from

The Royal Horticultural Society

Blaxall Valentine Bursary

A bursary giving financial support for individuals or groups of individuals for plant exploration or plant study expeditions to any part of the world.

The Coke Trust Awards

These awards aim to provide assistance mainly to professional and student gardeners, to enable them to broaden their skills and work experience.  Also to provide assistance to individuals, institutions, charities and gardens open to the public, for clearly defined horticultural projects with distinct educational, research or historic value.

The Dawn Jolliffe Botanical Art Scholarship

This bursary is awarded annually by the Royal Horticultural Society's Bursaries Committee, in association with the RHS Picture Advisory Committee, to help a botanical artist to exhibit at one of the RHS Shows, or to travel in order to paint and/or draw plants in their natural habitats.  Preference will be given to artists who are not yet established.  The value of the award will be approximately £500.

E A Bowles Memorial Bursary

Presented by the E A Bowles of Myddleton House Society (web site at http://www.eabowlessociety.org.uk) and administered by the RHS.  Restricted to £500 awarded every two years in support of a project on the work of E A Bowles, his garden at Myddleton House, or covering one of his particular horticultural interests, e.g. alpine plants.

Environmental Bursary

This bursary will be awarded for a successful application considered to be of outstanding horticultural merit that concentrates on environmental issues such as water-wise gardening, research into drought resistant plants, pesticide-free gardening, sustainability and other climate change issues that have a direct relevance to horticulture.  Purely conservational projects will not be considered.

Gurney Wilson Bursary

A bursary used to further the horticultural work of the Society as the Bursaries Advisory Committee deems fit and also to top up one of the other awards, if necessary.

Jimmy Smart Memorial Bursary

The bursary established in memory of Jimmy Smart, the creator of Marwood Hill Gardens, is restricted to £1,000 per year.  It aims to provide financial support to a working gardener for travel and/or accommodation costs during visits overseas with the primary intention of seeing or studying plants and/or trees in their natural habitat.  Additional support may be offered to gardeners applying for funding for visits to Australia and New Zealand.  The award is open to experienced working gardeners in the British Isles, particularly those whose responsibilities relate to National Collections.  There is no age restriction.

The Osaka Travel Awards

Awards for eligible applicants from UK and Japan for horticultural projects that involve travel between the two countries.

Photographic Bursary

This bursary is awarded annually by the RHS Bursaries Advisory Committee in association with the RHS Photographic Advisory Committee and is awarded to assist young photographers, who have not displayed their work previously, towards the cost of mounting an exhibition of photographs at an RHS London Flower Show.  It is restricted to £500, which may be divided between two or more photographers.  This bursary was established in 2004 in recognition of the high costs of photographic exhibiting.

The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Bursary

Awarded to individuals who are UK or Commonwealth citizens for proposals of particular horticultural excellence.

RHS General Bursary Fund

An amalgamation of three small funds/endowments given to the Society in the second half of the 20th Century.  Other small donations received in the future will be added to this fund, which is used to support horticulturists in their practical training or who propose to undertake study trips abroad to improve their horticultural knowledge.

Susan Pearson Bursary

Sponsorship of up to one year's practical work experience in a recognised garden open to the public.  Individuals will have the opportunity to work alongside existing garden staff to gain practical skills in plantsmanship and demonstrate the practical application of theoretical principles to present day practices, referring throughout to current and future needs of the horticultural industry and the highest standards of professional practice.

It is preferable that an applicant possesses a certificate, diploma or graduate qualification in horticulture and be seeking practical work experience and employment.  Applicants should have found employment at a suitable well-known, reputable garden which is open to the public, e.g. one included within the Royal Horticultural Society's Recommended Garden Scheme, details of which can be found on the RHS website at

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsgardenfinder/index.asp

The bursary is awarded on an annual basis up to a maximum of £10,000.  Applications will also be considered from establishments wishing to select their own candidate for employment.

William Rayner Bursary

Bursaries given for projects and study trips likely to contribute significantly to an individual's horticultural career development.

For these bursaries please note that persons based in the British Isles are eligible to apply to undertake projects anywhere in the world.  Overseas residents may only apply for projects in the British Isles.  They are primarily for horticulturists (professional gardeners and student gardeners) and those involved in occupations related to horticulture.  The projects should have direct horticultural relevance.

All RHS bursaries are administered by the RHS Bursaries Advisory Committee and are considered at meetings held four times per year.  Applications should be received by 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 15 December for consideration at the May, August, November and February meetings respectively.  For full details of eligibility and application forms, please contact the Committee's Secretary or refer to the website - see below.

Fees and costs for examinations and educational courses (apart from horticultural conferences) are not eligible for funding by RHS Bursaries awards.  Commercial projects are also ineligible for funding.