The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that its preferred partner for licensed seed and seed gifting products, Mr Fothergill's Seeds Ltd, has now brought its AGM vegetable and flower seed ranges – which are joint-branded with the RHS – into over 500 garden centres.
This is a major advance on last year’s figures. In addition some of the seed ranges are now being stocked in grocery multiples and DIY outlets.
But that’s not all. As part of its continuing support for the RHS as a brand, a charity and an educational institution, Mr Fothergill’s has helped a number of RHS gardens – by donating seed for a community allotment programme and vegetable garden at RHS Rosemoor, for a kitchen garden and student plots at RHS Harlow Carr, and for a vegetable garden and student plots at RHS Wisley. It has also provided bumper seed bundles for Level 4 awards at the RHS School Gardening Awards, a rewards scheme that provides achievable goals to help schools turn their gardens into a valuable learning resource.
These are important developments for the RHS partnership with Mr Fothergill’s, highlighting the company’s role not only as a supplier of quality merchandise under the RHS brand but also as a supporter of the RHS mission to enrich everyone’s lives through plants.
For the second year running, the RHS/Mr Fothergill’s AGM vegetable and flower seed ranges can be seen on stands at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Each cultivar in the new collections has earned the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) — a ‘seal of approval’ for gardeners that the plant performs reliably in the garden.
The AGM range launched in May 2017 and was at retail from August 2017. The market for the range, as for all Mr Fothergill’s products, is gardeners of all ages, from the amateur to the enthusiast.
David Carey, Joint Managing Director, Mr Fothergill’s, said: “The popularity of these seed ranges, like the seeds themselves, is enjoying excellent growth. We are delighted to show our continuing support for the RHS both as a licensee and as a supporter of its educational role and of its aim to make the UK a greener, healthier, happier and more beautiful place.”
Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, said: “Only a matter of months since they became available at retail, these seeds have proved exceptionally popular with the gardening public – and Mr Fothergill’s has supported this fine range with strong backing for our educational work. This is a valuable partnership that is proving beneficial to the RHS in many welcome ways.”