Victoria Medal of Honour

Awards

1897 – The first 60 medallists

The first 60 medals were awarded on 26 October 1897:

• 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)
• Paul George (1841–1921)
• 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 Edmund Kay (1853–1909)
• John Laing (1823–1900)
• Charles Maries (1851–1902)
• James McIndoe (1836–1910)
• Henry Ernest Milner (1845–1906)
• Edwin Molyneux (1851–1921)
• George Monro (c1847 – 1920)
• Frederick William Moore (1857–1949)
• Daniel Morris (1844–1933)
• George Nicholson (1847–1908)
• James O'Brien (1842–1930)
• 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
• 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

• 1900
  • George Herbert Engleheart (1851–1936) breeder of daffodils
  • Trevor Lawrence (1831–1913), President of the Royal Horticultural Society 1885 to 1913
• 1901
  • George King (1840–1909)
  • Eleanor Ormerod
  • James Sweet, Messrs J. Sweet & Sons Ltd, nurserymen, Whetstone
• 1902
  • Mordecai Cubitt Cooke (1825–1914), Mycologist
• 1903
  • Thomas Smith, Daisy Hill Nursery
• 1904
  • Edward Mawley (1842–1916)
• 1905
  • Henry Eckford (1823–1905)
• 1906
  • Richard Irwin Lynch (1850–1924), Curator of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden
  • Harry Veitch (1840–1924)

William Botting-Hemsley. (1843 - 1924) Keeper of the Herbarium and library, Kew Gardens.

1910–1919

• 1911
  • Charles Robert Fielder (1857-1946 Bramshaw)
• 1912
  • Ernest Henry Wilson (1876–1930)
• 1916
  • Edward Augustus Bowles (1865–1954)
• 1917
  • William Jackson Bean (1863–1947)
  • Frederick Chittenden (1873–1950), first Director of the RHS Wisley Garden.
  • Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell (1845–1937)
  • Peter Veitch (1850–1929)

1920–1929

• 1921
  • George Forrest (1873–1932)
• 1922
  • Arthur Boscawen (1862–1935)
• 1924
  • Arthur Grove
• 1925
  • Samuel B. Dicks (1845–1926), seedsman
  • William Rickatson Dykes (1827–1925){{cite web| title=Tulipa | url=http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Plant.aspx?p=27&ix=12&pid=0&prcid=0&ppid=0 | publisher=Cambridge Botanic Garden | access-date=8 October 2014}}
  • William Wright Smith (1875–1956)
  • George Yeld (1845–1938)
• 1926
  • Herbert George Alexander (orchid grower)
  • Frederick Vincent Theobald (1868–1930)
• 1927
  • Frederick Robert Stephen Balfour (1873–1945)
• 1928
  • W. Nelmes
• 1929
  • Sir William Lawrence (1870–1934), Lionel de Rothschild (1882–1942)

1930–1939

• 1931
  • Laura McLaren, Baroness Aberconway (1854–1933)
• 1933
  • George Percival Baker (1856–1951)
  • Frederick William Millard (1864–1964)
• 1934
  • Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway (1879–1953)
• 1935
  • Amos Perry (1871–1953), of Perry's Plant Farm
• 1936
  • Stephenson Robert Clarke (1862–1948), of Borde Hill
  • James Comber (1866–1953), of Nymans, Handcross
  • Frederick Augustus Secrett (1886–1964)
• 1938
  • William Fleming Bewley (1891–1976)
  • Frederick George Preston (1882–1964).
• 1939
  • Charles Percival Raffill M.B.E.(1876–1951), Curator, Kew Gardens. Raffill was also honoured in 1934 as an Associate of Honour of the Royal Horticultural Society (AHRHS).

1940–1949

• 1940
  • Sir Frederick Claude Stern (1884–1967) – Highdown chalk garden
• 1941
  • Edwin Lawrence Hillier – Hillier Nurseries
• 1942
  • Lady Iris Lawrence
• 1943
  • Arthur Disbrowe Cotton
• 1944
  • Arthur Dorrien-Smith (1876–1955)
  • John Hutchinson (1884–1972)
• 1945
  • Fred Streeter (1879–1975) – horticulturalist and broadcaster
• 1946
  • Vera Higgins (1892–1962)
• 1948
  • Wilfrid Fox (1875–1962) – Winkworth Arboretum
• 1949
  • Ernest Ballard (1870–1952)
  • Harry Higgott Thomas (1876–1956) – Editor of Popular Gardening

1950–1959

• 1951
  • Peter Crichton Kay (1889–1954)
• 1952
  • Albert Maurice Amsler (1877–1952)
  • Collingwood Ingram (1880-1981)
  • Thomas Wallace (1891–1965)
• 1953
  • Archibald Park Balfour
  • Sir David Bowes-Lyon (1902–1961)
  • C Edward Hudson
• 1954
  • Raymond Henry Stoughton (1903–1979)
• 1955
  • Robert L. Scarlett : for his contributions to horticultural experimental work in Scotland & United Kingdom.
  • Lilian Snelling (1879–1972)
• 1957
  • William MacDonald Campbell
  • Harold Roy Fletcher(1907–1978), Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  • John Scott Lennox Gilmour (1906–1995)
  • Harold Hillier (1905–1985) – Hillier Nurseries
• 1958
  • Frank P. Knight (1903–1985), Director of Wisley Garden

1960–1969

• 1960
  • Maurice Mason (1912–1993)
• 1961
  • Sir Edward Bolitho of Trengwainton, Penzance
  • Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1900–2002)
  • William Gregor MacKenzie, curator of Chelsea Physic Garden
  • Thomas Hope Findlay (1910-1994) Keeper of Gardens Windsor Great Park 1943-1975
  • Charles McLaren, 3rd Baron Aberconway (1913–2003)
• 1963
  • S. Millar Gault
  • Sir James Horlick (1886–1972) of The Island of Gigha
• 1964
  • Gwendolyn Anley
  • Hans Hvass – Danish writer on natural history
• 1965
  • John Paul Wellington Furse (1904–1978)
  • Beatrix Havergal (1901–1980)
  • William T. Stearn (1911–2001)
• 1967
  • Arthur Hellyer (1902–1993) – RHS. Horticultural writer and journalist.
  • Sir Giles Rolls Loder, 3rd Baronet (1914–1999) of Leonardslee, Lower Beeding, Horsham
• 1968
  • Graham Stuart Thomas (1909–2003)

1970–1979

• 1970
  • Roy Hay (1910–1989)
  • Alan F. Mitchell (1922–1995)
• 1971
  • Alan Bloom (1906–2005)
  • Frances Perry (1907–1993)
  • Patrick Synge (1910–1982)
• 1973
  • Julia Clements
• 1974
  • Roy Copeman Elliott (Alpine gardener)
  • Martin O. Slocock
• 1975
  • Herbert Rawnsley Barr (1903–1987)
  • Valerie Finnis (1924–2006)
• 1976
  • Christopher D. Brickell
  • John Pilkington Hudson (1910–2007)
  • Lady Marie Loder of Leonardslee, Lower Beeding, Horsham
• 1977
  • Percy Thrower (1913–1988), Television gardener
  • Mrs Desmond Underwood
• 1978
  • W Martin Robinson, vegetable expert.
• 1979
  • Christopher Lloyd (1921–2006)

1980–1989

• 1980
  • Leonard Broadbent (1916–2002) – Professor in Biology at the University of Bath
  • Sheila Macqueen – Flower arranger
• 1981
  • John Bond (1932–2001) – Keeper of Windsor Great Park and the Savill Gardens
  • Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 3rd Baronet (1894–1972) and Lady Heathcoat-Amory (1901–1997)
• 1982
  • Adrian Frank Posnette
• 1983
  • John Stewart Mattock
• 1984
  • Kath Dryden (−2009) – alpine plant expert
• 1985
  • Adrian Bloom – Bressingham Steam and Gardens
  • Douglas Mackay Henderson (1927–2007), Keeper, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
  • Fred Whitsey (1919–2009)- Gardening correspondent of The Daily Telegraph
• 1986
  • Lady Anne Berry (1919–)
  • Robin A.E. Herbert (1934–2024) Former President of RHS
  • John B. Simmons (1937–)
• 1987
  • W.L. Banks
  • Beth Chatto (1923–2018)
• 1988
  • Roy Lancaster (1937–)
• 1989
  • Carolyn Hardy (1930–2016)- Chairman, National Gardens Scheme
  • A.D. Schilling

1990–1999

• 1990
  • Sylvia Crowe(1901–1997)
  • D.J. Fuller
• 1991
  • P. Cox
  • B. Mathew
  • Frederick Alkmund Roach (1909–2004)
  • Miriam Rothschild (1908–2005)
  • D.J. Sales
• 1993
  • Alan Hardy (1926–1999) – Sandling Estate
  • Mary Shirville Newnes (1926–2020) – flower arranger
  • Charles Notcutt (1935–2015)
• 1994
  • Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe (1900–1996) – Landscape Designer
  • James Smart – of Marwood Hill Garden
• 1995
  • Raymond J Evison(1944–)
  • David McClintock (1913–2001)
  • Helen Robinson (1919–2004) – Hyde Hall
• 1996
  • John G. Hillier – Hillier Nurseries
  • Penelope Hobhouse (1929–)
  • C.R.M. Notcutt
• 1997
  • J.W. Blanchard
  • Mary Grierson (1912–2012) – Botanical artist
  • John Palmer, Earl of Selborne
• 1998
  • Joyce Stewart (1936–2011) – Director of Horticulture, RHS
  • Rosemary Verey (1918–2001)
• 1999
  • H. Moggridge
  • A. Moon
  • Sir Ghillean Tolmie Prance (1937–)
  • G.H. Rae

2000–2009

• 2001
  • P. Erskine
• 2002
  • David Austin (1926–2018) for his rose breeding
• 2003
  • Peter Beales (1936–2013) for his rose breeding and media promotion of gardening
  • Andrew Dunn for his pioneering of virus-free rootstock
  • Peter Seabrook (1935–) for his rose breeding
• 2004
  • Ray Bilton for his work with orchid hybrids
  • David S. Ingram (1941–) for his pioneering research into plant diseases
  • Alan Titchmarsh for his broadcasting and authorial gardening educational outreach
• 2005
  • Martin Lane Fox for his work in landscape garden design
  • 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
  • Sibylle Kreutzberger, for her work at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent
  • Dr. Henry Oakeley, for his scientific work on orchids, the genera Lycaste, Ida and Anguloa
  • Pamela Schwerdt, for her work at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent
• 2007
  • 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."
  • Sir Richard Carew Pole (1938–2024) – former RHS President
  • 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."
• 2009
  • Charles Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale
  • Charles III - "for his passion for plants, sustainable gardening and the environment."
  • John Humphris
  • Lady Christine Skelmersdale

2010–present

• 2010
  • Peter R. Dawson
  • Michael Hickson
  • Robert T. Hillier
  • John Massey – "for his valuable contribution to plantbreeding "
  • Dowager Marchioness Salisbury
• 2011
  • Giles Coode-Adams
  • Maurice C. Foster
  • Richard Webb
• 2012
  • Stephen Blackmore
  • Alice Boyd, Viscountess of Merton
  • David Clark
  • John Parker
• 2013
  • Nigel Colborn
  • Brian Humphrey
• 2014
  • Chris Sanders
• 2015 Not awarded
• 2016
  • Mark Flanagan (posthumously)
  • Johan Hermans
• 2017
  • Nick Dunn
  • Jekka McVicar – RH Vice-President
• 2018
  • Peter Catt
  • Carol Klein
  • Charles Williams
• 2019
  • Fergus Garrett
  • Tony Kirkham
  • Bill Simpson
• 2020
  • Christopher Bailes
  • Jim Gardiner
  • Jim (James) McColl
• 2022
  • Monty Don
  • Brian Duncan
  • Peter Thoday
• 2023
  • Jim Marshall
  • Paul Phillips
  • Jon Wheatley
• 2024
  • Jan Pennings
  • Chris Lane
  • Neil Lucas
• 2025
  • Sarah Cook
  • Martyn Rix
  • Ron Scamp

References

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