Norwegian Horticulture Society

The Norwegian Horticulture Society, known in Norwegian as Det norske hageselskap and commonly shortened to Hageselskapet, is a Norwegian interest organization dedicated to promoting gardening and horticulture. Its origins date to 1884, when it was established under the name Selskabet Havedyrkningens Venner. The organization represents gardening as both a practical activity and a wider cultural, educational, and community interest in Norway. The society’s work is centered on encouraging horticultural knowledge and participation. Its remit is broad rather than limited to a single type of plant, garden, or professional constituency, covering the interests of people engaged with gardening and related forms of cultivation. As an interest organization, it provides a shared institutional identity for Norwegian gardeners and supports public awareness of horticultural practices. A significant part of the society’s public presence is its publication Norsk Hagetidend, a gardening magazine associated with the organization. The magazine gives the society a channel for communicating horticultural information and maintaining an ongoing relationship with gardening enthusiasts. This publishing role complements the organization’s broader objective of advancing gardening interests in Norway. The society is headquartered in Oslo and operates nationally within Norway. It is not described as a commercial product brand, listed company, or subsidiary of a corporate group. Its identity is instead that of a nonprofit-style membership and interest organization devoted to horticulture. The society’s continued existence, publication activity, and current governance indicate that it remains active. Ole Petter Vik is identified as chairman of the board, while Queen Sonja of Norway holds a matronage role. These associations contribute to the society’s institutional and public profile, but do not change its core focus on gardening and horticultural interests.

The Norwegian Horticulture Society traces its history to 1884, when it was founded as Selskabet Havedyrkningens Venner. The original name reflects the organization’s early purpose: bringing together support for the cultivation and enjoyment of gardens and horticultural activities. Over time, the organization became known in Norwegian as Det norske hageselskap and, in everyday shortened form, Hageselskapet. Its enduring mission has been to promote gardening interests in Norway. Rather than operating as a conventional commercial brand, the society functions as an organized national interest body. Its role is to encourage horticultural engagement, support the exchange of gardening knowledge, and provide an institutional platform for people interested in gardens and cultivation. Publishing has been an important part of the society’s public-facing activity. The organization issues Norsk Hagetidend, a magazine focused on gardening and horticulture. Through this publication, the society maintains a regular communication channel with its audience and extends its horticultural mission beyond organizational membership or formal events. The society is headquartered in Oslo and has a national Norwegian orientation. Available reference material identifies Ole Petter Vik as chairman of the board. Queen Sonja of Norway has matronage over the society, giving it a notable ceremonial association. No evidence in the available material indicates that the organization is publicly listed, owned by a corporate parent, or organized as a product-manufacturing business. The Norwegian Horticulture Society’s historical continuity is therefore defined less by commercial expansion or product launches than by the persistence of its horticultural mission, its national organizational role, and its publication work. Its current identity remains closely connected with promoting gardening in Norway and sustaining public interest in horticulture.

• 1884

  Organization established

  [1]Norwegian Horticulture Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was established under the name Selskabet Havedyrkningens Venner, marking the beginning of the society’s work to promote gardening and horticultural interests in Norway.

• Adoption of the Det norske hageselskap identity

  [1]Norwegian Horticulture Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became known as Det norske hageselskap, commonly shortened to Hageselskapet, the names by which it is widely identified in Norway.

• Norsk Hagetidend issued

  [1]Norwegian Horticulture Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society established Norsk Hagetidend as its gardening magazine and an important channel for horticultural communication.

• Oslo headquarters and current governance

  [1]Norwegian Horticulture Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society’s organizational headquarters are in Oslo, and Ole Petter Vik is identified as chairman of the board.

A national Norwegian horticultural interest organization that combines gardening advocacy, public education, community participation, and horticultural publishing.

• Gardening magazine

  Norsk Hagetidend

  Norsk Hagetidend is the Norwegian Horticulture Society’s gardening magazine. It serves as a publication platform for the organization’s horticultural mission, communicating gardening-related information and helping maintain an ongoing connection with people interested in gardens and cultivation in Norway.

1. 1Norwegian Horticulture Societyen.wikipedia.org