London, UK (June 2026) — The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has revealed the medal and award winners of the outstanding 2026 RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show in partnership with Saatchi Gallery.
This year’s photography exhibition presents a range of subjects from intimate studies of succulents and sunflowers to wider views of gardens and natural habitats from across the UK and beyond. The world-class artists and photographers have been awarded RHS Gold, Silver-Gilt, Silver, and Bronze medals. A series of special awards; Best Botanical Artwork, Best Botanical Art Exhibit, Judges’ Special Award, Best Portfolio Photography Exhibit, Best Single Image (Photography), and Judges’ Special Award (Photography) have also been presented.
All entries have been reviewed by an expert judging panel during the pre-selection process, prior to the show opening, and assessed on aesthetic appeal, scientific accuracy and technical skill.
Special Awards 2026
Best Botanical Artwork
Jenny Hyde-Johnson, Syncarpha argyropsis and Erica coccinea in degrading limestone
“It is an exceptional and incredibly rare occasion that one artist achieves both of these prestigious awards. Jenny Hyde-Johnson uses her outstanding skill to showcase the ecology of this unique area, and she provides a valuable record of this fragile landscape.”
Best Botanical Art Exhibit
Jenny Hyde-Johnson, Fynbos Diversity of the Coastal Limestones on Grootbos
Judges’ Special Award
Hyunjin Cho, 100 Wildflowers of Jeju Island, Korea
“This series of drawings is a glorious celebration of the rich diversity of the wildflowers of Jeju Island. The scale of work Hyunjin Cho has undertaken is truly impressive, she has extensively researched her subject and brought to life an astonishing array of flowering plants.”
Best Portfolio Photography Exhibit
Liubov Kartashova, A Path of Revelation: Sunflower Under Ultraviolet Light
“This portfolio expertly unites scientific clarity with striking visual impact. Each photograph reveals a strong conceptual intention, inviting the viewer to look closer and engage with the subject with a spirit of curiosity. The work is deeply thought provoking, showcasing profound botanical integrity, which ultimately results in a portfolio that feels both intellectually rigorous and artistically compelling.”
Best Single Image, Photography
Liubov Kartashova, Inverted Orientation, Helianthus annuus
“This single photograph distils the entire portfolio into one unforgettable moment. Its subtly alien quality draws the viewer into a space where science and theatre intersect, revealing both the precision of botanical form and the emotional tension within it. The image sparks curiosity and contemplation, offering a conceptually rich statement that stands powerfully on its own.”
Judges Special Award, Photography
Denise Bernon, The Perpetual Garden
“This portfolio embodies true endeavour, demonstrating the remarkable technical and creative possibilities achievable with an everyday mobile phone. Its horticultural honesty and character is striking, highlighting vital themes such as biodiversity with clarity and purpose. The simplicity of the imagery is visually surprising, and the messaging resonates throughout. Every image shows exemplary horticultural understanding and association, executed with care and meticulous attention to detail.”
RHS Medals 2026
Botanical Art
GOLD
Eriko Yamada, Asarum species of Japan
Jenny Hyde-Johnson, Fynbos Diversity of the Coastal Limestones on Grootbos
Christiane Fashek, Raucous Glaucous: Lichens of Texas Hill Country 16x
Sally Pond, Grasses from the Greater Târnava Valley, Southern Transylvania
Bernard Carter, Tree Fungus
Mary Crabtree, Asclepias species: Milkweeds of the U.S. Great Plains Region
SILVER-GILT
Keiko Nibu Tarver, Aesculus species of Eastern United States
Mariko Aikawa, Tillandsia
Vivanne Dubach, Acer pseudoplatanus: the most common disease symptoms in Switzerland
Masako Watanabe, Gentianaceae surviving in Japanese mountains
Norma Gregory, ‘Roots’ – From my Garden
Yoko Sasaki, Mushrooms that Occur in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Gillian Condy, Pre-rain flowers of the Larkenvlei Forestry Reserve, South Africa
Hyunjin Cho, 100 Wildflowers of Jeju Island, Korea
SILVER
Frances Thomas, Waxcap fungi of the lawns of Hopetoun House, Edinburgh
Irina Neacșu, Iris pseudacorus: Beauty and Resilience in Conneticut Wetlands
Kati Haajanen, Rosaceae
BRONZE
Jenny Bache, After the Fire
Yolande Muschamp, A Study of six Sages
Photography
GOLD
Anne Wong, Lotus
Peter Merrick, Abstracted Representation of Succulents
Liubov Kartashova, A Path of Revelation: Sunflower Under Ultraviolet Light
Bennet Smith, Beneath the Boughs
Emilija Petrauskienė, Tulip Portraits
Denise Bernon, The Perpetual Garden
Heidi Egerman, Asclepias syriaca: Life and Renewal
Julie Pigula, Nature in a Microcosm
SILVER-GILT
Claire Ogden, Square Bananas
Louise Sayers, A Cévenol Garden – Where Grasses Dance
Konrad Cox, Trees, When No One Is Looking
Rachel Wallace, Velvet Black
Libby Ellis, Mumhood
Melanie Chalk, Whispers of Petals
SILVER
Corinne Whitehouse, The Glasshouse
Anne MacIntrye, British Tulips
Marianne Majerus, Bowing Out Gracefully
Claudia Gaupp, Allium Dance – An Intricate Unveiling
The People’s Choice Awards for Botanical and Photography will open tomorrow evening, until 9pm on Sunday 26 July 2026, voting to be announced on Monday 27 July (afternoon) on social media.
The RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show is open to the public from 19 June – 2 August 2026 at Saatchi Gallery, London. Tickets from £6 are available to purchase at saatchigallery.com; RHS Members and Saatchi Gallery Members go free.
For more information about the RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show visit: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-london-shows/rhs-botanical-art-and-photography-show
– ENDS –
DATES AND OPENING HOURS
Open to the public: 19 June – 2 August 2026
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10AM – 6PM (last admission: 5.20PM)
ADMISSION
Free entry for RHS and Saatchi Gallery members, on production of a valid membership card Pre-booking is not required. Entry is also free for The Sun and The Moon ticket holders.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Join the discussion about the exhibition online at: #RHSSaatchiGallery
Instagram: @saatchi_gallery @the_rhs
X: @saatchi_gallery @The_RHS
TikTok: @saatchi_gallery @rhshome
Facebook: @saatchigalleryofficial @rhshome
ORGANISATION
The RHS Botanical Art 2026 judging panel secretary is Charlotte Brooks, Art Curator at RHS Lindley Library and the RHS Photographic Competition judging panel secretary Claire Allnutt.
SCHOOL VISITS & COMMUNITY GROUPS
With the generous support of our Gallery Patrons, for each major exhibition there are opportunities to engage with creative projects and workshops whether that be in-gallery, virtually, in the classroom or at home. For more information visit saatchigallery.com/learning and to book your group contact [email protected] | +44(0)20 7811 3087
About the RHS
We’re the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow.
Our mission is to be there on people’s lifelong journey with gardening – to bring happiness, health, stronger communities and a thriving natural world.
With 220 years of experience, we support gardeners of all ages with expert advice, community and schools projects, scientific research, professional qualifications, our five RHS Gardens, and events including the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk.
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262
ABOUT SAATCHI GALLERY
Since 1985, Saatchi Gallery has provided an innovative platform for contemporary art. Exhibitions have presented works by largely unseen young artists, or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. This approach has made the Gallery one of the most recognised names in contemporary art. Since moving to its current space in the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea, London, the Gallery has welcomed over 10 million visitors. The Gallery hosts over 5,000 schools visits annually and has over 6 million followers on social media. In 2019 Saatchi Gallery became a charity, beginning a new chapter in its history.
For more information visit www.saatchigallery.com
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY
Saatchi Gallery Registered Charity No. 1182328