The Company is a "living" guild and numbers among its members both professionals and amateurs who are actively involved in the craft. All are united by the common bond of horticulture and gardens.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, HRH the Earl of Wessex and HRH Princess Michael of Kent are Royal Liverymen. Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians are Royal Freemen of the Company, reflecting the strong links between the two countries in the world of gardening.
As a City of London Livery Company, there are close links with the Corporation of London and members of the Company are strongly represented on the Court of Common Council. Since 1891, the year in which the Company was granted City Livery status, 11 Lord Mayors have been Gardeners. Of these, eight served as Master.
Admission to the Company is usually by one of four routes: Patrimony, Servitude, Redemption or Presentation.
Candidates for admission to the Freedom and advancement to the Livery are subject to interview and recommendation by a committee appointed by the Court. The Company has recently created 3 new categories of member: an Affiliate member who usually will be predominantly based abroad, and a Journeyman Gardener and Sponsored Liveryman both of whom will in the main be under 40 and/or early in their career in horticulture. A further category of membership is that of Honorary Freedom (Freedom Honoris Causa) which the Court has the power to award to persons who have distinguished themselves by public service or individual merit.
If you are interested in joining the Company or in exploring this possibility, please contact the Clerk. His email address is clerk@gardenerscompany.org.uk
