The Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) (1876-2017) was a specialist horticultural organization in the United Kingdom dedicated to the cultivation and appreciation of roses. Founded in 1876 as the "National Rose Society", it was the world's oldest plant society. It was a membership organisation, with members drawn from professional and amateur gardeners and horticultural businesses. Originally based in London, the rose society moved its headquarters to Chiswell Green, near St Albans, Hertfordshire in 1959, where it created the Royal National Rose Society Gardens. In 1965, the society changed its name to the "Royal National Rose Society" (RNRS). At the height of its popularity, the RNRS had 100,000 members and its gardens contained 30,000 rose shrubs. The organisation was dissolved in May, 2017 and the gardens were closed permanently. History The National Rose Society The Royal National Rose Society, originally named "The National Rose Society", was the inspiration of Rev Dr Reynolds Hole, an Anglican priest, author and horticulturalist. In 1858, he founded the first National Rose Show at St James's Hall on Piccadilly, London. The show was considered a great success with 2000 attendees. By 1860, the popular rose exhibition was being held at the Crystal Palace, with 16,000 rose enthusiasts in attendance. Because of the growing interest in roses by the general public, a meeting of leading rose enthusiasts, including Rev Hole, was held on 9 December 1876, and the "National Rose Society" was created. Rev Hole was elected the society's first President. The Rev Henry Honeywood D’Ombrain was appointed the society's first Secretary. From 1877 to 1902, D'Ombrain edited the society's yearly first publication, The Rosarian's Yearbook. The organisation initially opened an office in central London. Rose exhibitions were the primary focus of the society for its first twenty-five years. It also provided advice to its members with rose related questions, such as finding a specific rose or identifying roses, as well as providing general and specific rose care advice. The Gold Medal award The public's growing interest in roses, specifically the new rose cultivars introduced at rose exhibitions, inspired the creation of the society's Gold Medal Award in 1883. Rose breeder and former wheat farmer, Henry Bennett, won the first and second Gold Medals awarded, with Rosa 'Her Majesty' (Hybrid Perpetual) in 1883 and Rosa 'Mrs. John Laing' (Hybrid Perpetual) in 1885. In later years, an important role of the society was to supervise trials of new