Prizes
Read about the 2020 prize winners here!
The Valerie Finnis Prize
In addition to her interest in plants and gardens, Valerie Finnis was a talented photographer. As well as building up an impressive collection of plant images, many of which have been used in books and magazines, her interest in people and their gardens led to an extraordinary photographic record of horticultural personalities of the 20th century. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to gardening and plant photography the Royal Horticultural Society presented her with their highest award, the Victoria Medal of Honour*, in 1975.
*VMH – the Victoria Medal of Honour awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society Council to outstanding British horticulturists. Only 63 horticulturists can hold the medal at any one time.
Image Caption: Colour photographic portrait of Joan Stokes by Valerie Finnis. Both Stokes and Finnis studied at Waterperry Horticultural School for Women near Oxford and eventually joined the faculty, with Stokes remaining over twenty years. While at Waterperry, she was responsible for the strawberry display at Chelsea Flower Show, winning multiple gold medals. In 1969, Stokes was awarded the RHS Associateship of Honour. ©Valerie Finnis/RHS Library Collections
The Christopher Brickell Prize
Christopher Brickell C.B.E., V.M.H. and past Chairman of the Merlin Trust
Chris was Director General of The Royal Horticultural Society from 1985 to 1993 and prior to that was Director of Wisley (1969-1985) and its Senior Scientific Officer and Botanist (1960-1969).
He has chaired the RHS Advisory Panel on Nomenclature and Taxonomy from 1994 to 2002 and is a member of several RHS Plant and Trials Committees as well as serving on the UK Plant Breeders Rights Controller’s Advisory Panel for herbaceous plants. He is interested in the conservation of both wild and cultivated plants and in 1978 he initiated the formation of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (now known as Plant Heritage).
His passion and knowledge of botany and gardening has taken him on many tours in the Himalaya and Sino-Himalaya leading through to Sikkim and notably to S.W. China. His love of alpine Daphne’s has drawn him to make a study of the species in the Alps of Europe where he has advanced the study and knowledge of this genus.
A keen cricketer in his youth, many fellow students at Wisley recall a very fine fast bowler! He has been a great influence on many young horticulturists for many decades and to commemorate his great achievements The Merlin Trust awards an annual prize of £500 for the best report received during the year.
