Fellow

Fellows are nominated by the Council for their outstanding contribution to the industry.

Fellowship is £160 for the year. Your membership to the Chartered Institute of Horticulture gives you access to the only community in the industry with members from every aspect of horticulture. We are the professional voice for horticulture, join and grow your career with us.

To become a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, a candidate must already be a Member. They will need to be proposed by a Fellow and have an additional two supporters, one must be a Fellow and the other can be a Member or another Fellow. Once a nomination is received it will be circulated to our Council of Trustees and, if approved, it will be ratified at the Annual General Meeting.

Members are nominated for Fellowship for their outstanding contribution to the horticultural industry therefore making this level of membership an impressive achievement. Fellowship allows you to use the post nominal letters FCIHort and demonstrates your high level of integrity and influence within the industry.

To nominate a candidate please email cih@horticulture.org.uk or call 03330 050 181 and we will supply you with the application form.

 

Criteria for assessing suitability for nomination for Fellowship

Achievement of a high standard of distinction and responsibility
By achieving a high standard of responsibility via competitive selection or accomplishment in addition to the requirements of Corporate Membership, with evidence of broad-based service to, and/or distinguished leadership in, horticulture.

Examples would be:

  • Amenity, e.g. Public service in substantial authorities, Chief Officers or equivalent, Curators of Botanic Gardens of national repute.
  • National Bodies, e.g. Principal Officers, Curators of Crown Gardens, The National Trust, The Royal Horticultural Society, War Graves Commission.
  • Private employment, e.g. Head Gardeners responsible for exceptionally fine gardens.
  • Commercial, e.g. Directors, owners, general managers of substantial organisations in production, marketing, retailing.
  • Landscape Architecture and Design, e.g. Principals with established professional standing.
  • Education, e.g. Professors, Senior Lecturers, Principals of colleges, Vice Principals, Heads of Horticulture, Inspectors.
  • Research, e.g. Directors, Deputies, Heads of Departments, authorities on specialised subjects.
  • Horticultural Consultancy and Suppliers, e.g. Directors, Managers, Advisers with high professional standing.
Research record
Nominees are normally acceptable if they possess a PhD degree awarded on the strength of published work, or are persons of scientific eminence in some branch of horticulture. Candidates may achieve the distinction expected of Fellows of the Institute in other ways, evidenced by the quality and number of publications in refereed and other journals.
Combination of research record and responsibility
This may apply to horticulturists in universities and higher education and in research laboratories in the public and private sectors. Potentially acceptable are heads or chairs of departments or substantial sub-departments; Senior Principal Scientific Officers in government or research council service; heads of industrial, scientific or technical research departments. Nominations must include full details of the candidate’s responsibilities, grades and titles, the number of graduate and other staff directed, and details of research record.
Teaching or education development
Nominees need to show more than just outstanding ability as a teacher. Evidence of innovation and originality that has contributed substantially to horticultural education will be sought i.e. teachers, whose professional influence has spread well beyond their own establishment. It is particularly important that sponsors should know candidates well and that, if possible, one at least should come from outside the teaching field.
Persons with special achievements in exceptional knowledge or practice
There will always be candidates from horticulture who do not comply with any of the above criteria for Fellowship but who have established considerable professional standing by achieving a high standard in skill, knowledge or practice, or by being accredited with valuable service to a horticultural pursuit over a minimum period of 20 years which has advanced the interests of the profession. This section also enables Council to elect Members who have served horticulture with distinction in many ways, for example, in related publishing or journalism, or in a branch of science or arts having a direct bearing on horticulture. There will need to be clear and detailed evidence of these achievements to identify and substantiate these cases.

Why become a Fellow?

Progress to CIHort

Get on track to achieving Chartered Horticulturist status

e-Horticulturist

A monthly email digest of industry and CIH events and news 

Use of our logo

Which instils a sense of reliability and professionalism

Career Progression

Undertake regular CPD and get on track to full membership with a view to achieving Chartered Horticulturist status. 

Post-nominal letters

Use of FCIHort to demonstrate your level of expertise to potential customers and employers

The Horticulturist journal

View the printed copy of our journal, currently issued three times a year, written specifically for our members to keep them informed of current events and articles of interest

The CIH is the only body representing horticulture that is currently awarding chartered status, one which for me was well worth the effort of the process of applying for the chartered qualification.

Gary Taylor MBE, CIHort FCIHort

Joining the Institute allowed me to meet industry professionals from all across the sector, learn about areas of Hort outside of my own and supports their vital work in representing horticulture and bringing it together!

Douglas Mackay, MCIHort

If you work in horticulture and are serious about pursuing a career in this most fascinating and diverse of industries, I urge you to join the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and consider becoming a Chartered Horticulturist.

Andrew Gill, CIHort FCIHort

Become a Fellow member for

£160