The Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library: Safeguarding Britain's Horticultural Heritage

TL;DR

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Library is the world's largest horticultural society with a vast collection of books, journals, and catalogs on horticulture and garden design.

Transcript

now the royal horticultural society is the world's largest horticultural society membership past the 400 000 mark this year and it also has the world's largest horticultural library this would be the case even if we took only the principal branch at the society's offices in london into consideration but there's also a major collection of the societ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥰 The RHS Library has a vast collection of horticultural literature, including books on garden history, botanical art, nursery catalogs, and more.
• 🛀 Flower shows and competitions have been an integral part of the society's history, with records dating back to the 19th century.
• 💦 The library has played a crucial role in preserving and documenting horticultural history, including the work of plant collectors and the development of new varieties.
• 😀 The library faced challenges due to a fire in 2011, but efforts have been made to restore and improve its collections and facilities.

Questions & Answers

Q: When was the Royal Horticultural Society founded and what was its original purpose?

The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 by John Wedgwood and Sir Joseph Banks. Its original purpose was to provide a forum for fellows to read papers, publish them in its transactions, and discuss items of interest.

Q: Who was John Lindley and what were his contributions to the society?

John Lindley was the society's effective administrator and served as assistant secretary, deputy secretary, vice secretary, and finally full secretary. He supervised flower shows, ran training programs, edited publications, and named and identified plants brought back by the society's collectors.

Q: How did the society face financial difficulties in the 1850s?

The society faced financial difficulties in the 1850s and had to take emergency measures, including the sale of its magnificent library. Prince Albert helped rescue the society by providing a new royal charter, a change of name to the Royal Horticultural Society, and additional gardens.

Q: What is the significance of the Lindley Library Trust?

In 1866, the Lindley Library Trust was established to protect the library from being sold. Originally, the trustees represented organizations involved in the 1866 exhibition, but the RHS council became the sole trustee in 1910.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is the world's largest horticultural society, with over 400,000 members and the largest horticultural library.

• The library has multiple branches, including the principal garden at Wisley, London offices, and smaller collections at three other gardens.

• The library's collections include books on garden history, botanical art, nursery catalogs, flower shows records, and more.