Royal National Rose Society
A United Kingdom horticultural society dedicated to the cultivation, exhibition, testing and appreciation of roses.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) was a United Kingdom membership organisation devoted to roses and operated from 1876 until its dissolution in May 2017. It developed from the rapid growth of public interest in rose exhibitions during the nineteenth century and became one of the world's oldest plant societies. Its membership included amateur gardeners, professional horticulturalists, rose breeders, nurserymen and businesses connected with the cultivation and sale of roses. The society's origins lay in the rose exhibitions organised by the Reverend Dr Reynolds Hole. Hole staged the first National Rose Show at St James's Hall in London in 1858, attracting approximately 2,000 visitors. The event's popularity grew quickly: by 1860, the exhibition at the Crystal Palace drew around 16,000 rose enthusiasts. This expanding audience led leading rose specialists to meet on 9 December 1876 and establish the National Rose Society. Hole became its first president, while the Reverend Henry Honeywood D’Ombrain served as the first secretary. During its early decades, the society concentrated on exhibitions, member advice and the identification and care of roses. It also became an influential institution in the assessment of new cultivars. In 1883 it introduced its Gold Medal award, which recognised roses considered outstanding in quality. The first recipient was Henry Bennett's Rosa 'Her Majesty', followed by Rosa 'Mrs. John Laing' in 1885. The society later supervised multi-year trials in which panels of judges evaluated roses submitted by breeders from Britain and other countries. These trials and awards helped establish standards for the selection and promotion of garden roses. The organisation acquired royal connections in 1888, when Queen Alexandra established its first royal patronage. Queen Mary became royal patron in 1925, and later the Queen Mother held the patronage until her death in 2002. The society's annual publication, The Rose Annual, began in 1907 and continued until 1984. Membership expanded from about 900 in 1888 to 16,000 in 1926, fell during the Second World War, and later recovered. At its height in the 1960s, the RNRS reportedly had approximately 100,000 members. In 1959 the society moved from London to Bone Hill at Chiswell Green near St Albans, Hertfordshire. There it developed extensive trial and display gardens that eventually contained around 30,000 rose bushes. The gardens became an important public and professional resource and acquired an international reputation. In 1965, following a command from Queen Elizabeth, the society adopted the word 'Royal' in its name. The site and its public activities later became associated with the name Gardens of the Rose. The RNRS played a role in international cooperation as well as domestic horticulture. An International Rose Conference held in London in 1968 helped inspire the creation of a coalition of national rose societies, which became the World Federation of Rose Societies. The society's centenary in 1976 was marked by a reception attended by the Queen Mother, public rose-boutonniere distributions and commemorative British postage stamps. From 1978, its traditional Westminster rose exhibition was transferred to St Albans and developed into a broader two-day festival with performances, craft stalls and trade stands. From the 1990s onward, changing public interest in roses, declining membership and reduced attendance at the gardens weakened the society's financial position. Trustees decided to close the original garden and develop a replacement. The redesigned garden opened to the public in June 2007 with approximately 20,000 rose cultivars and companion plantings. The RNRS nevertheless continued to experience financial difficulty and was dissolved in May 2017. The gardens were then closed permanently. The society is therefore a historical horticultural institution rather than an active operating brand.
History
The Royal National Rose Society began as the National Rose Society in response to the popularity of rose exhibitions in Victorian Britain. The Reverend Dr Reynolds Hole organised an early National Rose Show at St James's Hall in London in 1858. Its attendance grew substantially when the event moved to the Crystal Palace in 1860, demonstrating that roses had become a major public horticultural interest rather than a pastime limited to specialist growers. On 9 December 1876, Hole and other leading rose enthusiasts created the National Rose Society. Hole became the first president and the Reverend Henry Honeywood D’Ombrain the first secretary. The society established a London office and initially focused on shows, member support and practical advice. Its services included helping gardeners identify roses, locate particular varieties and address cultivation problems. D’Ombrain also edited The Rosarian's Yearbook from 1877 to 1902. The organisation became increasingly influential in judging and promoting new roses. It created its Gold Medal award in 1883, with Henry Bennett's Rosa 'Her Majesty' receiving the first award. Later, roses submitted by breeders were assessed in test gardens by judging committees over multiple seasons. The process was intended to distinguish cultivars of exceptional garden merit, and the society sometimes withheld awards when entries failed to meet its standards. Royal recognition followed in 1888, when Queen Alexandra became the society's first royal patron. Membership rose from approximately 900 that year to 16,000 by 1926. Queen Mary became patron in 1925. The society's periodical The Rose Annual was launched in 1907 and appeared annually until 1984. Wartime conditions reduced membership to approximately 11,500, but the number recovered to around 15,000 by 1947. A major institutional change came in 1959, when the headquarters moved from London to Bone Hill at Chiswell Green near St Albans in Hertfordshire. The society established extensive gardens there for public display and international rose trials. The collection eventually reached about 30,000 rose bushes, and the gardens became internationally known. In 1965, the organisation was granted the royal prefix and adopted its long-standing RNRS name. The Queen Mother later served as patron until 2002. The 1960s and 1970s were the society's strongest period. Its membership reportedly reached approximately 100,000, while its shows and gardens attracted large audiences. The 1968 International Rose Conference in London helped generate the idea of an international federation of national rose societies. The 1976 centenary was publicly celebrated at St James's Palace, with the Queen Mother attending a reception. In 1978 the Westminster show moved to St Albans and became a larger festival, reportedly attracting around 25,000 people. The organisation faced a long-term decline from the 1990s as public interest in traditional rose culture weakened, membership fell and visitor numbers declined. Trustees chose to dismantle the original garden and create a new design. The replacement garden opened in June 2007 with approximately 20,000 rose cultivars and companion plantings. It did not reverse the society's financial problems. The RNRS was dissolved in May 2017, and the gardens were permanently closed. Its legacy survives through its awards, publications, historic rose trials, educational work and contribution to international rose-society cooperation.
- 2017
Society dissolved
[1]The RNRS was dissolved in May and the gardens closed permanently.
- 2007
Replacement garden opens
[1]A redesigned garden opened to the public at the Hertfordshire site.
- 1978
St Albans exhibition festival introduced
[1]The Westminster show was transferred to St Albans and expanded into a broader public festival.
- 1976
Centenary year
[1]The society marked its hundredth anniversary with royal and public celebrations.
- 1968
International Rose Conference held in London
[1]The conference helped inspire the formation of the World Federation of Rose Societies.
- 1965
Royal prefix adopted
[1]The organisation changed its name from the National Rose Society to the Royal National Rose Society.
- 1959
Headquarters moves to Hertfordshire
[1]The society moved from London to Bone Hill, Chiswell Green, near St Albans, where it developed its principal gardens.
- 1907
The Rose Annual begins publication
[1]The society launched its annual journal, which continued until 1984.
- 1888
First royal patronage
[1]Queen Alexandra became the society's first royal patron.
- 1883
Gold Medal award introduced
[1]The society established its Gold Medal programme for outstanding rose cultivars.
Products and positioning
A specialist, standards-setting horticultural society combining public education, rose exhibitions, cultivar evaluation, member services and the stewardship of nationally recognised rose gardens.
Marketing campaigns
- 1978St Albans Rose Show Festival
United Kingdom
The society transformed its traditional Westminster exhibition into a St Albans event combining rose displays with music, crafts and trade stands.
Outcome. The expanded show attracted approximately 25,000 visitors and strengthened the public identity of the Gardens of the Rose.
- 1976RNRS Centenary Celebrations
United Kingdom
The centenary programme included a reception at St James's Palace attended by the Queen Mother, the distribution of 10,000 rose boutonnières in Trafalgar Square and a commemorative set of British rose stamps.
Outcome. The activities gave the society broad public visibility and highlighted its national institutional status.
Brand decisions
2017
Dissolution and permanent garden closureOtherBackground
The RNRS experienced declining membership, lower visitor interest and continuing financial difficulties.
Action taken
The organisation was dissolved in May 2017 and its gardens were closed permanently.
Aftermath
The RNRS ceased operating as a membership society and became a historical institution rather than an active horticultural organisation.
2005
Trustees decide to replace the original gardenStrategyBackground
The original garden required redevelopment amid declining public interest and weakening participation.
Action taken
The trustees dismantled the old garden and pursued a redesigned public garden with new rose and companion plantings.
Aftermath
The replacement garden opened in June 2007 but did not resolve the organisation's longer-term financial difficulties.
Sources2 sources
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