About the Royal National Rose Society

Society Objectives
Today, the objectives of the Society, which is a registered charity, are to encourage, improve and extend the science, art and practice of the cultivation and conservation of roses and to disseminate knowledge of roses and rose growing both in the garden and in the environment by means of education, training, trials, publications, promotion of display gardens, the holding and regulation of shows, scientific research and international co-operation.

The Royal National Rose Society
Founded in 1876 to promote the growing of roses, provide information and help to rose growers across the country. At this time the Society was largely a club for the benefit of the select few who grew roses to show, rather than for the benefit of the wider rose growing public.

During the Society’s existence it has grown in stature and reputation and is now generally regarded as the leading Rose Society in the world. Our membership now extends worldwide and includes many affiliated horticultural societies and research libraries, as well as rose loving individuals.

Our Headquarters are based at our flagship gardens - the “Royal National Rose Society Gardens of the Rose”, Chiswell Green in Hertfordshire. The gardens offer stunning displays of tens of thousands of roses, both old and modern, complemented by companion plants. The gardens are now open to the general public as well as to our members; they have undergone a complete refurbishment with new roses, herbaceous perennials, spring bulbs, shrubs and lush grassy areas to give year-round interest. Garden visitors will now get the chance to see at first hand the development and growth of this exiting new attraction.  a living directory of roses. 

A vital function of the Society is to conduct trials for new breeds of roses from all over the world. The International Merit Trials held at the “Gardens of the Rose” for both amateur and professional breeders are renowned worldwide. 

The Society, where possible, provides help with any rose related problems, from finding a specific rose through to identifying roses as well as providing general and specific rose care advice.

We also hold, what is considered to be the world’s most comprehensive rose library with books dating back to the early 1900’s, this facility provides a useful resource for both our members and many affiliated learning institutions throughout the world.

The Royal National Rose Society Board of Trustees  

RNRS President — Bernard Williams

RNRS Directors — Ann Bird, Penny Morgan, Pauline Martin, Rod Petty & Paul Rochford

Chief Executive Officer - Roz Hamilton