The RHS is looking for members of the trade and gardening professionals to get involved with its plant trials.
In 2012 there is an opportunity for those with an interest in and knowledge of Euphorbia and/or Stipa to become members of two new assessment panels.
“We are introducing some changes to the way we undertake plant assessments in our Award of Garden Merit (AGM) trials,” says Jim Gardiner, Director of Horticulture at the RHS. “Next year a number of our trials, including Euphorbia and Stipa, will be assessed by dedicated panels. We are hoping that this panel structure will give increased opportunity for working professional gardeners, members of the trade and members of specialist plant societies to become more involved.”
The charity has already looked at the benefits of using a plant-specific panel this year when it brought together professional gardeners, experts, specialists and amateurs with a specific interest in dahlias. That panel had eight members including Greg Redwood from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who said about his involvement, “It is an absolute pleasure being involved with this panel. We discussed and assessed the plants thoroughly and it was very beneficial to have detailed comments and explanations from the dahlia experts. I am learning a lot.”
To enquire about getting involved and the commitment required, contact the RHS by emailing to trials@rhs.org.uk.