Members of the Ireland’s Royal Horticultural Society have decided by a wide majority to keep the term “royal” in their name after a voting process. The decision followed a period of consultation within the membership which began in December. The society’s chairman, Philip Hollwey, has downplayed the controversy surrounding the vote, asserting that the discussion did not result in any significant disagreements.
The organisation, currently known as the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, was initially established as the Horticultural Society of Ireland in 1816 at the Rose Tavern in Donnybrook, south of Dublin. The descriptor “royal” was incorporated into its title before 1848. There was a call from the society’s previous secretary and past editor of their journal, Mary Hackett, to assess the members’ opinion on whether to adjust the name to “Horticultural Society of Ireland” or another title that members favoured.
In a poll that solicited the opinions of the approximately 1,500 members of the society, just a quarter of them participated. However, the majority of those – 76% – voted to retain the current name. Hollwey commented that, while there were discussions regarding the historical and political significance of the term “royal”, practical matters related to the expense and difficulty of rebranding pushed against the change. According to Hollwey, rebranding the Society could have cost tens of thousands of euros.
The need for the Society to focus its resources on looming challenges was a common theme among members. The expense and complication of rebranding was a recurrent point, with many feeling the name change was not of sufficient importance to justify the cost. Hollwey highlighted that the decision to keep the current name was not due to any royalist tendencies, but more a reflection of members’ desire to “leave things as they are”.
The society, passionate about horticulture, arboriculture and floral art, takes pride in being “a modern charity”. Its mission, simply put, is to enhance the understanding and love for everything related to gardening and greens, while promoting respect for our environment and fostering a sense of community among its members.