Planet-friendly gardening
10 things all gardeners can do now
Inspiring more people through sustainable education
The RHS is putting sustainability at the core of its horticultural education, helping learners of all ages gain skills and confidence for lifelong gardening and a greener, more resilient future
People Target 3 of the RHS Sustainability Strategy: Develop and embed sustainable horticulture within education, research and training
To develop sustainable horticultural research and training, increasing the skills, knowledge and confidence of young people and adults to grow sustainably
How are we going to do this?
1. Embed sustainability across all RHS programmes – from workshops at RHS Gardens and in-school growing projects to apprenticeships, qualifications and PhD research
2. Develop and offer new, accessible training in sustainable horticulture at every level
3. Strengthen our sustainability message across RHS platforms – internally and through the RHS Advisory and Membership Services
What does this target mean?
With environmental research and AI tools evolving every day, there’s never been a more exciting time to explore how plants and sustainable gardening practices can benefit both people and the environment.
The RHS has one of the broadest educational offers out there – reaching learners from nursery school age to PhD research. In 2025, we’re reaching over 50k learners annually through formal education, and many more through our engagement programmes. Whether it’s a child sowing their first seed or an experienced adult rethinking their space for climate resilience, we’re here to support sustainable action at every stage. That’s why we’re committed to providing guidance that’s clear, accessible and grounded in the latest science.
"Ultimately, this means that we can secure the progress of gardens and make them net contributors to a sustainable future"
How is the RHS meeting this target?
In 2023 the RHS launched New Shoots, a nationwide initiative to promote careers in horticulture and increase the number and diversity of people entering the sector
- Thanks to the National Education Nature Park, nurseries, schools and colleges across England are tracking improvement across an area more than twice the size of Birmingham, with scientists at the Natural History Museum using the data for important research.
- We revised our RHS Qualifications in 2022 to align with current industry standards and have a greater emphasis on sustainable practices in horticulture.
- In 2023, we launched New Shoots, our nationwide initiative to promote careers in horticulture and increase the number and diversity of people entering the sector.
- In 2024, we moved our RHS Campaign for School Gardening training offer online, with three eLearning courses giving educators the skills they need to grow in a planet-friendly way.
- Our school visits are available at all RHS Gardens, free of charge, with learning for pupils taking place in dedicated educational facilities and teaching gardens.
- Our adult workshops at RHS Gardens continue to expand, catering to different skill levels including beginners, career changers and advanced horticulturists.
- Our new RHS Digital Collections website means that for the first time, rare gardening books, botanical art and photographs can be viewed online for free, allowing us to reach a wider audience and preserve them for future generations.
Why should gardeners care about this?
This issue affects us all, and it affects us now. Gardeners work within nature all the time and it is fascinating to learn more about how our actions can help to support wildlife, nature and the planet.
Ultimately, it means that we can secure the progress of gardens and make them net contributors to a sustainable future.
See also:
Read more about our targets...
Net Positive for Nature
Target 1: Climate positive by 2030
Target 2: Biodiversity positive by 2025
Target 3: Biosecurity neutral by 2025
Target 4: Water neutral by 2030
Target 5: Circular plastic by 2030
Target 6: Zero waste to landfill by 2030
Net Positive for People
Target 1: Enable more people to enjoy the benefits of gardening
Target 2: Design a new evidence-based blueprint for wellbeing gardens by 2025
Target 3: Develop and embed sustainable horticulture within education, research and training