No shrinking violet

Sue Biggs, head of the Royal Horticultural Society, tells Miranda Jessop about her grand plans 

Last time I met Sue Biggs, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society, it was a gloriously hot summer’s day at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and she was escorting Mary Berry, doyenne of British baking, around the stunning gardens. It is not quite such idyllic weather when I see Sue nine months later at RHS HQ in central London, but Sue’s smile is just as sunny and the surroundings are no less historic. King Edward VII officially opened the imposing building in Vincent Square in July 1904 to mark the charitable organisation’s first centenary. 

Sue became head of the RHS in 2010 and she occupies an office lined with botanical prints which overlooks Westminster School. It was while she was sitting with her leg up, resting a broken ankle that she happened to see a job advert for a candidate to head up the Royal Horticultural Society. As a former Managing Director of long haul tour operator, Kuoni, it was a step away from the industry she had worked in for over 25 years but, at the same time, it was a move that made perfect sense.  

“I am a very keen gardener and had been a member of the RHS for over 20 years. Although I hadn’t actually worked for a charity, I had been involved with many different charities in my time at Kuoni and it was a sector I cared greatly about.”

As soon as Sue took charge, she decided it was necessary to make some significant changes. 

“Founded in 1804 and funded entirely by its members, visitors and supporters, the RHS has always been a much loved institution but, it would be fair to say, that some people thought we were a little bit of a posh gardening club. I realised that there needed to be a substantial focus on change and it was important to make the organisation more outward facing and much more accessible for everyone whether they have a big garden, a balcony or even just a window ledge.”

The biggest and bravest move that Sue has implemented during her tenure is the £160 million investment programme which has the aim of ‘enriching everyone’s life through plants and making the UK a greener and more beautiful place’.  

A number of major projects are well underway including significant developments at RHS Garden Wisley and the opening of a completely new garden in Salford, bringing the total number of RHS gardens to five. Reviving the gardens of the historic Worsley New Hall estate, RHS Garden Bridgewater will cover 154 acres and is due for completion in 2020.

“RHS Garden Bridgewater is particularly exciting as Greater Manchester doesn’t have a big garden like this at all and a lot of people living in Salford and Manchester don’t have much green space in their own gardens so socially, educationally and environmentally, it is just fantastic.”  

The community gardening schemes that Sue has introduced, such as Britain in Bloom and Greening Grey Britain, continue to be an important part of the work that the Royal Horticultural Society does to enrich people’s lives.   

“I am particularly passionate about Greening Grey Britain as it was born out of the need to wake people up to the imminent danger that is upon us if we keep paving everything over. We encourage people to ‘green’ at least one square metre of grey to try to get islands of green for pollinators to survive in. Otherwise the bees will continue to die out and none of us really wants that to happen.”

Reaching out to the younger generation is also vital to the RHS.  

“School children really are at the heart of everything we do as they are the gardeners of the future,” says Sue.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening inspires and supports schools to provide children with gardening opportunities to enhance their skills and boost their development. Running successfully for a number of years, a total of 34,000 schools and youth groups have now signed up.

In the meantime, the flower shows continue to be of huge significance to the charity.  

“We are fortunate to have the ongoing success of Chelsea and it’s really the light shining from Chelsea that makes all our other shows so important.”  

Sue informs me there will be some surprises at Hampton Court this year and, with a little gentle persuasion, she agrees to reveal a couple of highlights.  

“Next to the Long Water, we will be planting a whole meadow with Verbena bonariensis; butterflies are attracted to these delicate purple flowers so you can just imagine how special it will feel to wander through.”   

As well as an immersive feature taking visitors on an explorative journey through time, the RHS will also be celebrating iconic figures of the horticultural world with influential Dutch landscape designer, Piet Oudolf creating a whimsical garden.

Sue has positively flourished in her time at the RHS and clearly loves the variety of her work.  

“Sometimes I think I’ve got a very funny life; one day I’ll be showing the Queen around Chelsea, the next I am discussing plans with architects or talking to our amazing scientists and then there’s the retail and catering side as well as all our wonderful volunteers and visitors.”  

Despite the heavy workload, Sue still makes time for gardening and is never happier than when on her own plot at home in Cobham.  

“What I love about gardening is you’re always so busy looking at what’s coming up, what’s in bud, what’s in flower, what needs watering. There’s nothing better than pottering about, sometimes with a glass of wine in my hand, on a perfect summer’s day. How much more beautiful and relaxing can it get?” 

With Sue Biggs at the helm, the RHS is clearly on the right path. The membership has increased from 350,000 to almost 500,000 since she came on board and last year she was awarded a CBE in recognition of her services to the environment and horticulture.  

“I feel so proud of everyone in the whole organisation and how everyone is really trying to do their bit to change the world. The more people we can inspire to grow, the more impact we will have on people’s lives, the country and the environment; it really is a very important mission that we are on.” 

RHS Hampton Court Flower Show takes place July 2-8, rhs.org.uk

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