A new UK center is being launched to protect 23 million gardens from plant health threats and invasive diseases.
The initiative unites the Royal Horticultural Society and the Animal and Plant Health Agency in a collaboration funded with £3 million from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The new centre will focus on researching, monitoring, and helping mitigate both existing and emerging threats affecting gardens, green spaces, and the wider horticulture industry across the UK.
The program will operate as a virtual center, drawing on staff and expertise at both RHS and APHA sites nationwide. The organizations will collaborate with industry groups and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing plant health risks, then develop management strategies, scientific research programs, and practical guidance.
The project addresses growing concern over the increasing vulnerability of UK horticulture to pests, pathogens, and plant diseases that can rapidly spread through global trade and environmental change.
The horticultural sector contributes an estimated £38 billion to the UK economy and supports more than 722,000 jobs, making it a significant part of the UK economy.
Bemisia tabaci, an insect spreading damaging plant diseases, and Phytophthora species, a frequent plant health problem, already affect the UK.
Another major concern is the Rose Rosette virus, a frequently fatal disease affecting roses that has become a growing focus for plant health specialists worldwide.
The Royal Horticultural Society plans to leverage its network of more than 600,000 members to support national awareness campaigns around biosecurity and to help identify emerging plant health issues affecting both commercial growers and home gardeners.
According to inquiries received by RHS Gardening Advice services in 2025, the most widespread problems reported by UK gardeners included honey fungus and phytophthora root rots.
By combining scientific research, industry collaboration, and public engagement, the new center aims not only to monitor and mitigate future plant health risks but also to ensure faster, more effective responses that protect UK gardens, green spaces, and the wider economy.
This announcement aligns with Plant Health Week, running from 11 to 17 May, and highlights the increasing importance of protecting plants, ecosystems, and biodiversity from pest and disease pressures.
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