Partner Gardens across RHS Media Chris Young, Editor, The Garden

The Garden rhs.org.uk The Plantsman The Orchid Review RHS Books Specialist publishing RHS Media, Peterborough

RHS Media work  Editorial production; advertising sales; print production  Support and promote all Society activities  Working with colleagues across the RHS to inform and inspire members and non-members to become better gardeners  Celebrate horticultural developments within the RHS and outside  Reflect audience interests (plants, gardens, wildlife, science…)  To show the rich breadth of the RHS and decide which is the most appropriate way of delivering that ‘content’

Printed publications  RHS Books (Commercial): working with publishing partners DK, Mitchell Beazley, Frances Lincoln and others to deliver encyclopedias, gifts etc. Also across RHS departments  RHS Books (Society Publishing): books, cultivar registers, yearbooks. New for next year is a series of monographs with colleagues in Botany  The Plantsman: high quality quarterly publication celebrating the best of plants and plantsmanship; c3,000 readers; need to increase readership  The Orchid Review: specialist quarterly publication celebrating the best of orchids, cultivated and wild; c900 readers; RHS is International Orchid Registration Authority  Show Catalogues: produced for (Malvern, Chelsea, Hampton and Tatton); help visitors and exhibitors get the best from their visit; new ideas for 2016

rhs.org.uk

 Editorial in Peterborough; technical work in London  Audience far broader than members-only, so a different challenge from the team on The Garden  Promotion of member benefits to the whole audience is important, as is development of content for members-only section  Key delivery for Partner Gardens with dedicated landing page and additional content (for members and non-members alike)  Can be responsive to urgent issues; also a great source of inspiration for both RHS and our Partner Gardens rhs.org.uk

The Garden  Goes to all 430,000 members each month; huge diversity of interests, knowledge and experience  Publishes the best from the RHS; looks to the horticultural and gardening world for content  Educate and inform people about the latest in the world of horticulture and gardening  Typical reader: 53-year-old female; 70% readers are female; they want to improve their plant and garden knowledge  Web literate: go online often  Balanced content within and outside the RHS: gardens, shows, science, advice, news etc.  Features chosen on photographic merit, topicality, latest findings, new techniques etc

 73% read every issue of The Garden  RHS Advice and ‘Jobs to do’ continue to be the most popular section  RHS Life raises awareness of Society’s activities and promotions; 65% have taken action as a result of RHS Life – mainly visiting an RHS Garden, Show or Partner Garden  Good balance between ‘expert’ and ‘accessible’ content  ‘Authority of content’ rates 8.0 (out of 10) since Sept 11 redesign Headlines from reader research September 2014 Have taken action as a result of reading RHS Life 65% Under 45 (46%) (59%) 60+ (69%) Gardening Evangelists (62%) Outdoor Life (68%) Pretty Pride (62%) Open Socialites (71%)

Promoting Partner Gardens

The Garden articles include 2013  Sussex Prairie Garden, West Sussex (July)  Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset (August)  Bressingham Gardens, Norfolk (October) 2014  East Lambrook Manor, Somerset (June)  Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire (October)  Drummond Gardens, Perthshire (November) 2015  Bressingham Gardens, Norfolk (February)  Trebah Garden, Cornwall (March)  Borde Hill, West Sussex (April)  Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire (June)

PG coverage in The Garden & rhs.org.uk  News: latest changes to the garden, new borders etc.  Articles: submitted by professional garden photographers, or as commissioned by us. Being a Partner Garden is an advantage  Note: only fifth of garden article photography commissioned by The Garden; rest ‘on spec’. Use professional photographers – good photography is essential  RHS Life: announcement of new Partner Gardens  Garden Visits: highlighting key gardens to visit that month  Aim to have each Partner Garden mentioned once a year

PG coverage in The Garden & rhs.org.uk  Diary: key events and activities at gardens for members  Two events/series of events in Diary each year from each Partner Garden, provided 20% RHS discount  Additional events (with discount), can go at /partnergardens  Full, national coverage online on at rhs.org.uk/partnergardens  Website includes features, articles and guidance to diary/event listings; also extra for RHS members in the ‘members’ section’  Podcasts: features in the fortnightly podcast, including event/diary information  All communications (The Garden, podcasts, e-newsletters) link back to rhs.org.uk – a central resource for garden visitors

Across our media  Each Partner Garden has leaflets on display at our main shows  Raising awareness across social media  RHS  Facebook: facebook.com/rhshome  On our website: rhs.org.uk/partnergardens  In The Garden, specifically in the RHS Life section  Mentions in monthly e-newsletters; featured in podcasts = many different ways to different audiences!

Ways of working  Respond to deadlines and responses – phone local/national media, journalists etc. back!  Importance of seasonal photography: never underestimate the value for you and for feeding stories to the press  For any ideas, thoughts, discussions for editorial coverage talk to Sian Thomas (Garden Visits Editor):    will share information with The Garden, online etc.