Roy Lancaster CBE receives prestigious Pearson Memorial Medal
Renowned plantsman, author and broadcaster Roy Lancaster CBE has been awarded the 2026 Pearson Memorial Medal by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), recognising his outstanding contribution to horticulture and the UK garden industry.
With a career spanning more than seven decades, Roy has inspired generations of horticulturists and gardeners through his extensive plant knowledge, engaging storytelling and lifelong passion for horticulture.
A natural teacher and communicator, Roy has helped make plant identification accessible and memorable by connecting plants with the people, places and stories behind them. He is widely known for his work on BBC Gardeners’ World and as a long-serving panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time.
Roy’s influence also extends to his work as an author. His contribution to successive editions of the Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs has helped establish it as an essential reference for horticultural professionals, while books including What Plant Where and Travels in China have shared his knowledge with a wider audience.
Appointed CBE in 2014 for services to horticulture, Roy continues to share his expertise and mentor others across the industry. His interests extend beyond plants to fungi and birds, with his enthusiasm for the natural world remaining undiminished at the age of 88.
Alan Down, HTA Past President and Board member, praised Roy as a natural teacher and communicator whose enthusiasm and storytelling have helped countless people develop a passion for plants.
Roy said he was “really moved” by the award, adding that being among fellow plant people remained a source of great joy.
The Pearson Memorial Medal was first presented by the HTA in 1930 in memory of the Association’s first General Secretary, Charles Pearson. Awarded annually, it recognises individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the garden industry.
HTA President Jane Lawler said Roy’s seven decades of service made him a fitting recipient, describing the Pearson Memorial Medal as one of the highest honours bestowed on an individual within the industry.
For more information about the award and its past winners, visit: hta.org.uk/events/pearson-memorial-medal