On 18 April 2024, the RHS’s show season kicked off with the brand-new RHS Urban Show in Manchester. This has been a hugely exciting project over the last 9 months, and it was fantastic to finally see our latest RHS Show brand in action. From designing the monstera botanical last summer to finalising timetables and event signage, it’s been a great experience to be part of the team developing a new show from concept to execution. I’m very proud of everything we achieved as a team!
In early 2024, the RHS Fundraising team began planning their new, high-end charity gala to generate awareness of the RHS’s key causes and develop a new stream of charitable income. They’d chosen a “Secret Garden” theme but were hesitant to use our main brand as they felt it wasn’t exclusive enough for this new event. I designed a creative direction for the Secret Garden Gala assets that balanced the Fundraising team’s desire for something premium and individual with the RHS’s core brand guidelines and principles.
I found ways to use our current brand assets in new and interesting ways, such as layering botanicals and using an all-green colourway to give the feeling of an overgrown, secret garden. Print effects like foiling and embossing can elevate creative assets to feel premium and high-end, without compromising our brand elements. My presentation was extremely well-received by all stakeholders. Creative assets are now in development in preparation for the Gala in October.
In preparation for the RHS Shows in 2024, I designed volunteer name badge templates for each of the four shows. These templates were made to fit each show’s brand guidelines, and can be personalised with volunteer’s names.
I also designed a poster for the RHS Show Exhibitor team to promote their Code of Conduct for exhibitors. I created this in the All Shows brand, so that it could be saved and reused at all the 2024 shows.
In October, I visited RHS Garden Hyde Hall for the first time, attending the autumn lifestyle photoshoot on behalf of the Brand team. It was my first time working with a freelance photographer on an RHS photoshoot, so it was important to communicate our brand style and make sure we got the images we needed.
It’s a privilege to be able to visit all of the gardens in person; but it’s also crucial to understanding each garden’s personality, marketing opportunities and challenges. I was particularly excited to see the Dry Garden, the Australia and New Zealand Garden and the new cactus border – each of which benefit from Hyde Hall’s unique climate.
I designed several branded assets for the RHS Lindley Library team in London to help them transition to the new RHS brand. I created an open/closed sign for them and a poster explaining their opening hours. I also designed a sticker for the instant payment machine, to help fund more donations to the Lindley Library. These assets were designed using the main RHS brand.
In August 2023, I had the exciting opportunity to visit RHS Garden Harlow Carr for the first time for the summer lifestyle photoshoot. In preparation, I had organised two groups of professional models to attend for a half-day shoot each. Our aim was to capture the seasonal colour in the garden, and show the garden as an excellent day out for families, friends and couples. The photoshoot was a huge success, and we captured lots of amazing images to use in future summer campaigns for Harlow Carr!
To finish off 2023’s show season, I visited RHS Flower Show Tatton Park – the RHS’s northern show. The show is located within the picturesque grounds of Tatton Park, on the outskirts of Knutsford Village in Cheshire. After such changeable weather, I was lucky to attend on a beautiful, sunny day!
As with the other three shows, it was my responsibility to collate and record all our branded touchpoints at the show, from the entrance gates to flags, trade stands to catering venues. Our new RHS brand looked fantastic on site, particularly the vibrant green show medals for the award-winning gardens.
I collated the images into a comprehensive presentation to share with our shows, brand and design teams. Our feedback will be used to improve and refine the show next year to give our visitors the best experience and strengthen the identity and recognition of the RHS Brand.
It was a huge privilege to be able to attend all four RHS Shows this year. I am now looking forward to visiting the rest of the RHS Gardens, including Harlow Carr at the end of August.
In the second week of July, I attended two days of RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. I’d been to the show with my family several years ago, so it was exciting to visit again and see how it has changed.
Of all the RHS Shows, Hampton Court is my favourite. The festival atmosphere is more relaxed, and I found the show gardens full on inspiration for my garden at home. This year’s RHS Horticultural Hero was Carol Klein; she designed a stunning garden with views over the palace. Having watched her prepare on BBC Gardener’s World, it was a huge privilege to be able to see her garden almost empty, first thing in the morning on Press Day!
Before the show opening to the public, we ran a photoshoot with a group of professional models, to capture the essence of the show. In the weeks prior, I’d liaised with our model agency contacts to source and hire the models for the shoot. I created and shared a wardrobe brief, agenda and logistical information with my colleagues and the models, to make sure the photoshoot ran to schedule.
On the first official day of the festival, I was part of a small team assisting our photographer with capturing members of the general public enjoying the show. We scouted willing members of the public to be photographed, making sure we obtained everyone’s consent with model release forms.
While on site, I was also responsible for capturing and recording all our branded touchpoints at the show. Using my images, I created a comprehensive presentation to share with our shows, brand and design teams, gathering feedback and areas for improvement for each department.
During the Spring Bank Holiday, I had the priviledge of representing the RHS at the annual Manchester Flower Festival.
Over the weekend, our main focus was promoting tickets to RHS Flower Show Tatton Park and encouraging visitors to explore the beautiful RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford. Our stand was a collaborative effort with Northern Flower, a local florist based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. Their stunning floral displays were, inspired by the history of the city and in celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The flower festival was a huge success for the RHS, with hundreds of people taking photos in front of our flower wall. We handed out over 400 packs of free sunflower seeds to children… or anyone who wanted some!
It was also lovely to hear from so many RHS Members about their love for Bridgewater and Tatton, and the RHS’s increasing presence in the North. I felt very proud to work for a charity which does so much for the local community!
This year, I had the privilege of being part of the team working at RHS Chelsea Flower Show – the world’s most famous flower show! As a member of the Brand Team, it was extremely rewarding to see our new brand come to life at the show.
Preparation for the Chelsea starts months in advance. I worked closely with our design studio and RHS Shows teams to create all the RHS-branded touchpoints, and it was wonderful to see the success of our collective efforts. The vision for the new RHS brand was to infuse it with more vibrancy, youthfulness and excitement – which our bright purple assets certainly achieved. It was especially exciting to receive praise from our department director and the RHS Council.
Our core focus at the showground was leading two photoshoots. I organised our professional photoshoot on Monday, coordinating with model agencies to hire two fantastic models who embodied the RHS brand. On Tuesday, our dedicated small team scouted members of the public to capture enjoying the show. Both shoots were a huge success; we captured an extensive variety of on-brand images, which will be key in promoting future RHS Chelsea Flower Shows in 2024 and beyond.
My two days at Chelsea were hugely enjoyable and professionally fulfilling. Seeing our brand flourish at such an iconic event, after many months of hard work, was a truly unforgettable experience!
