Victoria Medal of Honour

Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) is awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society to leading figures in United Kingdom horticulture, and is the highest accolade in British gardening. It is awarded to those who are deemed by the Society's Council to be deserving of special recognition in the field of horticulture. [http://www.rhs.org.uk/awardsnominations/awardsnominations.asp "Royal Horticultural Society awards"] ]

The award was established in 1897 "in perpetual remembrance of Her Majesty’s glorious reign, and to enable the Council to confer honour on British horticulturists." The Society's rules state that only sixty-three horticulturists can hold the VMH at any given time, in commemoration of the sixty-three years of Queen Victoria's reign. Therefore the honour is not awarded every year, but may be made to multiple awardees in other years.

Awards

1897 - The first 60 medallists

The first 60 medals were awarded on 26 October 1897Dr Brent Elliott, "Victoria Medal of Honour 1897 - 1997", The Royal Horticultural Society, (London:1997)] :
*John Gilbert Baker (1834 - 1920)
*Isaac Bayley Balfour (1853 - 1922)
*Peter Barr (1826 - 1909)
*Archibald F Barron (1835 - 1903)
*Edward John Beale (1835 - 1902)
*William Boxall (1844 - 1910)
*William Bull (1828 - 1902)
*George Bunyard (1841 - 1919)
*Frederick William Burbidge (1847 - 1905)
*William Crump (1843 - 1932)
*Richard Dean (1830 - 1905)
*George A Dickson (c1835 - 1909)
*Henry Honeywood D'ombrain (1818 - 1905)
*Charles Thomas Druery (1843 - 1917)
*Malcolm Dunn (1837 - 1899)
*Henry Nicholson Ellacombe (1822 - 1916)
*Henry John Elwes (1846 - 1922)
*Michael Foster (1836 - 1907)
*John Fraser (1821 - 1900)
*George Gordon (1841 - 1914)
*John Heal (c1841 - 1925)
*George Henslow (1835 - 1925)
*Hermann Carl Gottlieb Herbst (c1830 - 1904)
*Samuel Reynolds Hole (1819 - 1904)
*Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817 - 1911)
*Francis Daltry Horner (c1838 - 1912)
*James Hudson (1846 - 1932)
*Gertrude Jekyll (1843 - 1932)
*Peter Kay (c1853 - 1909)
*John Laing (1823 - 1900)
*James McIndoe (1836 - 1910)
*Charles Maries (c1851 - 1902)
*Henry Ernest Milner (1845 - 1906)
*Edwin Molyneux (1851 - 1921)
*George Monro (c1847 - 1920)
*Fredrick William Moore (1857 - 1949)
*Daniel Morris (1844 - 1933)
*George Nicholson (1847 - 1908)
*James O'Brien (1842 - 1930)
*Paul George (1841 - 1921)
*William Paul (1822 - 1905)
*T Francis Rivers (1831 - 1899)
*Lionel Walter Rothschild (1868 - 1937)
*Frederick Sander (1847 - 1920)
*Henry Schröder (1824 - 1910)
*John Seden (1840 - 1921)
*Nathaniel Newman Sherwood (1846 - 1916)
*James Smith (1837 - 1903)
*Martin Ridley Smith ( - 1908)
*Walter Speed (c1835 - 1921) Head Gardener at Penrhyn Castle, Wales [ [http://www.gardens-guide.com/gardenpages/_0082.htm Penrhyn Castle (Wales) - © Gardens-Guide.com - OPEN GARDENS UK & Ireland - Features, Admission, Maps, History, and Local Amenities ] ]
*Arthur Warwick Sutton (1854 - 1925)
*Owen Thomas (1843 - 1923)
*William Thompson (1823 - 1903)
*David Thomson (1823 - 1909)
*Harry Turner (c1848 - 1906)
*Ellen Willmott (1858 - 1934)
*George Fergusson Wilson (1822 - 1902)
*Charles Wolley-Dod (1826 - 1904)
*John Wright (1836 - 1916)
*George Wythes (1851 - 1916)

1900-1909

*1902
** Mordecai Cubitt Cooke [ [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=thmPzIltAV8C&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&sig=81UGsCDc1DxLV3JAWviltyHD_bY&dq=%22Mordecai+Cooke%22#PPA166,M1 Desmond, Ray and Ellwood, Christine (1994) "Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists: Including Plant Collectors, Flower Painters and Garden Designers" Taylor & Francis Ltd. and The Natural History Museum, London, UK, p. 166] ISBN 0-85066-843-3]
*1906
**Harry Veitch

1910-1919

*1917
**Peter Veitch

1920-1929

*1921
** George Forrest [ [https://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/gardens/wisley/archive/wisleypci04apr.asp "RHS Garden Wisley: Plants of Current Interest" Royal Horticultural Society 2004] ]

1930-1939

*1931
**Laura McLaren, Baroness Aberconway
*1934
**2nd Baron Aberconway

1940-1949

*1944
** John Hutchinson [ [http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/heritage/people/hutchinson.html Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: History and Heritage: People: Botanists: John Hutchinson] ]

1950-1959

*1955
** Lilian Snelling [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20050315071128/http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/publications/pubs/garden0703/library.asp "Publications: The Garden July 2003" Royal Horticultural Society] ]

1960-1969

*1961
** Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother [ [http://www.anth.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Publications/pubs/garden0502/newsqueenmum.htm "Publications: The Garden May 2002: News" Royal Horticultural Society] ]
**3rd Baron Aberconway
*1968
** Graham Stuart Thomas [ [http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/publications/pubs/garden0603/newsobituaries.asp "Publications: The Garden June 2003: Obituaries" Royal Horticultural Society] ] [ [http://www.timberpress.com/media/getAuthorByID.cfm?AuthorID=57 "Graham Stuart Thomas" Timber Press] ]

1970-1979

*1970
** Roy Hay ["Colour Dictionary of Garden Plants Book", About the authors]
*1971
** Alan Bloom [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-131153480.html Leapman, Michael (5 April 2005) "Obituary: Alan Bloom: Innovative Norfolk nurseryman" "The Independent" London, UK, April 5, 2005] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/4398931.stm "Tributes to a renowned plantsman" 31 March 2005 "BBC News"] ]
*1979
** Christopher Lloyd [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-2015843,00.html "Obituary: Christopher Lloyd" "The Times" January 30, 2006] ]

1980-1989

*1985
** Fred Whitsey
*1986
** Adrian Bloom [ [http://www.timberpress.com/media/getAuthorByID.cfm?AuthorID=175 "Adrian Bloom" Timber Press] ]
*1987
** Beth Chatto [ [http://www.rhs.org.uk/publications/pubs/garden0802/newshonours.asp "Publications: The Garden August 2002: Honours for horticulturists" Royal Horticultural Society] ]
*1988
** Roy Lancaster [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/tv_and_radio/presenterbiogs_j.shtml "BBC Gardening: TV and Radio: Presenter biographies: J to L: Roy Lancaster" "BBC Gardening"] ]

1990-1999

*1993
** Alan Hardy [ [http://www.lib.virginia.edu/brown/sciscan/rhododendrons/ran9902/people.htm "Rhododendron People Page" "Rhododendron And Azalea News" June 1999] ]
*1999
** Ghillean Tolmie Prance [ [http://www.ausable.org/au.boardnstaff.gprance.cfm Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies Board] ]
** Rosemary Verey (1918-2001) [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/rosemary-verey-729196.html Erica Hunningher, "The Independent" Rosemary Verey obituary, 7 June 2001] ]

2000-present

*2002
** David Austin (2002) for his rose breeding [ [http://www.icons.org.uk/nom/nominations/david-austin-english-roses "David Austin English Roses" ICONS a Portrait of England] ] [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/features/2002/04/english_rose.shtml " The world's favourite flower - grown in Shropshire" "BBC Shropshire" April 2002] ]
*2003
** Peter Beales for his rose breeding and media promotion of gardening [http://web.archive.org/web/20040429012903/http://www.rhs.org.uk/news/honours2003.asp "Royal Horticultural Society awards top gardening gongs" Royal Horticultural Society 2003] from Web Archive]
** Peter Seabrook for his rose breeding
** Andrew Dunn for his pioneering of virus-free rootstock
*2004
** Ray Bilton for his work with orchid hybrids [http://www.rhs.org.uk/about/pdf/proceedings2004agm.pdf "Presentation of Awards at the Annual General Meeting 1st July 2004" "Report Of The Proceedings Of the 200th Annual General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society"] ]
** David S. Ingram for his pioneering research into plant diseases
** Alan Titchmarsh for his broadcasting and authorial gardening educational outreach [ [http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/media_centre/press_releases/press_release.html?id=8967 "Alan Titchmarsh To Judge Trinity House's Lighthouse Photography Competition" Trinity House] ]
*2005
** Martin Lane Fox for his work in landscape garden design [http://www.rhs.org.uk/about/pdf/trusteesreport.pdf "Trustees’ Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements 2005/06" Royal Horticultural Society] ] [http://www.rhs.org.uk/news/pressreleases/rhsawards010705.asp "RHS honours four with horticulture’s highest accolade" 1 July 2005 Royal Horticultural Society] ]
** Tony Lord for his work as a garden photographer and horticultural consultant
** Edmund Leopold de Rothschild for his work with rhododendron hybrids
** Tom Wood for his administrative work promoting horticulture
*2006
** Jim Buttress, for his work as a garden show judge
** Miss Sibylle Kreutzberger, for her work at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent
** Miss Pamela Schwerdt, for her work at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent
** Dr. Henry Oakeley, for his scientific work on orchids, the genera "Lycaste", "Ida" and "Anguloa"
*2007
** Sir Richard Carew Pole - former RHS President [http://212.78.84.166/Learning/Publications/pubs/garden0707/newsrhs.htm "The Garden", July 2007, RHS news - "Royal presentations for Society awards"] ]
** Colin Ellis - "for his long and distinguished service since 1983 with RHS Council and numerous committees."
** Christopher Grey-Wilson - for "his many achievements as botanist, photographer, botanical explorer and author of many books and articles."
** Brian Self - "for his lifetime of service to amateur and professional fruit growers."
*2008
** John Ravenscroft - "for his plantsmanship, entrepreneurial talent and encyclopaedic knowledge of plants." [ [http://www.rhs.org.uk/about/awardsnominations.htm RHS awards Awards nominations] ]

Notes and References

External links

* [http://www.rhs.org.uk/awardsnominations/awardsnominations.asp "Royal Horticultural Society awards"]