Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Botanical Art & Photography Exhibitions
The RHS Botanical Art Show is the TOP juried botanical art show in the UK - and the world!
No other show requires and displays
a minimum of six botanical artworks from each exhibiting botanical artist/illustrator.
The show always includes a significant number of international exhibitors
- mostly from from Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa.
No other show requires and displays
a minimum of six botanical artworks from each exhibiting botanical artist/illustrator.
The show always includes a significant number of international exhibitors
- mostly from from Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa.
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READ THIS PAGE to
FIND OUT "HOW TO":
LEARN ABOUT:
HOW TO VISIT the RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show 2025 (19th June - 2nd August 2026)
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Only artists who have been accepted by the Botanical Art Judging Panel are eligible to apply for space 
Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea - home of the new longer exhibition of botanical art and photography
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NOTE ABOUT IMAGES AND VIDEOS:
Most of the images on this page relate to when the RHS Botanical Art Show was held in the RHS Lindley Hall in Victoria, London.
This is because the Saatchi Gallery does not lend itself quite so much to getting a good view and sense of a number of the exhibits at once - except via video.
Banner Image: View of the RHS Botanical Art Show 2018 in the RHS Lindley Hall in London in July 2018. (Photo: Katherine Tyrrell)
Most of the images on this page relate to when the RHS Botanical Art Show was held in the RHS Lindley Hall in Victoria, London.
This is because the Saatchi Gallery does not lend itself quite so much to getting a good view and sense of a number of the exhibits at once - except via video.
Banner Image: View of the RHS Botanical Art Show 2018 in the RHS Lindley Hall in London in July 2018. (Photo: Katherine Tyrrell)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OTHER PAGES OF THIS WEBSITE
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VIEW ARCHIVE:
RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2025 This includes:
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VIEW Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows - categorises the titles of past gold medal winning exhibits. You may be surprised at the result....
READ Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners in the Education section. These include:
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RHS Botanical Art Show: How to Exhibit
IF YOU WANT TO EXHIBIT - below and on other pages you will find more information about:
RHS Shows: Regulations and Guidance - This tells you "How to be approved to exhibit" and "How to Exhibit"
- in a summary
- followed by more detail further down the page
SUMMARY: How to Exhibit at a RHS Botanical Art Show
SUMMARY INFORMATION
for Botanical Artists wanting to exhibit at RHS Botanical Art Show in 2027 and future years
for Botanical Artists wanting to exhibit at RHS Botanical Art Show in 2027 and future years
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INTRODUCTION:
This RHS webpage about the Exhibition of Botanical Art aims to introduce you to everything you need to know to help you
If you want to know how to get approved to exhibit and how to win a good medal this is the page to read |
The RHS Picture Committee leads on the Botanical Art Shows (with the RHS Show Organisers)
Address: RHS Lindley Library, 80 Vincent Square, London SW1 2PE Telephone: 020 7821 3050 email: [email protected] ANY QUERIES? Charlotte Brooks is the RHS Art Curator and the Botanical Art Judging Panel Secretary and can be contacted in relation to any queries via the email identified in the factsheet (also see above) |
RHS Botanical Art Show 2026: Jenny Hyde-Johnson won both of the top awards for Best Exhibit and Best Artwork with her exhibit of "Fynbos Diversity of the Coastal Limestones on Grootbos". Her exhibit included miniature watercolour paintings of the habitat where the plant grows - and each includes a tiny plant portrait
ESSENTIAL READING: RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show Exhibitor Factsheet 2006
Many people find it very difficult to find the information about the Botanical Art Exhibition on the RHS website.
Many people find it very difficult to find the information about the Botanical Art Exhibition on the RHS website.
- It's in the RHS Libraries Section as Exhibition of Botanical Art . Further information also below
- You can also see the information about the RHS Botanical Art Show in the Current Year under the Shows tab
"the Selection Meeting for new botanical artists to exhibit with the RHS from 2027 onwards, will take place on Thursday 8 October 2026.
Prints should be sent rolled in a poster tube, to arrive at the RHS Lindley Library by Tuesday 22 September 2026. Parcels from overseas should be marked £0 for customs. Please note prints cannot be returned.
Please read the Exhibitor Factsheet carefully for full information on preparing for the submission and exhibition of your botanical art."
Exhibition of Botanical Art | Royal Horticultural Society
MY QUICK READ SUMMARY
of current information about exhibiting at the RHS Botanical Art Show.
Further information can be found further down this page and on other pages on this website.
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Who can exhibit:
You need to work hard to reach the standard of artwork required by the RHS just to be selected to exhibit.
A very high standard of work (equivalent at least to a Silver RHS medal) is required to be selected to display botanical illustration, judged by the RHS. Emphasis is placed primarily on botanical accuracy in combination with aesthetic appeal. Artists should present examples of their work that is of the highest quality and has been completed recently (and at least within 5 years). |
How to be "Approved to Exhibit":
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How to Display Your Botanical Art at the RHS Botanical Art Show in 2027 & Future Years
- Once approved to display, your eligibility to apply to exhibit lasts for five years.
- The RHS will invite you, on an annual basis, to apply for space to exhibit.
- Not everybody who is approved to exhibit can exhibit every year.
- You do not have apply for space until your exhibit is ready - but if not completed within 5 years you will have to apply to be "approved to exhibit" again.
- In past years, priority as to who is invited to exhibit has been given to
- those newly approved who had not exhibited before and
- those whose approval to exhibit had just one year left.
- those newly approved who had not exhibited before and
View of the RHS Botanical Art Show in February 2017 in the RHS Lindley Hall - when artists had to create their own exhibit on a stand provided by the RHS - and we all turned up for a show which lasted 2.5 days!
How to exhibit at the RHS Botanical Art Shows
RHS Regulation and Guidance
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The RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show Exhibitor Factsheet sets out all the rules and regulations and "how tos"
READ MORE BELOW about - including my commentary on:
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Botanical Illustration is a genre of art that endeavours to faithfully depict and represent the form, colour and detail of a plant, identifiable to species or cultivar level. |
PLUS Read more in Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners
- which includes an outline of the different stages of the process
- which includes an outline of the different stages of the process
RHS Botanical Art Show 2018 - PREVIEW Evening (which used to be quieter than the exhibition itself when it lasted just two full days)
Regulations and Guidance
#1. How to be "approved to exhibit"
A very high standard of work (equivalent at least to a Silver RHS medal) is required to be selected to display botanical illustration at a RHS show.
RHS Botanical Art Show Exhibitor Factsheet 2023
"BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS" RECOMMENDS.....
PLAN AHEAD!
Planning to exhibit at the RHS is completely unlike any other Open Exhibition.
You have to start preparing between 1 and 6 years before the date you want to exhibit.
To be "approved to exhibit" between 2027-2031
Artists may submit their works to the Lindley Library by Tuesday 22 September 2026.
PLAN AHEAD!
Planning to exhibit at the RHS is completely unlike any other Open Exhibition.
You have to start preparing between 1 and 6 years before the date you want to exhibit.
To be "approved to exhibit" between 2027-2031
Artists may submit their works to the Lindley Library by Tuesday 22 September 2026.
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To be able to exhibit you must first be "APPROVED TO EXHIBIT" by the RHS Picture Panel.
In other words your botanical artwork must be formally assessed to see if it meets the REQUIRED standard for exhibition. Once you are "approved to exhibit" you then have five years to APPLY FOR SPACE TO EXHIBIT on a specific topic at a specific exhibition - otherwise you have to be assessed and approved again. This is because the Picture Panel recognises that many botanical art projects often take two to three years to complete - and life has the habit of "intervening" too.. Getting approval to submit involves submitting work to the Picture Committee by the deadline for submission.
You can apply to exhibit as a group. However each artist in the group should already be approved to exhibit as a sole artist.
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Selection of New Exhibitors for the 2007 RHS Botanical Art Show
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Quotations are from the RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show Exhibitor Factsheet 2026 unless otherwise indicated.
#2 The Selection Meeting - the approval process by the RHS
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The RHS Botanical Art Panel meets on an annual basis
(it used to be called the "Picture Panel or Picture Committee - hence the email address")
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HOW THE JUDGES DECIDE WHO SHOULD BE "APPROVED TO EXHIBIT"
Selection criteria Emphasis is placed primarily on botanical accuracy in combination with aesthetic appeal. Artists should present examples of their work that is of the highest quality and has been completed in recent years (and at least within 5 years) This a link to who are the current RHS Botanical Art Judges
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A Past Selection Meeting: Submissions (4 artworks per artist) laid on the long table in the RHS Council Chamber. Reviewing a submission left to right Charlotte Brooks, Helen Allen and Dr Shirley Sherwood
#3 What to exhibit
RECOMMENDATION
Do READ the Judging Criteria CAREFULLY (see #6 below)
BEFORE you decide what the scope and plant(s) should be for your exhibit.
Do READ the Judging Criteria CAREFULLY (see #6 below)
BEFORE you decide what the scope and plant(s) should be for your exhibit.
RHS 2025: Two Gold Medal Winning Exhibits - both focused on anatomical detail and the life cycle of the plants.
Lotuses are by Kyoko Ichiyama (Japan) and Commercially Grown Cotton Cultivars are by Susan Tomlinson (Texas, USA)
with different approaches to size of artwork and how to hang
Botanical illustration emphasises the depiction of accurate botanical information with aesthetic appeal and should document the anatomical and functional aspect of a plant throughout its lifecycle. Artists are strongly advised to paint from living plant specimens and to make use of photographs for reference only.
Exhibiting at RHS Shows
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Below are images of the"Best Exhibits" at four RHS Botanical Art Shows in the Lindley Hall (2015-2018)
Key points about exhibits Commonalities that I can observe are that:
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SEE MORE IMAGES OF PAST SHOWS BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS RECOMMENDS Become very familiar with the standard of Gold Medal winning artwork. You can see more images of exhibits in past shows in
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Best Exhibit 2018: "Wild Roses in Japan" by Michie Yamada (Japan)
Best Botanical Art Exhibit 2017: Pandanus by Mariko Ikeda (Japan)
Best Exhibit 2016: Tillandsias by Mariko Aikawa (Japan) - this photo shows four of the six large paintings
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BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS RECOMMENDS
THEME
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EXHIBIT TITLES BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS RECOMMENDS - VIEW Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows This dedicated page CATEGORISES and HIGHLIGHTS Exhibit Titles used by botanical artists who have won RHS Gold Medals in recent years MOST Gold Medal winning exhibits fall into just two of the categories! |
Best Exhibit (Feb) 2015: Climbing Plants by Kumiko Takano (Japan)
#4 TRY to VISIT THE SHOW - BEFORE you decide your theme or start your project
RHS Botanical Art Show 2017 - Saturday 25th February
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BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS RECOMMENDS:
If at all possible, I very much RECOMMEND that ALL those who aspire to become approved and then exhibit at an RHS Botanical Art Show should TRY AND VISIT THE SHOW and check out what makes it different - and the standards. Like any other open exhibition or art competition, visiting the show to take a look at the standard of the work and how work is presented pays HUGE dividends for those who do their homework. Otherwise do take a careful look at my past blog posts on this website which highlight photos of all past top medal exhibits. |
WARNING! Standards seem to rise every year.
Concepts for exhibits also get every more adventurous - both literally and metaphorically.
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For those who are unable to get to the show, do
- take a look at my blog posts (SEE ARCHIVE: RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2023) and also
- view my BOTANICAL ART VIDEOS on YouTube (see examples above and below)
#5 How to apply for a space at a SPECIFIC RHS Exhibition of Botanical Art
Only artists who have been accepted by the Picture Panel are eligible to apply for space.
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You can only apply for space in an RHS Botanical Art Show IF:
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Demand for space may mean that it is not possible to accommodate all of the artists who apply for space.
If this is the case, selection criteria will be employed taking into consideration previous exhibition and medal history. (i.e it is very helpful to get the best medal possible the first time you exhibit. For the 2023 Exhibition, the Picture Panel gave priority to
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How to apply for "Space to Exhibit"
Use the online application form emailed by the RHS Shows Department to eligible artists.
Contact details for eligible artists are automatically sent to the RHS Shows Department following acceptance by the Botanical
Art Judging Panel. It is however entirely up to artists to ensure that:
Use the online application form emailed by the RHS Shows Department to eligible artists.
Contact details for eligible artists are automatically sent to the RHS Shows Department following acceptance by the Botanical
Art Judging Panel. It is however entirely up to artists to ensure that:
- the Secretary is kept informed of any changes to their contact details by emailing [email protected]. uk, and that
- only one email address is supplied for use for show correspondence.
RHS London Botanical Art Show 2016 - with the new display boards - on the Saturday
#6 How to present your botanical artwork and exhibit (from 2023-future)
All artists must display six pieces of botanical illustration presented on a coherent theme.
The choice of subject is left to the exhibitor.
RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show exhibitor factsheet 2023/4
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EXHIBIT FRAMED AND HUNG IN A GALLERY
Since the RHS Botanical Art Show moved to the Saatchi Gallery, the artwork has been hung on walls in the two ground floor Galleries used by the Show.
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HOW MUCH SPACE for your exhibit?
The display must fit into the allotted space
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View of RHS Botanical Art Show 2023 in Gallery 1 at the Saatchi Gallery
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ARTWORK FOR EXHIBITION
Most artwork is in colour.
Theme / Topic (see the separate page for Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows - which categorises the titles of past gold medal winning exhibits. All artists must display six pieces of botanical illustration presented on a coherent theme. Age
Artwork should have been produced recently and certainly within the last 5 years. Size
Artwork should be life size if not, a scale bar must be evident on the picture. Subject Matter
Artists are strongly advised to paint from living plant specimens and to make use of photographs for reference only. Supports
Artwork should be on white or off-white material – paper or vellum only. MOUNTED ARTWORK Artwork must be supplied mounted, in accordance with dimensions agreed between the Botanical Art Secretary, Saatchi Gallery and the Artist. See Rules and Regulations for Exhibiting AND Layout and Images Summary When planning a display, artists are recommended to pay attention to the window size through which the picture will be seen, as well as the external measurements. |
ARTIST BOARD / SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The amount of text which artists can provide has been much reduced since the location of the show switched to the Saatchi Gallery. The emphasis is now much more on "exhibition" and much less on "educational". The number of words to describe the exhibit is now VERY limited which I personally think is a very great pity. As a result, we no longer see the very informative narratives about the project which accompanied many exhibits in the past Label Text The label text is considered as part of the overall presentation of the exhibit. Artist's Board
Each exhibit will be accompanied by an ‘Artists’ Board’ detailing the following: Labels for each artwork
There is NO SCOPE to highlight anything specific about each individual exhibit. To my mind this is a serious omission - but these are the rules In addition, (the) artist must supply the wording for individual picture labels, with the correct full Latin name of the plant depicted, date of the artwork and medium. Naming of Plants
To reflect botanical accuracy of the exhibit, all artwork must be:
- Genus and species should be in italics. STAGING All artists need to advise the organisers of how their exhibit should be presented. (This overlaps with the above requirements) - The orientation of each picture (landscape/ portrait) |
#6 How botanical artwork is judged at the RHS Show
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There are four types of Royal Horticultural Society Medal available for awards to exhibits. These are:
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In addition, THREE additional awards have been made in recent years if an exhibit merits them:
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See ARCHIVE: RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2023 for posts which highlight these medals and awards and the artists who won them.
The Awards and Medals
Gold medals are only awarded to displays of outstanding and consistent excellence.
The RHS Botanical Art Show Judging Panel
Some of the RHS Botanical Art Show Judging Panel (Picture Committee: Masumi Yamanaka; Helen Allen, Gillian Barlow (Chair), Dr Andrew P. Brown and Deborah Lambkin
The RHS Botanical Art Show Judging Panel currently includes experienced practising botanical artists and teachers, botanists, and horticultural experts.
The aim is to achieve the right combination of skills.
The aim is to achieve the right combination of skills.
- Chair of Judges: Gillian Barlow GM 1994, 1997, 1999; has been the Chair of the Panel for over 10 years and continues to be a very respected botanical artist. She brings a wealth of experience as a practicing artist, a previous gold medal winner and a judge. (She has also been awarded the Veitch Gold Medal 2015 and is responsible for the "Royal Signatures")
- Along with other members of the judging panel, Gillian is supported by
- Deborah Lambkin GM 2019 (the RHS Orchid Artist; winner of the Margaret Flockton Award 2020 and the Jill Smythies Award 2019
- Helen Allen former Head of the Chelsea School of Botanical Art
- Lucy T Smith (two Gold Medals; winner of Jill Smythies Award and Margaret Flockton Award twice and scientific illustrator for RBG Kew) see also A NEW Giant Water Lily - described and illustrated by Lucy Smith
- Dr Andrew Brown GM 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999 see also Andrew Brown awarded Jill Smythies Prize 2022 plus scientific illustrator for RBG Kew
- Masumi Yamanaka (GM 2010; drew all the heritage trees at Kew - and scientific illustrator for RBG Kew) - see Review: Kew's Heritage Trees - paintings by Masumi Yamanaka.
- Mary Ellen Taylor - Past Chair of the Chelsea Physic Florilegium Society
- Raymond Evison OBE (RHS Moderator) | RHS Vice-President, judge, nurseryman, author and photographer. His previous posts have included Chairman of the RHS Shows Committee from 1988 to 1995. He was also elected Vice-President of the RHS in 2005. The Moderator needs to be a very experienced individual who moderates other RHS decisions about the award of Medals (e.g, for gardens and plants) to ensure consistency with standards and criteria
- Horticulturalists and Botanists (may vary)
Judging Criteria for RHS Botanical Art Medals
Panel explaining the assessment criteria at the RHS London Botanical Art Show 2017
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NEW JUDGING CRITERIA were introduced in 2022.
This section comes in two parts - in terms of:
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Whether or not you get the plant name correct - and write the Latin correctly - actually matters a lot! |
RHS Botanical Art Show 2015 (27th - 28th February 2015) . This was the first ever show in the Lindley Hall completely dedicated to Botanical Art. However the annual exhibition has now moved to the Saatchi Gallery and the artwork is framed for an exhibition over several weeks.
BOTANICAL ART AND ARTISTS RECOMMENDS: Those aspiring to exhibit at RHS Botanical Art Shows should
- pay particular attention to the Judging Criteria
- BEFORE making a choice as to the plants / theme for their exhibit and designing and creating it.
PAGE 10 of RHS Botanical Art and Photography Fact - Artists FactSheet
RIGHT CLICK THE IMAGE and open up the embedded link in a new tab to see the document this comes from
As from 2022, The Selection Meeting Factsheet provided much clearer guidance on the Judging Criteria as follows.
This is a link to the Criteria on page 10 of the RHS Botanical Art& Photography Show exhibitor Factsheet 2026
The subtitles in capitals are mine.
This is a link to the Criteria on page 10 of the RHS Botanical Art& Photography Show exhibitor Factsheet 2026
The subtitles in capitals are mine.
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TECHNICAL SKILLS
1. Drawing skills
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Part of one drawing for an exhibit titled "Succulents Studied in Stippling" by Hyunchin Cho (Korea/USA)
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Bridget Gillespie who won a Gold Medal for "Root Vegetables: Lifecycle" and Best Painting in Show 2017 for "Beetroot Beta vulgaris".
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SCIENCE AND HORTICULTURE (used to be called "Plants")
4. Botanical details
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Hye Woo Shin wowed us all in 2013 when she produced her original artwork for "Lauraceae in Korea" exhibit on panels - including the main plant illustration plus illustrations of the tree, dissections and magnifications. She won an RHS Gold Medal and the "Best Exhibit in Show 2013"!
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RHS Botanical Art Show 2022 Judges Special Award: Tsunami Plants by Mitsuko Kurashina
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OVERALL IMPRESSION
6. Composition and Arrangement on the Page
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RHS Botanical Art Show 2023: Eunike Nugroho (Indonesia) with her Hoya Exhibit. The artwork top left "Hoya Latifolia G.Don. / Bold under (Sun) Stress " won Best Artwork in the Show
RHS Botanical Art Show 2018: Two of the botanical illustrations by Hye Woo Shin - which resulted in a NEW Judges’ Special Award 2018 for ‘Plants in Dokdo Island’ ​
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JUDGES FEEDBACK TO ARTISTS
Andrew Brown providing feedback to Jackie Isard who won a Gold Medal in 2022 for her exhibit "Wet meadow wildflowers - their pollinators and as food plants"
#7 How to win an RHS Gold Medal
Tips from RHS Gold Medal winners
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My dedicated TIPS page Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners also provides a wealth of useful information - including tips from artists like Annie Hughes, Işık Güner, Julia Trickey, and Esmee Winkel - who have won multiple Gold Medals.
Tips cover:
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Mayumi Hashi receiving her award for Best Botanical Exhibit at the RHS 2025 show - from Charlotte Brooks the RHS Art Curator and Secretary to the Judging Panel. She also won her third Gold Medal.
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BELOW is a Video Interview by Katherine Tyrrell - interviewing Denise Ramsay after winning an RHS Gold Medal for her botanical art exhibit of "A Brilliant Life - Papaver Orientale" at the RHS Show in the Lindley Hall, London on 22nd October 2014.
The complete suite of works exhibited are now owned by Dr Shirley Sherwood - and have subsequently been exhibited at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew
Below is the book written by Charlotte Brooks, the Secretary to the RHS Picture Panel and the Curator of Art at the RHS Lindley Library.
Botanical Illustration from the Royal Horticultural Society: The Gold Medal Winners
Updated Edition with new artworks
Updated Edition with new artworks
RHS Botanical Illustration: The Gold Medal Winners (Updated Edition 2025)
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This new updated and extended edition includes all new gold medal winners from 2019 to 2024, with an additional 29 stunning works from 14 new and accomplished artists.
Contents include:
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This is my BOOK REVIEW of the 2019 publication Book Review: RHS Botanical Illustration - The Gold Medal Winners - which is referenced below!
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Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: ACC Art Books Publication date: 2nd September 2025 ISBN 9781788843386 ORDER THIS BOOK |
HOW TO VISIT:
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RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show Poster - outside the Saatchi Gallery.
I sat next to this when I wrote my first social media posts saying who got what!
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POSTS ABOUT THE RHS BOTANICAL ART & PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW 2025
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Botanical illustration emphasises the depiction of accurate botanical information with aesthetic appeal and should document the anatomical and functional aspect of a plant through its lifecycle. Artists are strongly advised to paint from living plant specimens and to make use of photographs for reference only. |
History of Venues and Timing
In the past, The RHS Botanical Art Shows have been held in:
- London at
- The Horticultural Halls in Victoria, London - initially the Lawrence Hall but latterly mainly in the RHS Lindley Hall (until 2019 - as seen in the VIDEO BELOW). The main Botanical Art Show used to be held on two days generally between February and April.
- (since 2021) The Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London (see below) - and the exhibition was extended to three weeks and now six weeks. However this switch lost the community event that previous shows - and botanical artists - had very much enjoyed when visitors got to meet the artists.
- Malvern (up until 2018) This was a small show at RHS Malvern Spring Festival Show in May. Judging and medals are, in theory, just the same. However those who have viewed both commonly consider competition has been much more intense in London. i.e. a Gold Medal won at London is a major achievement!
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The Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea - new home of the annual RHS Botanical Art Show
READ about
- RHS Past RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2023 - what was exhibited, who was exhibiting and who won which award and medal! Plus images of the exhibitions
- Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows - the titles of past gold medal winning exhibits have been categorised. You may be surprised at the result....
- RHS Botanical Photography Shows - tap the link to find out more on this site
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