each year and will supply these on request to the RHS, usually around February each year for RHS Gift Aid returns for HMRC. Please note that currently the RHS does not have a linked EPOS system and we ask gardens to record RHS visitors using your own systems or manually. The garden will also supply total visitor numbers to the RHS on request to enter the annual RHS Partner Garden of the Year competition
  8. Website: The garden must have its own website, which is updated regularly, where visitors can look up details of facilities and check opening dates and times. We recommend gardens clearly display the days/times of RHS Member Days (and any closures for events or unexpected weather conditions) on their opening times website pages. This prevents confusion at the gate. If you have advanced booking only, there must be an easy way for RHS Members to book in advance, for free 
  9. Infrastructure: The garden has the necessary facilities (e.g. toilets, good access routes, car parking, signage and well-kept paths etc) to ensure a safe and engaging visit
  10. Supporting features: Such as a gift shop, plant sales and refreshments, are desirable and benefit a garden due to secondary spend opportunities for RHS Members. 93% of Members spend on secondary items – food/drink being the most common, followed by plant purchases3 
  11. The charitable / membership status of the garden must not conflict with that of the RHS
  12. The garden must not be in the process of being sold at the time of applying to the RHS Partner Garden Scheme nor at the time of selection
Please note: Admittance to the scheme is at the discretion of the RHS and is not guaranteed. 1 The RHS may introduce new membership types from late 2026, which will also require entry for one member per membership into RHS Partner Gardens. 2 Deviations from published entry criteria are at the discretion of the RHS Partner Garden team. 3 RHS Members survey 2026.
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