RHS and George at Asda bring second kids’ clothing collection to retail

Following the success of its initial collaboration with the George at Asda brand, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the arrival at retail of a second collection, again highlighting children’s apparel and accessories for 1-7-year-olds.

As well as being a hit at retail, the first RHS collection from George at Asda won the Best Brand Licensed Children’s Product or Range at the 2022 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. This second collection is set to build on that success, and focuses on a carefully selected mix of apparel for wearing out and about, including shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, shorts and backpacks, as well as sweatshirts, joggers, dungarees, cardigans, clogs and trainers.

As before, the George design team has collaborated with the RHS to create a unique print direction featuring hand-drawn illustrations of colourful plants, vegetables and insects – there’s even a friendly bumble bee-shaped backpack. Slogans encouraging kids to reconnect with nature and grow plants and veg, such as “My hobby is making garden friends”, “Plant some seeds to save the bees” and the collection’s tagline “Let’s go and grow” are highlighted throughout the collection, which can be found in back neck prints, back neck tapes and packaging.

To further underline the joys of gardening, swing tags have again been designed in the shape of flower pots. The RHS branding, highlighting the RHS tree and shield, is clearly visible on the sew-in tags and packaging.

The range is now available in 86 Asda stores and online at George.com, and selling through at an amazing speed, underlining the continuing appeal of the RHS/George collaboration over a year after the first collection hit the shelves.

Launched in 1990, George is now sold in over 580 stores and through George.com with over two million customer transactions per week combined, making George one of the largest fashion retailers in Britain.

Estella Arroyo, Product Design Profession Lead at George, says: “The positive challenge of this latest collaboration was to build on the appeal of our first collection but offering something new and exciting. The response so far has been fantastic! We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with the RHS on this and the clothing and accessories brilliantly combine style, fun and practicality – perfect for getting outside, exploring and growing!”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “As one of our earliest forays into children’s products – and our very first collaboration on children’s clothing – the RHS collection from George at Asda was an unqualified success, delighting children and parents and brilliantly underlining our key message – to encourage everyone to ’get growing’. We were understandably eager to develop a second collection with the talented George team, and yet again they have excelled themselves.”

The RHS and The Posh Shed Company partner for The RHS Garden Retreat

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Posh Shed Company have extended their highly successful partnership, which began nearly four years ago, with the RHS endorsement of a new shed designed to enhance and support the changing lifestyles of gardeners and non-gardeners alike: The RHS Garden Retreat.

Following the first lockdown in 2020, a survey commissioned by the RHS revealed that seven out of ten people considered that having a garden boosted their mental health. Many people have continued to work from home part-time and have kept up leisure pursuits established during lockdown. The RHS Garden Retreat has been designed to help balance this new way of life with the benefits of spending time in the garden.

The RHS Garden Retreat is on permanent display within Battleston Hill at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, and is available to order at www.theposhshedcompany.co.uk.

The Posh Shed Company’s products are hand-made by skilled craftspeople in Herefordshire – and can be made to order to meet the exact requirements of each customer.

Richard Frost, Chairman and Co-Founder of The Posh Shed Company says: “The ‘garden shed’ can and should be so much more than merely functional: it should also be a space to enjoy the garden, a place to relax or work and a destination within your own outside world to sit and watch nature at work – somewhere that is great for your wellbeing. It is with this in mind that we have partnered with the RHS to create The RHS Garden Retreat. We are delighted to be involved with this project.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “More than ever, the mental and physical health benefits of gardens and gardening are being recognised and appreciated, and the way that people use their gardens is changing as a result. We are very pleased to have worked with The Posh Shed Company to develop The RHS Garden Retreat, which can provide a stylish, comfortable sanctuary in your garden to pursue hobbies or work from home while connecting with nature.”

For information on how gardening and looking at nature can help manage stress and mental health problems, please visit: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/health-and-wellbeing

 

 

Horticultured | The Royal Horticultural Society on bringing 200 years’ of gardening history to new audiences

From garden tools to wine, and chocolates to canvas shoes, all via the mulch aisle, when the Royal Horticultural Society puts its name to something, it carries with it the weight of over 200 years’ of rich heritage and authority on the subject of the country’s unerring love affair with the garden and the produce of the natural world it inhabits.

At a time in which heritage licensing is witnessing a stark upwards curve in demand from consumers today, while gardening is seeing an equal surge in consumer interest from across the age ranges, spanning children an families, to young adults and of course the core audience within which the RHS brands sits, it’s understandable that the organisation’s licensing division has become a hive of activity, abuzz with excitement over its latest developments in the space.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Cathy Snow, licensing manager at the RHS to find out how the firm brings its 200 years of history to the contemporary licensing space, what audiences are demanding from the heritage licensing sector today, and how the Royal Horticultural Society is embracing and encouraging new audiences to explore Britain’s own back gardens.

Hello Cathy, thank you for chatting with us today. To kick us off, could you give us an overview of the RHS brand and the values that it brings to the licensing space? How does the brand’s licensing efforts work to promote the ethos of the RHS, from wildlife and conservation to health and wellbeing?

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS: “Inspiring everyone to grow” is our brand message and gardening has been our focus for over 200 years. But we turn this messaging into action. The Royal Horticultural Society is a charity, yes, but it’s also a campaigning institution, an educational powerhouse, and the owner of some of the most popular visitor centres and gardening shows in the country, regularly attracting millions of people. We also support everyday gardening and its proven physical and mental benefits, many of which became more apparent than ever last year.

Of course our licensing work helps us to fund these efforts and raise awareness of them. But licensing itself has to fit in with the brand and its ideals. Sustainability and good ethical and environmental practices are important in our campaigning work but also important in terms of choosing partners and supporting their manufacturing processes. 

The RHS brand is a hugely reputable and deeply respected name. How do you leverage the rich heritage of the brand itself to build on the licensing portfolio? Where do you begin with building out a programme for such a revered name as RHS?

The overall RHS licensing campaign, quite reasonably, references the brand’s rich British history. But it does a lot more than that. Our products succeed in the marketplace because we look at our core strengths and assets and focus on products centered around those. This approach is especially notable in the gardening category, where high-quality tools and stylish garden furniture are promoted alongside peat-free gardening products, and an extensive range of core gardening essentials suited to every level of gardening ability.

“More heritage organisations than ever are entering the licensing arena and developing licensed products – but the best of them are not solely focused on commercial gain.”

However, this approach also influences other categories, which aim to raise awareness of our work and ideals. Many designs – including those used on a growing selection of adult apparel – are inspired by imagery from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s largest collection of botanical art. Scholastic UK has launched a programme of entertaining, informative and beautifully illustrated activity books for children aged seven to 12, encouraging readers to explore and enjoy nature outdoors. Information on tags and packaging helps to promote our work. Our children’s clothing promotes gardening in a fun way with veg and plant imagery and witty slogans. And of course many of our products are made by craftspeople and sourced in the UK.

Whatever the category the licensing team work with licensees and retailers not only to provide the best possible products but also to educate consumers about gardening and share our own love of horticulture with everyone no matter their age, ability or gardening space. 

How has ‘heritage licensing’ changed over recent years, what do consumers expect in terms of brand narrative and story-telling in ‘heritage licensing’ today, and how is this reflected in your approach to licensing RHS?

More heritage organisations than ever are entering the licensing arena and developing licensed products – but the best of them are not solely focused on commercial gain. RHS licensed products must be relevant, appropriate and the best quality possible. If we don’t think a product is right for the RHS, we won’t approve it.

Consumers expect RHS licensed products to outperform other similarly available items; if a customer buys a pot with a 10-year frost-proof guarantee they expect it to last for more than 10 years. This is why we carefully approve every product and check its performance and quality. 

And of course, the brand narrative – inspiring everyone to grow – influences all our partnerships, from garden tools to wine and chocolates, and from mulch to canvas shoes.

The licensing and story-telling potential that RHS boasts must be incredibly exciting. What level of creativity does the depth of the portfolio afford you with your licensing plans? How are you applying innovation in licensing to new and varied audiences?

The RHS style guides are an obvious starting point. They make use of the RHS Lindley Collections – the world’s largest collection of botanical art, including some 25,000 works. This is the perfect combination of exciting and original but also highly appropriate material.

However, the RHS encourages licensees to use the Collections as they see fit – the art is an inspiration rather than a rulebook. For example, the recent Hotter range of canvas shoes created two exclusive repeat pattern designs from Lindley Collections illustrations to deliver something unique and evocative, while the Oasis design team re-sketched its chosen images by hand for a series of prints to be used in a new fashion collection.

“Gardening came into its own in pandemic-hit 2020 when RHS gardening product licensees saw a surge in sales, and the health benefits (physical and mental) of gardening were not just interesting insights but news headlines.”

Regularly refreshed style guides add to the choice. One such was the very successful RHS Licensing Geometric Style Guide 2018; this uses Parterre and knot garden styles dating from the 1600s and 1700s to reflect the trend for geometric designs. Another was a style guide for children’s products – building on the charity’s success in outreach for children, families and schools, and in child-friendly events at its gardens and shows.

And yes, there are new audiences, and we constantly monitor home and garden trends. For instance, our supporter base is changing. A younger audience is discovering the benefits of outdoor spaces and gardening. We’ve therefore expanded our product portfolio into products for children, families and younger adults, and children’s products will be a major focus for the RHS in the post-pandemic world. A recent success was an association with the award-winning George brand that produced a fabulous collection of children’s clothing and accessories aimed at one to seven year olds. There’s also been an RHS-inspired series of children’s books from Scholastic UK. 

How can licensing unlock the values of gardening, the outdoors, nature, wellbeing and all that RHS stands for with new generations?

For our gardening products – a major part of our licensed offering – there’s a clear link. And of course, gardening came into its own in pandemic-hit 2020 when RHS gardening product licensees saw a surge in sales, and the health benefits (physical and mental) of gardening were not just interesting insights but news headlines.

But even with homeware, apparel, confectionery and other non-gardening categories we aim to use packaging and POS to inform and educate where we can. We have thousands of botanical artworks available to licensees, many of which inspire product designs. These help to raise awareness of our gardens, flower shows, research, education and the excellent advice and information we can offer on all horticultural matters.

We always try to innovate and lead; this is reflected in our licensed products.

As for new generations, the move into children’s products – which actually started before Covid and lockdown – reflects the changing age of our supporters and, of course, the many initiatives the RHS as a whole has in place for children and schools.

How has the consumer’s relationship with ‘heritage licensing’ changed in the last 12 months? Has lockdown and the pandemic changed the way in which people want to experience art and culture? How does this influence your licensing strategy?

Consumers seem to be looking for products made by hand and closer to home, which we encourage, where feasible, through relationships with craft groups and UK-based partners. The growing public appeal of craft suppliers and companies based in the UK, as well as sustainability – in particular with the younger audience – fits in well with the brand values of the RHS.

Recyclable packaging, less plastic, low-impact manufacturing – these have always been aims of ours, but consumer awareness of environmental issues is now growing, and manufacturers are responding to this.

Another trend has been a huge increase in royalties for products for the home and especially the garden, not to mention more distribution channels opening up as retailers who might not normally look at gardening products or licensed products adjust to meet demand. 

“We won’t ever be complacent, but we do think we are now well positioned to grow the brand even more without compromising its values.”

What categories or licensing partners will be key to you as you build on the RHS portfolio? What will the lifestyle, home, and garden licensing spaces span, and how will you look to tell the story of RHS through these?

We’ve enjoyed enormous success in the ongoing expansion of our category portfolio and this expansion will continue. However, we also hope to strengthen existing product categories and in particular are looking to expand in homeware, children’s products and apparel. Partners with strong ethical and environmental credentials and those that highlight UK craftsmanship will remain a major part of our programme too.

Gardening will always be our core category and we aim to continue to target keen gardeners and would-be gardeners who are looking for quality and inspiring products to support their interest. But gardening too has branched out: luxury garden sheds, premium boots, trellises, indoor pot covers and the very successful RHS Gifts for Gardeners range are all indicators that the RHS is continuing to seize opportunities in both established and new categories.

The programme overall is well established and balanced: it’s making more money for the charity than ever while still reflecting our values and insisting on carefully chosen licensing partners. We won’t ever be complacent, but we do think we are now well positioned to grow the brand even more without compromising its values. 

What can we expect from the RHS in the licensing space in the coming year and beyond, what’s the next step for you guys in the sector?

We’ve announced several new partnerships so far this year (including hand-iced biscuits from Biscuiteers and children’s clothing from George) and more are to come. Some projects that were delayed last year are launching over the next few months. It has been – and still is – a really busy period. We’re expanding our small team and looking for a new Senior Licensing Development Executive and Licensing Development Executive to help generate new business and develop existing licensing partnerships.

The RHS gardens and shows are ready for a strong post-lockdown visitor response. This is an exciting time for us as a licensing team and for the RHS as a leading Heritage organisation.

The RHS endorses new range from Original Muck Boot Company as it targets the 18 to 35 year old market

The Royal Horticultural Society has thrown its weight behind a new range of footwear from the premium boots maker and long-standing RHS partner, The Original Muck Boot Company.

The new RHS-endorsed range, called Outscape, is a new concept in footwear that offers a modern look with the performance of a trainer, but with the waterproof and durable protection found in all Muck ranges.

Available in two different heights – ankle boots and low shoes – for all genders, Outscape shoes and short boots are billed as ‘ideal for active outdoor work and exploration.’ The range features a Dual Density footbed, as well as a ‘shovel-ready nylon shank for under-foot stability when using garden tools.’

The target market for the range is 18 to 35 year old aspirational, motivated men and women who love animals, travel, and the land. However, the appeal of the shoes and boots is expected to extend to anyone who appreciates durable, comfortable outdoor footwear.

The Original Muck Boot Company was formed in 1999 to provide 100 per cent waterproof boots and footwear that withstand the muckiest situations in every season. Its ranges include a wide selection of multi-purpose gardening boots and shoes endorsed by the RHS since 2016.

Eleanor Cornwell, EMEA marketing lead, The Original Muck Boot Company, said: “Performance and versatility are key when on-the-go and we believe our Outscape ranges perfectly meet the needs of many gardeners and walkers for a waterproof boot with the comfort of a lightweight trainer. We’re delighted that the RHS agrees with us and thrilled to have the endorsement of Britain’s favourite gardening charity.”

Shereen Llewellin, licensing executive, RHS, added: “There are many makers of outdoor footwear but few that meet the exacting standards demanded by RHS supporters for gardening, dog walking and rambling that have become especially popular in the past year.

“The Original Muck Boot Company understands this market better than almost anyone – and we are delighted to endorse the comfortable and durable Outscape range.”

The RHS celebrates spring and summer gardening with Biscuiteers’ famous hand-iced biscuits

The Royal Horticultural Society has licensed Biscuiteers to produce the RHS and Biscuiteers collection – two special biscuit tins, a letterbox gift, and two gingerbread men called Jolly Gingers, all containing Biscuiteers’ hand-iced biscuits.

The new range will take its inspiration from the nation’s love of gardens and gardening.

Now on sale online at biscuiteers.com, and Biscuiteers’ Boutique shops in Battersea and Notting Hill, and soon available at leading retailers including the RHS Garden Wisley Garden Centre, the collection is designed to conjure up the joys of British gardens in the spring and summer.

The Bouquet Luxe biscuit tin brings together a selection of colourful biscuit ‘blooms’ – spring flowers using a bright colour palette. A number of icing techniques have been used to capture the textures of the petals of the different flowers including roses and pansies.

Biscuiteers’ unique recipe is based upon a traditional twice baked English style biscuits, with a texture ‘somewhere between the snap of a gingerbread and the crumble of a shortbread’. The 16 designs in the Bouquet Luxe tin are a subtle lemon flavour, which gives fresh citrus notes to balance the sweetness of the biscuit. 

The RHS Veg Box biscuit tin contains colourful biscuits all using Biscuiteers’ hand-icing techniques to look like carrots, tomatoes, aubergines and other popular vegetables. For lovers of grow-your-own veg, the nine biscuit designs come in Biscuiteers’ classic gingerbread flavour, which uses a mix of spices to give flavour. 

The Biscuiteers Garden Tools letterbox collection of chocolate biscuits, using a lilac and rose design inspired by the branding for this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, will fit through a letterbox. As are the two RHS Jolly Gingers, new additions to the Biscuiteers line of gingerbread characters depicting happy gardeners. 

For the keepsake tins Biscuiteers has created a co-branded design, bringing together Biscuiteers’ famous illustrations with detailed botanical illustrations from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art. RHS branding is featured on the tin decals. 

The target market for the RHS collections encompass anyone with a love of gardening – or, of course, high-quality biscuits. The tins, box and Jolly Gingers have been designed to suit a variety of horticultural interests and budgets.

Biscuiteers has been selling iced biscuits since 2007 and is known for its design-led collections and personalised gifting offerings, which are today delivered to 117 countries. The company is uniquely positioned as an artisan business working at scale; each biscuit is intricately hand-iced by artists. The company’s purpose-built head office and bakery ices over 2.5 million biscuits each year. 

Harriet Hastings, founder and managing director of Biscuiteers, said: “Over the years our Spring collections have become a real Biscuiteers classic – so the RHS was an ideal partner for us. We’re both British brands and this collection, like the work of the RHS, has been inspired by the beauty of the British garden.”

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, added: “The RHS & Biscuiteers collection of British craft-company-produced biscuits is a wonderful addition to our licensing programme: a tribute to British gardens that is colourful, beautifully packaged and superbly designed – not to mention delicious!

“And what could be better than enjoying sitting in your garden on a sunny day with some RHS & Biscuiteers biscuits and a nice cup of tea – or your favourite tipple?”

The RHS partners with Ulster Weavers to launch new range of kitchen textiles

The Royal Horticultural Society has partnered with Ulster Weavers, an award-winning home textiles company, to launch a new range of kitchen textiles.

Called the Spring Floral collection, the new range offers a selection of textiles and accessories, including a luxury cotton apron, printed tea towels, quilted oven gloves and mitts, a crafted tea cosy with accompanying mug, and a selection of durable and reusable shopping and PVC bags and packable roll-up bag.

The range, which launched in mid-February, is available at a wide range of garden centres and garden shops, department stores and gift shops. It is also available online via the Ulster Weavers website and independent gift websites. The collection is expected to appeal to a wide demographic that includes discerning consumers, garden lovers and the design-aware of all ages.

The new range, which uses imagery from the RHS Lindley Collections – the world’s finest collection of botanical art – incorporates nature-inspired designs featuring bold colour palettes complemented with classic prints and muted floral fabrics.

The design is inspired in particular by the walks enjoyed by the collection’s designer Mona Sweeney during lockdown.

She said: “What really captured my attention was the beauty and vibrancy of the wildflowers I noticed while I was out walking. Here was a moment worth sharing and recreating, I thought – one that reflected the simple pleasures and slower pace of life we were adjusting to. The fields, the great blue sky above, the wonderful diversity of the fauna and flora; these formed the basis for the entire collection.”

Ulster Weavers is based in Northern Ireland with a history that can be traced back to the nineteenth century and prides itself on the production of high-quality linen and textile products sold, not only in the UK and Ireland, but throughout the world.

This is the latest collection to come from a partnership between RHS and Ulster Weavers, which has produced many popular collections combining quality, durability, functionality and timeless designs for the modern home.

Annie David, head of innovation, Ulster Weavers, said: “Using the treasure trove that is the RHS Lindley Collections we have illustrated this collection with an array of delicate flowers and colourful butterflies in a way that, we feel, captures the beauty of the everyday in the world around us. Our partnership with the RHS has once again inspired some wonderful kitchen textiles.”

 Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, added: “This meadow design is a beautiful reminder of the joys of slowing down and contemplating nature, with fresh, light modern colours taking us back to memories of swaying wildflowers in the sun. It’s an appealing and elegant collection that is also sturdy and practical. It will, I’m sure, be another big success for the RHS/Ulster Weavers partnership at retail.”

The RHS launches new toiletries range in partnership with Heathcote & Ivory

The Royal Horticultural Society has launched a new range of toiletries in partnership with its licensing partner Heathcote & Ivory, a leading name in British beauty and fine toiletries.

Called Home Grown, the vegan-friendly beauty and wellness collection takes inspiration from the wellbeing benefits of growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers at home and includes a 100ml Hand Cream and Twist Key, a Care For Hands Gift Set, Scented Soothing Oat Soap on a Dish, Hand Essentials with two 30ml Handcreams and more.

The Heathcote & Ivory RHS Home Grown range will be available from March 10th at RHS shops, online, and via leading garden centres across the UK.

Not only are the ingredients in the range inspired by nature’s home-grown gifts such as carrot seed oil, beetroot extract and pumpkin extract, but both the ingredients and the packaging reflect the focus of the partners in this agreement on sustainability and environmentally friendly messaging.

For the packaging, environmentally friendly glass bottle and aluminium tubes and post-consumer recycled plastic tubes are used. All products are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly.

The items – and the packaging – also make use of designs inspired by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s largest collection of botanical art. The designs were also inspired by the ingredients – carrot seed oil, snow mushroom, and beetroot and pumpkin extract – used in the formulations.

Established in London in 2000 by Denis Aaronson, Heathcote & Ivory has grown into a lifestyle brand exporting around the world to over 35 countries. Heathcote & Ivory collections are stocked in renowned department stores across the UK as well as independent boutiques and speciality retailers.

The RHS Home Grown collection is the latest range in the very successful RHS partnership with Heathcote & Ivory that launched in spring 2019 with the Flower Blooms Daisy Garland and Tender Palm toiletry ranges. Trellis, the third release in the RHS Flower Blooms series, launched in the autumn of the same year, while the most recent in the series was RHS Flower Blooms Lavender Garden, which launched in the spring of 2020.

Denis Aaronson, managing director, Heathcote & Ivory, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our wonderful partnership with the RHS, whose tireless support of gardeners and gardening has encouraged us to produce a range inspired by the joys of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers at home.”

Lesley Aaronson, creative director, Heathcote & Ivory, added: “The design of the RHS Home Grown range celebrates the joy of growing vegetables and flowers, their vibrant colours and beautiful shapes – a delightful series of images and products inspired by a lasting and valuable partnership.”

Shereen Llewellin, licensing executive, RHS, added: “Wellbeing has long been one of the major benefits of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers, and this collection perfectly captures the mental and physical rewards of home growing. It’s a collection designed to nurture frequently washed hands, soothe tired limbs and uplift the spirits.”

The RHS launches new toiletries range in partnership with Heathcote & Ivory

The Royal Horticultural Society has launched a new range of toiletries in partnership with its licensing partner Heathcote & Ivory, a leading name in British beauty and fine toiletries.

Called Home Grown, the vegan-friendly beauty and wellness collection takes inspiration from the wellbeing benefits of growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers at home and includes a 100ml Hand Cream and Twist Key, a Care For Hands Gift Set, Scented Soothing Oat Soap on a Dish, Hand Essentials with two 30ml Handcreams and more.

The Heathcote & Ivory RHS Home Grown range will be available from March 10th at RHS shops, online, and via leading garden centres across the UK.

Not only are the ingredients in the range inspired by nature’s home-grown gifts such as carrot seed oil, beetroot extract and pumpkin extract, but both the ingredients and the packaging reflect the focus of the partners in this agreement on sustainability and environmentally friendly messaging.

For the packaging, environmentally friendly glass bottle and aluminium tubes and post-consumer recycled plastic tubes are used. All products are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly.

The items – and the packaging – also make use of designs inspired by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s largest collection of botanical art. The designs were also inspired by the ingredients – carrot seed oil, snow mushroom, and beetroot and pumpkin extract – used in the formulations.

Established in London in 2000 by Denis Aaronson, Heathcote & Ivory has grown into a lifestyle brand exporting around the world to over 35 countries. Heathcote & Ivory collections are stocked in renowned department stores across the UK as well as independent boutiques and speciality retailers.

The RHS Home Grown collection is the latest range in the very successful RHS partnership with Heathcote & Ivory that launched in spring 2019 with the Flower Blooms Daisy Garland and Tender Palm toiletry ranges. Trellis, the third release in the RHS Flower Blooms series, launched in the autumn of the same year, while the most recent in the series was RHS Flower Blooms Lavender Garden, which launched in the spring of 2020.

Denis Aaronson, managing director, Heathcote & Ivory, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our wonderful partnership with the RHS, whose tireless support of gardeners and gardening has encouraged us to produce a range inspired by the joys of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers at home.”

Lesley Aaronson, creative director, Heathcote & Ivory, added: “The design of the RHS Home Grown range celebrates the joy of growing vegetables and flowers, their vibrant colours and beautiful shapes – a delightful series of images and products inspired by a lasting and valuable partnership.”

Shereen Llewellin, licensing executive, RHS, added: “Wellbeing has long been one of the major benefits of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers, and this collection perfectly captures the mental and physical rewards of home growing. It’s a collection designed to nurture frequently washed hands, soothe tired limbs and uplift the spirits.”

The RHS launches its own wine with Babylonstoren ahead of RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021

The Royal Horticultural Society has secured a partnership with the historic South African fruit and wine farm, Babylonstoren to produce its own branded RHS rosé wine.

The wine will launch just before the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on May 17th, 2021, for which it will be the official rosé wine. Visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be the first to taste the special vintage.

Listed as a fresh fruity rosé, Babylonstoren will harvest and bottle the grapes only a few weeks before the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021, before rushing the first shipment to London. The rosé will feature a designation label on the front of the bottle. The RHS logo and information about Britain’s favourite gardening charity will appear on the label on the back of the bottle.

Babylonstoren RHS Rosé will be available at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 and for a limited time at some RHS gardens. It will also be available throughout 2021 via Babylonstoren’s friends in the UK, The Newt in Somerset at shop.thenewtinsomerset.com, as well as a variety of independent wine stores and hospitality outlets throughout the UK.

The license includes an agreement that Babylonstoren will be the non-exclusive supplier of rosé wine at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021.

As with French rosé, the varietal Mourvèdre is being used for Babylonstoren RHS Rosé.

Charl Coetzee, the Babylonstoren Cellarmaster, said:We keep it on skins for a mere one to two hours, to ensure a liquid the colour of a delicate sunrise. The result is a fuller and rounder rosé, with a lovely floral character. Its flavour incorporates creamy rhubarb, sweet freshness of watermelon and subtle punch of acidity. The style is elegant and ethereal.”

This is a first for the RHS. The charity has a wine club for members and has also in the past endorsed a limited edition honeybee gin with Warner’s Distillery. However, it has never licensed a specific wine before. 

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, said: “Rosé is an ideal spring and summer wine, and the first-ever RHS-endorsed rosé calls to mind flowers, gardens and the outdoors, with the promise that warmer days are on the way. What better way could there be to welcome Britain’s best-loved flower show? We’re delighted to be partnering with Babylonstoren on this wonderful wine.”

Coetzee added: “Babylonstoren RHS Rosé is an ideal accompaniment for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, both of which celebrate spring and the coming of summer. We’re thrilled to be working with the RHS and, like our partner in this exciting initiative, we’re looking forward enormously to our first sip of Babylonstoren RHS Rosé.”

The Royal Horticultural Society launches new gardening range with Burgon & Ball

The Royal Horticultural Society has launched a portfolio of new designs for the popular RHS Gifts for Gardeners range from Burgon & Ball, the UK’s longest-established manufacturer of garden tools.

The RHS-endorsed collection brings together top-selling lines from previous RHS Gifts for Gardeners design collections, including a flower and fruit snip, a pruner with holster, a trowel and fork set, a seed packet storage tin, twine in a tin, gardening gloves, an indoor watering can, and a super-comfortable Kneelo kneeler.

All of these gifts will be presented in a new design collection called British Meadow and will all be available from RHS shops, garden centres, and Burgon & Ball’s online platform from November.

All the new RHS-endorsed products were introduced in September at the Glee Gathering, a virtual version of Glee, the UK’s biggest and most valuable garden and outdoor living trade show, where they received an enthusiastic response.

The new British Meadow design has been created by Burgon & Ball incorporating illustrations dating back to 1815, specially selected from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art.

The design showcases delicate meadow flowers and butterflies, tapping into the trend for more informal gardens where nature can find a home, and the rekindling of our love for native British wildflowers and wildlife. A classic navy blue background lets the jewel colours of the blooms and butterflies shine out, bringing this lovely design to life.

The British Meadow design collection also introduces a new gifting option, with gift-boxed gardening snips to update and refresh the range. The packaging employs inventive solutions to dramatically reduce the use of plastic, reflecting the emphasis on environmental responsibility that drives much of the work of Burgon & Ball and the RHS and that is, of course, a strong concern of the target market.

The flower and fruit snip and the pruner with holster are both presented in innovative gift boxes less than 3cm in height, ideal for sending by post and offering an attractive gift option for today’s lifestyles. Engineered cardboard keeps the tools firmly in place inside their sturdy, beautifully printed card box. Blue soft-grip handles match the design.

The tools that make up the trowel and fork set have painted blue handles bearing the RHS logo; the trowel carries an engraved quote from the legendary horticulturist, garden designer, craftswoman, photographer, writer and artist Gertrude Jekyll.

Founded in Sheffield in 1730, Burgon & Ball is the UK’s oldest manufacturer of garden tools and accessories, with hundreds of years of expertise in steel manufacturing and an enviable reputation for quality and innovation.

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, said: “Our partnership with Burgon & Ball and its RHS Gifts for Gardeners range has been a long and valuable one, combining the highest-quality tools with exciting and attractive design ideas. The British Meadow collection is no exception – it’s a marvellous evocation of native British wildflowers and wildlife.”

Rainer Schubert, managing director, Burgon & Ball, added: “We are always looking to bring exciting new ideas to the RHS Gifts for Gardeners range while adhering to the very highest standards of manufacture. The creative and almost entirely plastic-free packaging, the new gifting option and, above all, RHS endorsement and artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections have combined to make British Meadow what we feel will be one of our most successful collections.”